President: Mike W9MK
I started in Ham Radio with WN9IYO in January of 1972. 2022 will be my 50th year as an Amateur Radio Operator. Wow! I upgraded to Extra at the FCC office in Chicago with my friend Bill Ryan N4BR and we received consecutive call signs which we had for a number of years. My FCC assigned call was AD9Y and Bill’s call was AD9Z. When W9MK became available it was the only call I requested otherwise I would likely still be AD9Y. I love chasing DX. I love the competition of a DX pileup. I came into the NIDXA with 200 countries confirmed. I now have 306 confirmed and 317 worked. The NIDXA club members are very helpful in the chase. My favorite bands are 15, 75, and 40 meters.
See you in the pileups!
Vice President: Ed N9EP
Ed has been a ham for 49 years. DXing, contesting, homebrew, portable operation and mentoring new hams are among the many amateur radio activities he enjoys.
DXing from an antenna-limited QTH in a HOA subdivision has been challenging but with a stealthy approach to antennas he has 317 DXCC entities confirmed, with 8 band DXCC.
He has been a proud member of NIDXA since 2010 and is also a life member of ARRL and QCWA as well as other ham fraternal groups including CW OPS, FISTS, SKCC, SMC, NAQCC and the Motorola ARC.
Ed is currently serving his third consecutive term as club secretary. He has served previously in roles as secretary and a member of the Board of Directors.
Secretary: Pat W9PDS
Pat, W9PDS has a life-long interest in radio communications. He spent his younger years as an avid Shortwave listener with a hand-me-down Heathkit SB-303 in his bedroom, listening to 40 meter ragchews into the wee hours of the night.
Life got in the way and it took him a long time to get his license. He went to school to study electronics and Avionics, and that morphed into a career with internet software companies. Finally in 2009 he was licensed and became KC9JYB. He caught the DX bug shortly after and has never looked back.
Pat joined NIDXA in 2020 with 200 confirmed countries and continues to chase them for his log on a daily basis. Outside of chasing DX, his other passions in the hobby are RTTY and CW contesting, building homebrew rigs, and portable operation.
Treasurer: Wally W9BEA
Board Member: Paul K9NU
Paul was first licensed in 1965 in southern California as WN6PHG. Later that year he moved to Joliet, IL and received the call WN9QNU and subsequently upgraded to general and WA9QNU. Paul got interested in DXing in the 90’s and finally upgraded to extra in 1994. Paul has achieved Number One Honor Roll, 5 Band WAZ, 9 Band DXCC needing only P5 on CW and 5 entities on digital.
Paul retired in 2005 after spending his entire working career in the frequency control industry. He has been the W9DXCC convention chairman for the past three years and serves on the NIDXA board of directors.
Board Member: Mike W9MR
Mike was first licensed in 1988 (KB9BIB). Discovering that DXing was a way to fill the time between contests, he quickly became hooked. Due to a lengthy absence from ham radio, he missed out on some good DX. Currently having 315 (Mixed) confirmed entities and 5BDXCC (endorsed for 12, 17 & 30).
Board Member: Bill W9JJB
Past President: Ed WA9GQK
Ed’s interest in radio was sparked by a fellow scout showing his project for Radio Merit Badge. Self taught radio electronics from books at the local library until starting high school where he took shop classes in electronics and joined the Morton West HS radio club. Licensed as WN9GQK 1963 and then WA9GQK on passing General. Though eventually upgrading to Extra he has retained his original call. Currently have 305 Mixed with a few more to add.
