Hello from the "Footprint to Freedom"!

I am the Radio Electronics Officer (REO) for the USNS Sgt William R Button, which is a pre-positioning ship stationed at Diego Garcia, or "DGar" as we sometimes call it.

My current tour will keep me QRV as VQ9JC from December 2008 to April 2009; after that, I expect to return to DGar in August 2009 for another four-month tour.

About 85% of my operating is on CW, with SSB at about 12% and the rest on digital modes. When you call on CW, pse give your call only one time; if I miss part of your call, I will ask for a repeat. Too many stations give their calls two and three times which only adds to the QRM.

I am QRV on the LEO satellites (AO-51, SO-50, and AO-27), but the footprints of these satellites are small enough that I cannot reach the African or Asian mainland from VQ9 very well.

My special prefix operations have included VQ97JC (23 May through 05 June 2007) and VQ98JC (18-31 December 2008). I'm hoping to operate as VQ99JC in for two or three weeks in August or September 2009.

Buro or direct is fine for all callsigns.

Pse note that all mail (direct and buro) goes to my home QTH in Florida, and it is later forwarded to me through the U.S. Navy FPO mail system. The FPO system works very well, but there will be delays in getting the mail to me, so pse be patient.

Direct mail requests will be answered the same way if sufficient reply postage is included. QSLs sent by direct mail with no postage or with invalid or expired IRCs will be answered only via the buro. Pse remember that the postage rate in the US is going up again in May 2009.

If you have a question about a QSL that you think should have been received, send me an e-mail. All of my logs are electronic, and I can review them at any time.

73, Jim, VQ9JC / KG4JC / ND9M