Contributing Author

I practically breathed in ham radio growing up as a child near Chicago, Illinois. My father was Rodney Newkirk, W9BRD, conductor of QST magazine's column "How's DX?" for 30 years or so, from late 1947 to 1978.

Throughout my childhood the beautiful sounds of Morse code were all around me.

W9BRD originated the term "Elmer," coined in 1971 in a "How's DX?" column. I am so grateful to have had W9BRD as a father, a mentor, and an Elmer.

At the age of 15, or so, I became, with my dad's help, WN9PMC. Although I allowed that license to expire when I was still a teenager, I am happy to say that in January of 2017 I passed my Technician Class license exam, becoming KD9HWE. In August 2017 I applied for, and was granted, my original call sign my father helped me attain so many years ago, WN9PMC. I am thrilled to be a radio amateur once more! I've always had a passion for history and I love learning everything I can about amateur radio's past.

I am a complete CW fanatic. This was true of my father W9BRD, a silent key since 2012, and his son, my brother David Newkirk, the current holder of W9BRD.

As we say, CW forever!