I fully endorse and support the DX Code of Conduct. Let's spread the word.

DX Code of Conduct

(for more information see www.dx-code.org)

 

I will listen, and listen, and then listen again before calling.

I will only call if I can copy the DX station properly.

I will not trust the DX cluster and will be sure of the DX station's call sign before calling.

I will not interfere with the DX station nor anyone calling and will never tune up on the DX frequency or in the QSX slot.

I will wait for the DX station to end a contact before I call.

I will always send my full call sign.

I will call and then listen for a reasonable interval. I will not call continuously.

I will not transmit when the DX operator calls another call sign, not mine.

I will not transmit when the DX operator queries a call sign not like mine.

I will not transmit when the DX station requests geographic areas other than mine.

When the DX operator calls me, I will not repeat my call sign unless I think he has copied it incorrectly.

I will be thankful if and when I do make a contact.

I will respect my fellow hams and conduct myself so as to earn their respect.

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My last upload to LoTW was on May 11, 2012.

I am now active on ('no keyboard') RTTY. Working with the "canned memories" in my IC756 Pro III (. So my transmissions have to be limited in content. I refer to this method as "RTTY on the cheap". It's not pretty but it at least gets me on the mode. Hi. I am up to 159 entities now.

Many thanks to Leo, WY7LL, for my last TPA contact (WY on RTTY). Issued TPA #529 on 2-15-11.

If you are a K, N or W call and we have contacted and you need LoTW confirmation from me, email me, I'll check my paper logs and I'll upload our qso.

Many thanks to Abel KE1AF for RI on 10 m, TO FINISH UP my 5BWAS !!! I've not applied for the award yet. I am trying to replace the 2 paper qsls in the 5BWAS application with LoTW ones.

I am also working on 10BWAS with only LoTW confirmations. Have completed 488 of the 500 slots.

I answer qsl 100%. I am always happy to exchange paper qsls.

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CALL HISTORY:

I am at least the 6th holder of this callsign since 1915 and if you have any information on the previous holders of 8OP or W8OP, please contact me.

Previous call holders that I am aware of are (in order):

1914 & 1915 8OP issued to Charles L Reynolds, 25 Sturges St., Binghampton,NY

1921 8OP issued to Ralph J. Lampe, 715 Leeson Ave., Van Wert, OH

1925 8OP issued to J.J. McConnell, 114 West Main St., Carrollton, OH

1929 8OP issued again to J.J. McConnell

1936 8OP issued to William E. Coleman of Jenny Lind Ave., McKeesport, PA

W8OP was issued to Paul C. Rohwer (unknown year),Paul was a member of OOTC (1738) and was a "spark gap" operator. He first transmitted in 1921 using the call 9AYS. He became a silent key July 1985.

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WN8BMX(1968-70), WN8LGF(1971-1973), WB8BMX (1976-1997), W8OP, vanity call since Oct 1997. Passed General (13wpm) in 1976, Advanced in 1987 and Extra (20 wpm) in 1987.

I enjoy chasing DX, IOTA Islands, 6 meter grids and working USA Counties. If you're interested in County Hunting, check out www.countyhunter.com. I completed confirmation of ALL 3077 USA counties and received the CQ Magazine USA-CA 3077 Award (#1077) in October 2003. I have 60% of counties worked for 2nd time.

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AWARDS:

My confirmed DX totals are currently:

338 Mixed (includes 8 deleted entities(10 entities needed)

324-CW. 295-Phone. 149-RTTY. 8-BDXCC

DXCC Challenge Award (1,897)

160m 93 (99 wrkd)

80m 160

40m 222

30m 214

20m 309

17m 263

15m 248

12m 177

10m 189

6m 49 (50 wrkd)

Worked 174 countries with QRP (5 watts) on CW.

A-1 Operator Club (5/27/09)

USA-CA 3077 Worked All USA Counties #1077

Triple Play Award #529 (2-15-11)

W. A. S. (basic, 160 meters, CW-LoTW & phone-LoTW).

VUCC 6 meter certificate #1,627 (grids worked/confirmed: 371/355)

IOTA 100 & 200 Islands of the World Certificates (266 confirmed, 330 worked)

Worked All Europe Awards - WAE Top plaque (#91) & WAE I certificate (#116)

W.A.Z. Awards (mixed & cw)

IARU Region II & Region III Gold Seal Awards

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CLUBS & ORGANIZATIONS:

Active with Mountaineer Amateur Radio Association (W8SP) since 1968. Currently President for the 2011-12 term. Our club was 90 years old in 2009. I am currently working DX for our club with the club call (245 confirmed).

