in the shack with Dolly Brown, technical assisant

WB5QNA David T. Schwartz Lynchburg, VA QCWA # 36433 Chapter 155

First licensed in 1975 as WN5QNA in Lufkin, TX, I have operated primary stations from Lufkin, TX (1975-80), Fort Worth, TX (1981-87) and Washington, DC (1988-90). Inactive during the 1990s, WB5QNA returned to the air in 2004 from Lynchburg, VA, where I am now professor of philosophy at Randolph College (formerly Randolph-Macon Woman's College). As an operator I mostly chase DX, but I also like working special event stations and just listening for interesting QSOs and other transmissions across the HF spectrum. My Elmer growing up in Lufkin, TX, was Dr. Robert L. Kurth, W5IRP (SK), along with my brother, Dr. JP Schwartz. WB5YFG.

Rigs include a Kenwood TS 930S transceiver (ca. 1983), Flex 3000 transciever (ca. 2011), and Heathkit SB-200 amplifier (ca. 1975). Back-up HF rig is a Drake 7 line (TR-7, MS7, MN7) (ca. 1978). Antennas include a K4CIO Hexbeam (20-6M), a BuxComm off-center-fed dipole (40-6M) and a discone for VHF/UHF. While the newer technologies can do some amazing things, I often prefer operating on the vintage Kenwood, especially when the DX-chips are down!

I also like to collect tube-type table radios (AM/FM/SWL).

Sunset over the Blue Ridge Mountains.

March 19, 2015