Like many future hams at the time, my interest in radio began around age 10 as a shortwave listener when I received a Knightkit Star Roamer for Christmas. I eventually sent in for a Popular Electronics magazine "monitor station" identifier, WPE9IGS. Remember those? I am still a SWL even though the number of stations has really declined over the years. Later, while in 5th grade, many of my friends were getting CB radios so after some parental urging, we got one too. This time we built a Knightkit C-22 and my father dutifully mailed in the FCC license form to get the call, KLK1543. My friends and I had a lot of fun with those radios. Two of them later also got their Novice licenses and we still keep in touch today.

Amateur radio officially began for me at age 15 in December 1967 with the mail delivery of my Novice license, WN9WNQ. Six months later I passed my General exam at the Chicago FCC office and became WA9WNQ. In 1981 I upgraded to Extra and was issued KK9H. I love to chase DX and I operate mostly CW, but I also enjoy Phone, RTTY and PSK31. Field Day is one of my favorite annual events and in late July you will find me operating portable from Washington Island, WI in grid EN65. I am a member of the North Shore Radio Club, the Northern Illinois DX Assn., the Prairie DX Group, Hams-on-LaSalle Street, QCWA, GERITOL (2208), CWops (480), 10-X (14855) and the ARRL. I have DXCC, 5BDXCC, WAS on 160 and 80, WAZ and 6M VUCC.

My station is an Icom IC-7800 and IC-PW1 connected to either a 130 ft. inverted-L fed by a Drake MN-2700, a HyGain AV-640 vertical or a 3-element 6M yagi. I also have an Elecraft K3 for portable operation. For local VHF/UHF contacts I have a Kenwood TM-V71A, Icom IC-38A and Motorola XPR4550 for 2M, 440, 220 and 440 DMR respectively. I am also still active on packet radio with a Kantronics KPC-3+ and an Alinco DR1200 Dataradio. Antennas for these radios consist of a Comet CX-333 and a Diamond X-50 at 35 feet.

I am married and have two adult children. Professionally, I am a registered investment advisor. In 1997 I was elected Village President (mayor) of my home town and served for eight years. Currently I am serving as a trustee of the village's police pension fund. I have a BA in economics from the University of the South (Sewanee) and an MBA in finance from Vanderbilt University. My other interests include golf, fishing and WW2 history.