I have enjoyed the challenges of Contesting since being introduced to this aspect of the hobby by Don, K9PPJ and Mel, K9QFZ while still in the Chicago area. When I moved to California in 1973 I changed my callsign to W6PXG and set up my own modest contest station with a TH6DXX triband yagi at 70 feet and a shorty-forty a few feet above that. When vanity callsigns first became available I switched to N6EE - nice and short on CW!

Ron's home QTH in Turlock, California

Travels

I have operated from a few DX locations and have held the calls: ZF1RL, C6AJU, VP5/N6EE, AH7NA, VP2VV (club station), and, most recently PJ2/N6EE. I also operated with Chet W6XK as VP5NN in the 2003 ARRL RTTY Roundup and took first place World with an all-time record score which stood until January 2012. Chet and I also set out to surpass the VP5NN record in the 2012 ARRL RTTY Roundup from PJ2N in Curacao. We accomplished our goal but the N0NI team in Iowa (of all places) beat us - Congrats to them!

Ron at VP2VV

Quest

In October of 2011 I decided I would like to visit as well as operate myham radio from all 50 US states. I had previously operated from Illinois, Indiana and Hawaii, so that left 47 states I needed to visit. The first installment in this quest occurred in October 2011 when my wife Betty and I rented a car and drove through 13 states (New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Delaware, Virginia, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania). One fun aspect of the trip was working my buddies Chet, W6XK, Mike, W7MH, and Bruce, K6TIG, from all thirteen states. Several more road trips are in the planning stage (as of January 2012), so look for me come Spring 2012 - I'd love to work YOU!

QSLs

Please QSL these operations as follows:

N6EE home or mobile

Home Station

Currently my home station consists of:

• Elecraft K3/100transceiver (a truly GREAT radio)
• Heathkit SB220 linear amplifier (>40 years old and still going strong)
• SteppIR DB18E (2L 40M, 3L 30-6M) at 45 feet (check out my six part SteppIR DB18E videos on YouTube.com)
• Inverted V dipole for80 meters
• Numerous computers running Writelog / MMTTY / K6STI RITTY/DX Labs Suite

Contesting

I frequently join Chet W6XK at his impressive station for multioperator contesting typically using the callsign NN6NN. We have many plaques and first place awards for RTTY, SSB, and CW contests. I am also a long-time member of the Northern California Contest Club.

I do try to QSL 100% on all cards received either direct or via the bureau. An SASE is appreciated for direct replies. My address on QRZ.COM is current. I alsoput all myQSOs on the ARRL Logbook of the World. If I have had the pleasure of contacting you in a contest I'd like to extend a heartfelt Thank You! If we have never had a QSO I look forward to meeting you, or at least exchanging a contest QSO!

I also enjoy casual DXing and finally acheived DXCC #1 Honor Roll in 2009.

Ron at VP5NN

I retired in 2010 as Professor Emeritus of Computer Information Systems from California State University, Stanislaus giving me plenty of time to Ham it up!

73,
Ron N6EE