Contributing Author

It all started in a log cabin in the backwoods of Ohio...

Restart:

I was first licensed in 1979 and because I was always an overachiever I got my Extra about 1984 or so. Frank, Charlie, Charlie gave me the NR8U call sign because they knew how much I loved CW.

Since that time I’ve rarely used CW.

My main activities in amateur radio since then have been low-power phone entries in just about all the major/minor contests, which are on the air. I do have a caveat though because in the fall my amateur radio activities take a back seat to college football. My son is the offensive line coach at Manchester University and a lot of my weekends are spent on the road to games.

I love learning the history of things and amateur radio and radio itself has fascinated me for some thirty years or more. I have met some great people through amateur radio and two of the best are Francis “Fritz” Tender, WD8E, and his wife Billie Tender, N8LEL. Thanks to Billie letting Fritz go, we have had some really nice adventures involving amateur radio.

I just renewed my license for another 10-12 years, which will probably outlast me as I just turned 70 years old.

I really appreciate the staff of the K9YA Telegraph for letting me work out my neurosis in front of everybody. Thanks guys.

Bob Cashdollar, NR8U, SK (a real last name and call sign).

1945 - 2017