I have been a licensed Amateur Radio operator since 1978 and hold the callsign WD8RIF. I earned my Novice license as a fifteen-year-old in 1978 and progressed through the Technician, General, and Advanced class licenses, eventually earning the Amateur Extra license sometime in the late 1980s.

My father, W8EOG, was my first and most significant "elmer". He has been a ham since 1956 and, as such, I was exposed to ham radio even in my earliest childhood (images).

I am a fan of CW and nearly all of my HF operating since my days as a Novice has been using CW. I am an advocate of QRP (low-power) operation, and almost all of my HF operating since 1995 has been at a power level of five watts or less.

I am the secretary of the Athens County Amateur Radio Association (ACARA) and trustee of the ACARA's W8UKE/R 2-meter repeater.

I am a founding member of the Southeast Ohio Radio Adventure Team, a small group of hams who enjoy operating their rigs outdoors.

I am a member of The American Radio Relay League, The QRP Amateur Radio Club International (#8856), The Adventure Radio Society (#58), The Internet QRP-L Club (#401), and Bicycle Mobile Hams of America.

My wife, Vickie, earned her license in 1999, and holds the callsign KC8MAJ.

My station is located in grid EM89 at 39°17'52"N / 82°03'31"W (39.297778°N / 82.058611°W), in Athens County, Ohio.

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Attributions:

cartoon by Phil Gildersleeve found in "How to Become a Radio Amateur", 1971 ARRL

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