NOTE: Please read the following QSL instructions. See also http://www.13Colonies.info .  My log has been downloaded to this site and you can check to see if you are "in the log".  Although I have also downloaded my K2J contacts to both eQSL and LoTW, these services cannot provide the Special Event K2J QSL card, nor can they furnish the 13 Colonies Special Event Certificate.  To receive the K2J Special Event QSL card, you MUST send your paper QSL and SASE to my personal address (see above).  For the 13 Colonies Special Event Certificate, you MUST follow the info on the 13 Colonies website and/or the listing for KU2US. I will also represent North Carolina in next year's 13 Colonies Special Event.  Next year's event (2011) will start promptly at 0000Z on July 1 2011 and will run thru 2359Z on 5 July 2011.  This change in start and stop times will give the West Coast stations a better chance to achieve a Clean Sweep. 

All requests for the Special Event Certificate should be sent to Ken KU2US (K2A), the manager of the event.  I will be glad to confirm North Carolina for those that need NC for any award. 

For US stations, enclose a SASE with your QSL and request. 

For DX stations, enclose your QSL and a SAE plus 1 NEW IRC for return postage.   Please make the card out to K4KCS/K2J.  All QSL requests will be answered.  If sufficient return postage is not enclosed, your QSL request will be answered via the "BURO".  I ask this because the anticipated volume of QSLs is likely to be quite high (total of 1850 QSOs).  PLEASE, I am retired, living on a "fixed" income, so please honor my request for SASE. 

Special additional station MN5ALJ in Northern Ireland is also celebrating the 4th of July, because the man who printed the copies of the Declaration of Independence for distribution to the 13 Colonies, John Dunlap, was born in Northern Ireland.  If you work MN5ALJ please make a note of that on your request for the 13 Colonies Certificate for a special endorsement.  Don't forget to send to MN5ALJ for THEIR Special Event and QSL.  

SPECIAL FOR 2011: New Certificate Endorsement: Special event station/Club WM3PEN (for William Penn) Will be celebrating the 4th of July week Special Event, representing Independence Hall in Philadelphia, PA.. during the same time of our event. If you make a "Q" with WM3PEN, make a notation on the log sheet you send to KU2US/K2A for the certificate, and a "Liberty Bell" endorsement with the WM3PEN call, will be placed on your certificate. They also are offering a Great custom QSL card. Send them an SASE, IRC or  Green Stamp ($1) for the QSL card. Look them up at QRZ.COM.  This will add to the fun of our celebration.

 First Licensed as KN4KCS (Novice) July 17 1956, Memphis, Tn. Technician Class K4KCS issued in 1957, up-graded to General Class in 1958; Extra Class since 1984. FCC Commercial Second Class Radiotelephone license since 1956, First Class Radiotelephone since 1972. Served in U. S. Navy 1960 - 1970, Communications Technician (Material Branch) Chief Petty Officer [CT(M)C]. Worked in HFDF and was responsible for designing, installing and maintaining specialized ELINT operational platforms. Associate Degree Electronics Engineering Technology, State Technical Institute at Memphis (TN).   WB5KSU was issued as a secondary callsign in September 1972 when I became Chief Engineer at WNJC-FM 90 at Northwest Junior College, Senatobia, MS - this callsign was relinquished in late 1979 and I have used my original callsign K4KCS exclusively since then. 

 I was Chief Engineer of WNJC-FM operated by Northwest Mississippi Junior College, Senatobia, MS., September 1972 - December 1984 - Mississippi's first NPR affiliated radio station and the first radio station in Mississippi to receive programming via satellite.   In January 1985, I began employment as a Transmitter Technician by the Voice of America, the US Government's High-power Shortwave transmitting facility at Greenville, North Carolina, where I operated and maintained 250 KW and 500 KW SW broadcast transmitters.   Retired 31 March 2005 with total of 30-3/4 years Federal Servie - 20-1/4 years at VOA, + 10-1/2 years in the Navy.

I enjoy playing Bluegrass,  Classic  Country, Traditional Jazz and Hawaiian music on my Dobro Resonator Guitar, custom made by Frank Harlow of Vandalia, Ohio.  I worked with The Lucy Opry, Memphis, TN for about 15 years and played with Doug Cole and his Dixie Blue Grass Boys.   I am presently active in the bluegrass scene in Eastern North Carolina. I also belong to the Memphis Area Bluegrass Association, of which I am a charter member.

