Name:
Ben
Worrell
Address:
8634 Klaus Road
Round Top/TX
United States
QSL via:
Bureau, Direct mail, LOTW, QRZ
QSL manager:
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First licensed as a No Code Tech in 1993 as KC5JBE, later upgraded to General after taking the 5wpm (failing the 13wpm) then passing the 13wpm and General Written exams in 1995 or 1996.
1998 got involved with NARS and with some friendly compitition from Steve KD5AIJ now a SK he and I passed our Advanced exams the same test session, and wanting a shorter call I went tor tje systematc callsign assignment and received KM5OT. Interst went to other things and Amateur Radio fell down a notch or two in the hobby list for about a year and a half then in 1998 became acative and decided I needed a Vanity Call. WB5EN fit (W for my last name B5EN my first name since 5 isns;'t a letter) about this same time my interst was reaching an all new Plateau and about that time maybe a year earlier their was no longer a 20wpm reqirement for Extra I studied for about 3 months (yes actaully Studied not memorizing the questions) and passed the Extra. A week or two later I saw NE5B was avialable and jumped on the Vanity wagon again and recieved my current and probably last callsign NE5B.
Interest again dropped this time for nearly 10 years until about 2 years ago when in 2018 with the help of a couple of close friends KA5HRF and NE5DX my interest peaked again and here I am. I starated isomg LoTW and QRZ logbooks last November about the same time I started FT8, and finally after 25 years as a ham achieved DXCC and 5BWAS. FT8 makes WAS way to easy and DXCC takes just a little more effort. Not all was FT8 - 44 of my DXCC confirmations are from SSB contacts 56+ from FT8. FT8 gets total credit for my 5BWAS.
Radio for all of this has been an Icom 756 (original non Pro) For HF and 6m Antenna for the past year the Antenna has been an Random Length EndFed wire currently at 92' in length. 92'f brought my 160m SWR down to under 1,3:1 The feed point is about 13' the high point near the center is only 24' and the far end is back down to about 16'. With the help of a Nelson Antennas (from ebay) 9:1 unun SWRs are under 1.5:1 on all bands except for 30 and 40 where the the old Icom's Internal tuner can tame the 4:1 mismatch and keep the finals happy.
I have quite few DX QSL cards from my earlier SSB and a few CW contacts from over the years that I could submit but I would still be short of DXCC by a ways. I do plan to get the rust off my CW key and make some contacts as well as find my voice besides during contests and work toward DXCC and WAS there too.
Well enough jabber hope the save button works else I will be frustrated..
73 Ben - ne5B