W1JR Joseph H. 'Joe' Reisert Jr Amherst, NH QCWA # 22117

I was one of the first Novices (Novice licenses started in July 1951) receiving WN2HQL in December 1951 while living in Wantagh, Long Island, New York. Built a home brew 6SN7 regen receiver and 6AG7/6L6 crystal controlled transmitter for 80 meters. Upgraded to W2HQL in January 1952. Mostly did rag chewing, chasing WAS (Worked All States), message handling and Civilian Defense.

In 1954 I discovered DX and achieved DXCC Mixed #2221 in September 1955. In June 1957 I went to Navassa Island as a civilian with the US Coast Guard and briefly put W2HQL/KC4 on the air (See QST Dec. 1957 pg. 58). In July 1958 KV4AA invited me down and I operated KV4AA and later VP2VB in the BVI with Danny Weil and company putting the BVI on the air for an all time new one after the Leeward and Windward Islands split apart. In the CQ WW DX Contests in 1958 I operated at K2GL where we set a new world record on cw and ssb. In December 1960 my then employer IBM transferred me to San Jose, California. I had confirmed 271 DXCC at W2HQL.

In 1961 I started operation as WA6TGY from San Jose, California and had to start DXCC all over. I achieved DXCC Mixed #5906 by December 1961. I married Virginia in 1962 and our first son Jim (now AD1C) was born in December 1963 followed by Jeffrey, Linda and Edward in 1968. The FCC issued me W6FZJ in 1967. After racking up most of the DXCC entities by the late 1960s, I became interested in EME (Earth Moon Earth). I built an all-new home brew receiver, transmitter and 128 element extended expanded collinear array (See QST December 1974 pg. 38). I made my first two-way EME QSO with VE7BBG on 432 MHz in October 1972. In February 1974 I set a new world DX record by working WA6HXW on 2304 MHz, a distance of about 330 miles. We departed San Jose in February 1974 with DXCC 334 confirmed.

I accepted a microwave position in the Route 128 area near Boston and we relocated in Chelmsford, Massachusetts in March 1974. There I received the callsign W1JAA. Bob White, then W1WPO (now SK) at the ARRL DXCC desk advised me that I was located over the required 150 mile limit so I had to start DXCC all over for the third time! I achieved DXCC Mixed #15902 in May 1975, Phone DXCC #7556 in February 1976 and DXCC CW #104 in July 1976. In December 1974 my oldest son Jim received his novice license and callsign WN1UHA, later becoming WA1UHA. He became an Extra in September 1978 and changed his call sign to AD1C.

In December 1976 my call sign was changed to W1JR. Received DXCC #69 on 160 Meters in 1985, #27 on 80 Meters, #22 on 40 Meters, #37 on 10 Meters and #140 in 1992 on 6 Meters as well as un-numbered DXCC on 30, 20, 17, 15, 12. My interest in EME was revived and achieved WAS #6 on 432 MHz, WAS #26 on 2 Meters and 6 Meter DXCC #104 in 1992. Also operated 220 MHz and 1296 EME. Received #1 VUCC in April 1983 on 432 MHz.

Presently DXCC 391/340 mixed, 380/340 SSB, 353/339 CW, Satellite 113/108 and DXCC Challenge 3145.

October 21, 2014