SWL - WN8SQY - W8SQY - N8RI

My interest in radio began as a short wave listener (SWL) in 1945 at age seven at the end of W.W.II. We had a floor model GE AM radio with a twelve inch field coil speaker which had a shortwave band something like 6 to 18 megacycles. I also found you could also hear police "broadcasts" at the high end of the AM broadcast band.

I built a crystal detector AM broadcast radio which I used to hear DX AM stations during night time hours when most local BC stations were off the air, except for clear channel stations WTAM 1100 and WGAR 1220. I noticed that at the high end of the broadcast range, 1.8 to 2 megacycles, I heard amateur radio stations on the 160 meter band. That really got me interested. My first "real" radio was a National SW-54.

After failing the 5 wpm Morse code test before the FCC RI Dick Cotton in March, 1954, I finally obtained the Novice license, WN8SQY, in June, 1954. Later that year I upgraded to General, W8SQY. An ARRL code proficiency certificate for 15 wpm was obtained in 1954, 20 wpm in 1955, and 25 wpm in 1956. I upgraded to Extra Class in 1986 and took the Extra Class vanity callsign N8RI in February, 1997. I have also held an FCC Commercial 1st Class Radiotelephone License, April, 1956 (now called General Radiotelephone Certificate since January, 1985), FCC Commercial 3rd Class Radiotelegraph Operator Permit, April, 1957, and a FCC Commercial 2nd Class Radiotelegraph Operator License, November, 1961.

In the 1960's I stumbled upon a group of people on 2 meter FM on 145.260 MHz. I got ahold of an old GE LPI FM transceiver and joined in the fun. In the following years I was involved in the development of the 146.76 repeater in the clock tower on the "hill" (Warrensville Twp.) and in the beginnings of SKYWARN in northeast Ohio.

I've operated amateur bands from 160 meters through 1296 MHz using CW, AM, NBFM, FM, SSB, RTTY, PSK and a few other digital modes, but currently interested in 20/15/10-meter PSK31, CW, SSB, and 2-meter and 70-cm FM. I also do SWL listening and scanning from 30 kHz to 2000 MHz. I've worked all 50 states and at least as many countries on 20 meter PSK.

My wife Mary Ann, on her own initiative took an amateur radio course and was licensed as a Technician, N8PRG, in 1991. She operates a 70-cm and 2-meter FM mobile and handheld.

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	Early 1960's view from the roof of our house in Seven Hills, ground elevation 1150 ft.		Skinny me, W8SQY (at the time).
	My vertically polarized stacked six-element two-meter yagis. I also had a 16-element collinear, and two ten-element yagis stacked, one time vertical and one time horizontal. And a 20-element crossed polarized. I actually worked a guy in a radio shop in Mayfield Hts testing his transmitter into a dummy load from this QTH.		Jack, W8LIO.
	Jack, W8LIO's big antenna and tower.		N8RI and N8PRG twin consecutive serial number Yaesu VX-5 handhelds.
	Jo Ann, then K8WRX, standing in front of the 26 foot chicken wire 1296 MHz moonbounce dish built by her father Jack, W8LIO, about 1961. I helped extend the diameter from 20 feet to 26 feet. It was used on the first one-way 1296 MHz moonbounce transmission from Sam Harris, W1BU / W1FZJ Boston to W8LIO Dorset on the Ohio PA border.		My current shack set up for 10/15/20/40/M PSK-31, CW and SSB. Also VHF/UHF and scanners.

Some DX QSLs

Public Service Awards Wallpaper