My primary interests are HF DX'ing, HF and VHF contesting, and VHF weak signal work. I enjoy long-haul QSO's on 2m via meteor scatter, and enjoy 6 meters immensely. I have also operated from Jamaica as 6Y7M during the 1994 WPX CW contest, as well as from Antigua as V26NA during the ARRL DX CW contest in 1997.

I moved to Connecticut in October 2007 to accept the position of ARRL Contest Branch Manager. I am currently living in an apartment and was convinced I would forego operating from home, choosing to operate from the ARRL Employee station W1HQ. However, there's just nothing like having your own station available at any hour of the day or night, and without having to travel. I used indoor HF antennas in my apartment in Illinois with reasonable success, so I decided to try indoor antennas again here in West Hartford in a "stealth" fashion.

I use an Icom 706 MkII. In order to ensure peace with my neighbors, I've decided to keep the power down to about 5 watts or so. For an antenna, I decided to try a horizonal loop of wire wrapped around the perimeter of my apartment and fed in the southeast corner of my shack. I run the loop through an LDG Electronics AT-7000 automatic antenna tuner, which allows me to be QRV on 40 through 6 meters. I have also renewed my interest in AM/Medium wave DX'ing, and have a Kenwood R-600 receiver and a 4' diameter loop receive antenna made out of two hula hoops. The receive loop plays well and I can hear plenty of AM DX with little effort.

Being an avid contester, I know that indoor antennas are a compromise at best. Indeed, my noise level is quite high, averaging around S7 or so. This means my home operating has to take on a different feel. I use CW exclusively from my apartment QTH, to maximize every watt I transmit. I also adjust my expectations; I know I'm not going to crack the big DX pileups or work 300 stations in an hour from home. That means I can sit back and enjoy a good ragchew! However, I never say die; I'm a DX'er, so I'm going to keep trying to work DX. With little effort, I had QSOs with YU1AB, HA9RT and AI4VU/HI3 the first day I put my loop up, all with 559 - 579 signal reports. In the 2008 ARRL DX CW Contest, I managed 70 QSOs with 31 unique countries. Just because you live in an apartment doesn't mean you can't enjoy amateur radio.

I also enjoy operating from remote locations. I've acquired a rechargable DC power supply and have begun working on portable HF antennas. Here's a shot of me as a "rover" in the 2007 50 Mhz Spring Sprint contest on May 12. I can assemble and elevate the entire thing in less than five minutes. Whether I'm on a DXpedtion to the Caribbean or just enjoying an evening in the back yard, there is something about setting up the radio gear in a remote location I find quite pleasing. Come the Spring of 2008, I will definitely be operating portable on HF and VHF.

Another of my interests is in VHF/UHF Grid DXpeditioning. I have activated EM56, EN57, DN95, EN20 and DM77 over the years. If you would like to suggest a grid square for me to activate, feel free to E-mail me.

If you need a QSL for one of our contacts, I'd be glad to get you a card. I do ask that you please enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE) with proper postage for your reply.

If you have a question about contesting, VHF Grid DXpedtions, or just want to say hello, I look forward to hearing from you.