 I am also interested in electric trains, principally O and O-27 3-rail electric trains and have several post-war Lionel engines and some modern MTH engines with digital control.  I still operate (and maintain) my original 1946 Lionel 221 Streamliner set - it works as good as it did when new on Christmas Day of 1946!  I love running these trains, especially  when my small grandson Justin comes to visit - we really have lots of fun with the trains!   Justin now has his own Thomas the Tank Engine train to run when he comes for a visit. 

My new Amateur station consists of an ICOM 746PRO for fixed station use (HF thru 2 meters, SSB/CW and FM) and a YAESU FT-857D for all-band all-mode mobile use. I am presently active on HF CW and SSB using a Solarcon A-99 1/2-wave vertical antenna on 10 and 12  meters, roof-top mounted at a height of 35 ft;  and a GAP Challenger DX-VIII vertical for all-band (80 meters thru 70 CM) use.   I really like the GAP - it was easy to assemble and put up and sure does work great, especially on 40 and 20 meters.  Also on the scene is an Ameritron SDA-100 Screwdriver antenna for HF mobile/portable use, a 5/8 wave mag mount antenna for 2M and 70 cm mobile and a tri-band vertical antenna for 6m, 2m and 440MHz fixed station use.  Primary operation is HF CW and SSB.

At my old QTH of Senatobia MS, I was an active DX chaser. I operated a YAESU FT-101E/FL-2100B, about 1200 watts PEP input and a 2-element tri-band GEM QUAD on a 70 foot tower. When we moved to Eastern North Carolina in 1985 due to job and family pressures, I was unable to pursue this part of the hobby and so, my former DXCC "count" remained at 231 confirmed. However, since acquiring my present modest station and "antenna farm", I am starting all over again, using 100 watts and simple vertical antennas. Since putting up the GAP Challenger DX-VIII vertical (April 2006), I have upped my Mixed total to 280 and added DXCC's for 40 and 20 meters and Phone and CW.  I will shortly apply for 10 meter DXCC and am not far from DXCC on 80 meters.  I have also achieved WAC Mixed and CW, WAZ Mixed, CW and Phone, and WPX (554 - just short of WPX Honor Roll).

 I am presently concentrating on 40, 30 and 20 meter CW and Phone and 80 Meter Phone.  I lack two contacts on 80 meters - Oceania and Asia for 5BWAC.  I plan on adding a different vertical antenna (possibly a GAP Voyager), for coverage of 160 meters and full band coverage on 80 meters, a Radio Works Super Loop 80 and  sloping dipoles for 30 and 17 meter coverage. 

I am also participating in the RSGB’s Islands On The Air (IOTA) program, with a current total of 144.

I QSL 100% upon receipt of your card.  LoTW is preferred, although I still like to get paper QSLs - I love those DX Stamps !!.  For a paper QSL, all I ask is (1) for Stateside and APO/FPO stations, that you include with your card a SASE with appropriate return postage and (2) for overseas stations, include a Self-Addressed Envelope with 1 IRC (current) - for return postage.  I regularly upload my log to LoTW and occasionally upload my log to eQSL.  I prefer LoTW because they recognize my paper QSLs and eQSL does not.  If you do not include sufficient return postage, I will QSL via the "BURO" so be prepared for a long wait.

 Presently active in Straight Key Century Club (SKCC # 450), 10-X International (#15653), East Coast Amateur Radio Service (ECARS #4798),  and Brightleaf Amateur Radio Club (BARC) in Greenville NC.   I maintain "home" connections with Mississippi via the MS Phone Net which meets nightly on 3862 kHz.

I LOVE Special Events !!  I have worked the Museum Ships Weekend, the ILLW weekend, the 13 Colonies Special Event and many others including the Hiram Percy Maxim 140th. Birthday Special Event. I represent North Carolina for the 13 Colonies Special Event. See  http://www.13Colonies.info.  I have also joined a new Yahoo! group, RRDOTA - the Rail Road Depots On The Air and plan on activating some local  historical RR Depots for a Special Event.  I look forward to working you some day. 

 I am presently moving my ham station into a newly-constructed building, separate from the main house.  This is a 24' x 31'  2-car garage with a 12' x 12' attached "shop".  The "shop" is the future location of the ham shack.  One half of the garage will be used as an automobile repair and hobby shop, where my son and I are working on building some customized ("hot rod") cars.  The other half of the garage is where I do my woodworking and plan on building a fairly large O gauge model railroad layout. 

C U on 80 - 10 meters, CW and SSB, fixed and mobile. 73  de "Slim" K4KCS.