NI3F Kenneth L. 'Ken' Cohen Bethesda, MD QCWA # 37491

WELCOME TO AMATEUR RADIO STATION NI3F

Country of License: USA
CQ Zone: 3, 4, 5 ITU Zone: 6, 7, 8

Grid square: FM18 KX61 Latitude: 38.9659 Longitude: -77.116

Altitude: 108.564 meters 355.85 feet above sea level
ARRL Atlantic Division, Arrl Section: Maryland/DC (MDC)

Twitter: @HamRadioNI3F

The photo above is of me with my second harmonic and junior op, Ilan--KB3TDF, who earned his Technician license at age 8 and his General at 9 and is now studying for his Extra Class ticket. I am the old guy.

Ilan has a great big brother and a terrific mom, who are not hams--but who put up with us.

Here is my favorite Ham radio song, "CQ Serenade":http://www.zerobeat.net/cq_serenade_en.mp3

And here is Herman Munster calling CQ (Episode 18, "The Munsters," 1965):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ht9GlgqHVIc&translated=1

++++My Ham Radio Biography

--ARRL Section Manager for Maryland/DC 1989-1993

--Started in radio as a young teen SWL in the early 1960.s (Popular Electronics .SWL call sign. was WPE2LZJ.)

--My "Elmer" was Captain Kurt Carlsen, W2ZXM also know as "Captain 'Stay Put'" for his heroism (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henrik_Kurt_Carlsen)

--Became a Novice in 1967 at the age of 14.call sign WN2ZGP

--Held Technician, General and Advanced class licenses as WB2ZGP

--Upgraded to Amateur Extra on May 17, 1987, taking NI3F as my new call sign.

++++My Station

--Yaesu FT100D, running 100 watts

--Yaesu FT450D, Running 100 watts

--Yaesu FT-817ND, QRP

--ICOM IC-746, Running 100 watts

--Ellcraft KX3, QRP

--Amp is an Ameritron AL-811H (800 watts)

--MFJ 495 Memory Keyer, two Bencher paddles and lots of straight keys.

--HF antennas are G5RV, a 43 foot S9 for 6-80 meters (Loading coil for 80 meters), and a 134 foot long multiband dipole.

--VHF/UHF antenna is an e-factor for 2 m and 440, an Arrow II for HT/FM low sats and a few mobile antennas on the car.

--Digi modes using Signalink SSB for an interface and DM780 software

--HT.s are Yaesu VX-5R, Kenwood TH-28A and two Baofeng UV 5R dual band HTs (one is mobile).

--I mostly operate PSK-31 and low band CW, but do some satellites with my Yaesu VX-5R and an Arrow II antenna. I operate some 2 meters. I do some Olivia and SSTV, using DM 780 with my Yaesu FT-100D. Now that I have an amp, I am doing more SSB on 40 and 20 meters. Best place to find me is on PSK-31 at 14070 or 7035 khz. Getting into JT65, mostly on 20 meters.

++++Other Information

--My QTH is in Bethesda, Maryland, just about a mile from the District of Columbia.

--I QSL 100% via the bureau. I also use www.eqsl.cc and LoTW

--10-10: # 52301

--QRP ARC: # 2793

--SKCC: # 4602

--European PSK Club # 09976

--QCWA # 37491

++++Operating Awards

--DXCC

--WAS (basic & digtal)

--Region 2 Award

--WAC (phone & digital)

My novice station back in 1967 consisted of a GlobeScout680 transmitter (crystal controlled) at about 65 watts, a Hallicrafters SX-117 receiver and, for two meters AM, a Gonset II Communicator. (Seems like the dark ages.) The GlobeScout was remarkably spirious -- I got a friendly "QSL" from the FCC Monitoring Station in Laurel, Maryland telling me that my CW was heard on the 20 meter general band, when I was operationg on the 40 meters! I was so frightened that stopped operating the Globe Scout immediately and forever! Radios are infinitely better today.

Here are some pics:

 

August 28, 2017