Formerly KA8HBF, AE7CC.

I got my first license in 1979. I had a blast and worked a lot of DX, mostly on 15 meters, as a young novice (KA8HBF) in Michigan. My favorite rig back then was an HW-8 (and I just found and bought another one at a swap meet!) I also used a DX-60 quite a bit with a huge and heavy old Hallicrafters receiver.I spent some quality time with a Ten-Tec Century 21 and a Johnson Viking Ranger somewhere along the way as well.

Like so many others, I lost touch with ham radio during my later teens and I ended up staying off the air for 25 years.In the Summer of 2009, I got inspired after stumbling across Bill Meara's "Soldersmoke" podcast. Bill's podcast is kind of like an enjoyable rag chew and it reminded me of how much I loved amateur radio. I took all my tests and got my extra ticket issued in August of 2009 with the callsign AE7CC. I've been on the air almost every day since then.

I'm having a blast with contests even though I have a very little pistol station here. I love it when the bands light up with contesters. I'm a CW guy and haven't developed a desire to pick up my microphone.It's theoretically possible thatI'll do so forphone contests or interesting DX. In 2011 I won the low power CW section of the 7QP and the low power, assisted section of the ARRL November Sweepstakes CW.

I live on a small lot with badly placed trees and my neighbors (and XYL)are very sensitive about aesthetics, so my antenna choices are pretty limited. At the moment, a K4KIO hex beam on the roof at almost 40', an 88'doublet at 50'oriented for E-W, an inv-L for 160, and a 50' vertical for 80. When I'm serious about a contest, I'll hoist up my 40m wire moxon beam and raise some other wire beams (moxons or hexes) for SO2R on the higher bands. I usually run 100 watts, but I operate QRP as well.

If you're looking me up because you've worked me, thanks! If not, then I hope to see you on the air. I NO LONGER SEND PHYSICAL QSL CARDS -- mostly because I'm so terrible aboutactually doing it but also because it seems like a ridiculous waste.PLEASE USE LOTW. It is such a simple way to confirm.

I finally got my WAS at the end of 2010! It only took 2570 QSLs in LOTW. The last state to confirm was WVA. Go figure.
And a week later I got my first DXCC. 50 states took as long as 100 countries! Who knew?

I'm a member of ARRL, The Western Washington DX Club, SKCC (6730T), NAQCC (3865), and QRP ARCI (13687).

73,
-Chadd