ARRL member since 1968 - Life Member since 1978

ARRL DXCC / WAC / VUCC / WAS card checker & ARRL VE Examiner. Many thanks to the WVDXA for the DXCC field checker nomination.

Royal Order of the Wouff Hong since August '04. Member ofthe W8SP R.O.W.F. team.

QCWA member #26,123, active with Chapter 30 as sec/treas.

West Virginia DX Association Member (W8AH) since 2006. What a great group of guys !

3.905 Century Club (40 meter #151 and 80 meter #521).

Bozo Amateur Radio Fraternity Member #628 (www.ab0zo.com) thanks to Mark, W9OP.

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My little pistol station:

My home station consists of an Icom 756 Pro III & a IC-746 (non pro) with an AL-811H amp.

Antennas are a 4 element Mosley TA-53 (5 band) at 73 feet, 30 m dipole @ 35 ft., (2) 40 m dipoles (NE/SW @60 ft. & NW/SE @50 ft.), 80 m dipole @ 60 ft., 5 el. 6 meter beam at 80 ft. & 3 el.6 meter beam at 21 ft. Inverted "L" on 160m (65' of it vertical) with 8 buried radials. I do a lot of 'down in the trenches' listening and have a LOT of patience.

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My wife, JoAnn and I have been married 27 years. My daughter (Jenna - KD8EBJ) is a Tech and graduated from Potomac State College of WVU with an Assoc. of Applied Science in Equine Production and Management in 2011. My son (Chris - K8RUN) is a General and just graduated from West Virginia University with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering.

We live on 4 acres in the country, so I have a fair amount of room for antennas. While mobile in my Ford Ranger pickup, I use an Icom 706MkII & Z100 tuner with Hustler Hustler antennas on 80, 40, 30, 20 & 15 m.

I graduated from Fairmont State University in 1972 with an A.S. in Engineering Tech. (drafting) and 1974 with a B. S. in Engineering Technology. I've been employed by Industrial Resources, Inc. since 1974. Our company designs, fabricates and constructs coal preparation facilities and bulk handling systems for the coal and rock industries. I've been a proposal engineer in the sales engineering department since 1978. My work mostly entails the layout, design and estimating of belt conveyors & stockpile reclaim systems (and whatever else comes along that they need an estimate on).

OTHER INTERESTS:

Semi-active caver (speleologist) and Fellow and Life Member of the National Speleogical Society #15,240FL. I am a life member of the Monongahela Grotto. Back problems and WNS (White Nose Syndrome affecting cave dwelling bats) has prevented me from caving much recently. I have participated in the New River Gorge Bridge Day several times and rappeled the 870 ft What a ride !!!

My son & I are Eagle Scouts & I have been involved with Boy Scouts for many years and am currently an Asst. Scoutmaster. I served on staff at the 2005 & 2010 National Boy Scout Jamborees. I am a Brotherhood member of the Order of the Arrow (Lodge 550).

Last year I started riding my son's Kawaski 500 Ninja motorcycle to work on the days he left it home so I could save some money on gas. So early this spring I purchased a 20 yr old BMW K75RT (3 cyl. liquid cooled) and have returned to riding a BMW after a 25 year absense. K series BMW's are refered to as the "Flying Brick" because the engine looks like a big block. My first BMW was a 1973 R75/5, I owned between 1978-85, put 76K miles on it.

Former Referee for the U.S. Soccer Federation at the local level (1995 to 2005), U.S.S.F. Associate Referee Assessor (2001-2005) at the state level. Retired from soccer officiating Fall of 2005

I have researched family genealogy since 1996. Surnames: Carpenter, Cross, Keenan, Glover, Horner, Golden, Blake, Layman, Hoult, to name a few. I published "The Descendants of William (Bill) Cross, Jr." in 1997 (my maternal gg grandfather).

Recently became re-interested in beekeeping after a 24 year absence and will be starting all over again this spring with two hives. Just completed a 12 hour refresher course and have rejoined the Marion County Beekeepers Assn. and the West Virginia Beekeepers Assn.

Really enjoy hiking and am a member of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and have hiked +350 miles of the A.T. over the years. In process of hiking all the trails in WV State Parks near my qth. So far have completed all the trails in: Valley Falls S.P., Tygart Lake S.P., Cathedral S.P., Audra S.P., Watters Smith S.P. and am working on the 50 miles or so of trails in the Coopers Rock State Forest. I'vealmost finished with Stonewall Jackson Resort S.P. trails and hike one loop trail in Holly River S.P.

There cannot be a crisis next week. My schedule is already full. ----- Henry Kissinger

Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body,

but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out,

Shouting "holy crap- - - - - - what a ride!"

Live life to the fullest !