I became interested in the radio hobby when working for my radio merit badge in Boy Scouts in 1954.  My first receiver was a Knight kit Ocean Hopper. In 1955 I upgraded my receiver to a Hallicrafter’s S-38E with a Heath Kit QF-1 Q-Multiplier.  I passed my Novice test and received the call of KN3BIM in July of 1957 and went on the air using a home brew CW transmitter with the S-38E receiver.   I passed my General test in July of 1958 and received the call K3BIM.  I upgraded my station to a Hallicrafters SX-99 receiver and built a HeathKit DX-40 CW/AM transmitter with a VF-1 VFO.  In 1958 I joined USAF MARS as a member of Northeastern Net #3 using the call sign of AFA3BIM. As a member of MARS I received a BC454 receiver and BC456 transmitter complete with control box and dynamotor.  Using screen grid AM modulation I went mobile using a 80 Meter mono-bander coil loaded whip off the rear deck of my grandfathers 1957 Chevy.  I talked him into cutting a ¾” hole in the rear deck of his new car for the antenna by making him the magician of the town by lighting florescent tubes in his hands while I keyed the mike from inside the car!  After highschool, I joined the Air Force and was assigned to the 46th Air Defense Missile Squadron outside of McGuire AFB, NJ as a weapons fusing specialist.  After the Air Force I relocated to NJ and worked for RCA in Camden, NJ on Project Apollo. During this time thru 1974 I operated under the call of W2CGO. In September 1974 I relocated to the state of Georgia and received the call K4KSA.  I became very active in HF AM/SSB Phone using Collins R-390A and Hallicrafters HT-44 and later a new Yaesu FT-101EE Transceiver. I received the Bicentennial WAS#982 in 1976, 75 MTR Phone WAS, 40 MTR Phone WAS in 1977 and worked about 35 countries confirmed toward DXCC. But as luck would have it I moved again and ended up in California.  I tried working with my K4 call but the Japanese buzzed me continuously thinking I was a coveted east coast contact, so I gave up and requested a new call an recevied N6BDI.  I got into 2 meter FM & RTTY using a Commodore PET 2001 computer and a home brewed interface. I also dabbled in mobile QRP HF on 10 meters using a Ten-Tec Argonaut 515, but I still worked HF Phone running the Yaesu FT-101EE. In the fall of 1980 my family and I moved home to PA and settled in Montgomery County.  I applied for a new call and was assigned N3CHX.  I got heavier into RTTY both using the Green Keys of an old model 15 TTY & a Commodore C-64 computer.  I also got into packet using a discarded Z80 Xerox computer and a TAPAR TNC-1 and also ran a BBS using a Kantronics KPC-4 TNC and a Commodore C-64.  I retired in 2004 and nowthat I'm retired I prowl 160 thru 10 Mtr HF bands and the 6, 2 and 70 centimeter band working openings when they occur. I am also into any kind of contesting usually running a SO2R station using two ICOM 746's or Single radio 746PRO SOAB LP feeding verticals, multiband dipoles and a 160 meter G5RV inverted Vee. I have gained my DXCC & RTTY, Digital and General WAS in 2010. My Club numbers are EPC#3643, DMC#919, 070#730 & 30MDG#0879.If you need a schedule contact me via n3chx@aol.com and we can arrange one!

I work about 35 to 40 contests a year, mostly digital. I have worked over 30,800 stations since 2004 with 16,235 confirmed on LOTW.I also use e-QSL and QRZ and will send QSL cards if requested or in turn. So give me a call when you hear me on the bands or in a contest!

73's and Good DXing! Ron N3CHX