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K9JF James E. 'Jim' Fenstermaker Vancouver, WA QCWA # 32102 |
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CELEBRATED 60 YEARS as a HAM in 2019!!! What a great Hobby
Hi de Jim - K9JF
Thanks for looking at my QRZ.Com Site - Antenna shown on Tower#3 is 4 el 40 / 3 el 30 meter yagi (JK Antennas) beaming to Europe from our "hill". Houses below are 150-200 feet lower in elevation and the antenna can elevate 30 feet higher!
What Amateur Radio Means to me
Amateur Radio is not just my hobby; it is a way of life! By this I mean that many of my life experiences and achievements occured partially because of my interest in Amateur Radio. Of course, one has to be rounded in life and outlook. Thus, melding of life's experience and achievements along with a wonderful hobby makes one more interesting and tolerant.
Earlier and Recent DX Operations and Leadership Positions
I was first licensed in 1959 as KN9TZH in the midwest, while in junior high school. K9TZH from 1960 to 1978. Received my current K9JF callsign in 1978. Also held DL5JF in Germany. Operated from OJ0SUF (Market Reef). SV5/K9TZH, OH/K9TZH, VP2/K9JF, VP5/K9JF, SP/K9JF, PJ2/K9JF, PJ2T, and Z60A (see paragraph below).
In early 2018, I was invited to participate as the US Representive on the first "DXCC Counting" operation from Kosovo. This was an amazing experience. A highlight was to work my friend of nearly 50 years, Martti Laine OH2BH after he returned to Finland from Kosovo, giving him a new DXCC entity! Only 370 other hams in the world have given Martti a new DXCC entity during the last 55 years!
I was co-founder (with W9RN) and served as the 1st President of the Greater Milwaukee DX Association (Milwaukee, WI) in 1976, President of the Willamette Valley DX Club (Portland, OR) in 1987, and the Clark County Amateur Radio Club (Vancouver, WA) in 1996. We moved from IN to Milwaukee, WI to Vancouver, WA during the course of our careers.
ARRL Involvement
Since 1999, I served the ARRL and Amateur Radio Community as Northwestern Division Vice Director, & Director, and ARRL Vice President. Upon retiring from the Board in January, 2016, I was elected ARRL Honorary Vice President. I was a member of the Administration and Finance (A&F) Committee for 3 years and was Chair of the A&F Committee for an additional 3 years. I was also elected to the Executive Committee 5 times.
I hope my legacy are the recommendations of the ARRL Strategic Working Group during 2015. I chaired this Working Group when I was 2nd Vice President of the ARRL. Our team established a "road map" for the ARRL's future. The ARRL Board '"adopted" our recommendations during the January 2016 Board meeting.
I continue to serve of the Board of the ARRL Foundation and since 2019, I chaired the Scholarship Committeee. It's a lot of work but quite satisfying.
New Involvement and Focus
My new Amateur Radio passion is getting young people interested and active in Amateur Radio. We need to better create enthuisasm for radio among youth and the scouting community as my entry into Amateur Radio was through Boy Scouts. I am also interested in creating new educational and training programs for ARRL Members and Radio Amateurs in general.
CQ Dog X-RAY
My initial passion in Amateur Radio was DX'ing. I received my first DXCC at age 16. Currently have:
o #1 DXCC Honor Roll with 369 entities worked and confirmed
o 9 Band DXCC (160 meters through 10 meters)
o DXCC Challenge 2500 + entities confirmed
o USA County Award - all 3077 counties worked and confirmed
o WAZ on 8 bands and 5 to go on 160
o A-1 Operator
I try to enter all the contests I can. I believe these activities are a way to improve both operator proficency and station performance. There are many certificates on my wall.
I now have a satellite and moon-bounce station and will be trying my luck on these modes and bands.
Education and Training
o BA in Political Science from Anderson University (IN)
o MBA in Finance from Indiana University
o Accounting Certificate from Portland State University (OR)
o FCC 2nd Class RadioTelephone Certificate
o Now a CPA-Retired
o Retired from Textronix and Aerojet and 3 school districts
Family
Shirley (W7SAF) generally supports my Amateur Radio passion
Andy (KF7ZMM)
Dr. Matt (no call yet...still working on him!)
Granddaughter Brooklynn
Travel
We hope to continue our world-wide travels, meeting people we have contacted over the years. We have had numerous visitors from every continent and invite fellow hams to stop-by when you are in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. We attended Ham Radio 2017 in Friedrichshafen Germany. We then traveled to meet many old and new friends throughout Europe. We realize that this wonderful hobby has allowed us to become not just tourists but "temporary locals" in the places we visited! In early 2019, we viisted Spain (EA), Portugal (CT), Maderia IS. (CT3), and St. Maartin Is. (PJ7/FS) . Our travels last fall took us to Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany, and Switzerland. Just before the COVID19 occurred, we were in South America for the first time. Visited Curacao Island, Brazil, and Panama.
73 from God's country...the Pacific Northwest
Jim K9JF
60 years as a "HAM" and truely now an OM!
A young K9TZH in 1960 (age 15). Now K9JF and living near Washougal, WA.
Jim has been a licensed him for nearly 60 years! He continues to be
enthralled by the "magic" of radio communication.
May 27, 2020