WB9QZB Mark J. Thompson Palatine, IL QCWA # 30632 Chapter 2

I was first licensed in Baraboo, WI as WN9QZB. K9ZZ (SK)administered both my Novice exam in 1975 and my Technician exam in 1976. I passed the13 WPM code test for General class at the FCC in Chicago in the fall of 1977.

I am a graduate of the University of Wisconsin - Madison.

I lived in Colorado Spring, CO before I moved to the Chicago area in 1981.

I have worked in the computer industry and in management consulting.

I am a member of the North Shore Radio Club(NSRC) and the Fox River Radio League (FRRL).

I am a Life Member of both the ARRL and the QCWA. I am member of TAPR and was on the Board of Directors from 20009 - 2012. I have also been a member of the Central States VHF Society.

I have traveled extensively domestically and internationally for both business and pleasure and have visited many countries in Europe.

I attend the Dayton Hamvention every year and periodically attend the HAM RADIO/HAMtronic hamfest in Friedrichshafenin southern Germany on the Bodensee(Lake Constance).

I have periodically written and recorded editorials for the Radio Amateur Information Network at www.rainreport.com produced by Hap Holly, KC9RP, former Dayton Hamvention Ham of the Year.

I have periodically writen a digital column for CQ VHF.

I was active in packet radio in the 1980s and 1990s with CAPRA, the Chicago Area Packet Radio Association and I founded the NIPRFC, Northern Ilinois Packet Radio Frequency Council.

TAPR is the national digital data and voice communications group. You can follow TAPR digital activities over the year, including Dayton Hamvention forums and banquet, PSR Journal, projects status such as SDR and the DCC at: http://twitter.com/taprdigital More information about TAPR is available at: www.tapr.org

I was responsible for bringing the ARRL/TAPR DCC (DigitalCommunications Conference) to Chicago in 1998 and 2008. I co-hosted the DCC in 1998 with K9VWW and in 2008 and 2009 with W9XA at the Elk Grove Village Holiday near O'Hare airport.

In early 2006 I became interested in D-STAR DigitalVoice and Data technology. Since the spring of 2006 I have given over seven dozen D-STAR presentations at ham club meetings and hamfests in Northern and Central Illinois, Southern Wisconsin and Northern Indiana as well as the AES Superfest. I have worked with other amateurs to get D-STAR voice and data technology and infrastructure on the air.

I moderate the following Digitally oriented Yahoo groups:

D-STAR 23cm http://groups.yahoo.com/group/D-STAR_23cm/

Illinois D-STAR http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IllinoisD-STAR/

Illinois Packet Radio http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IllinoisPacketRadio/

Indiana D-STAR http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IndianaD-STAR/

Wisconsin D-STAR http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WisconsinD-DSTAR/

Wisconsin Packet Radio http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WisconsinPacketRadio/

In the Chicago area I monitor 146.415(100.0) FM simplex, 145.67 D-STAR simplex, 442.725(114.8)/1292.100 FM repeaters and 442.09375 NS9RC B / 1292.200 NS9RC A D-STAR repeaters.

At hamfests I monitor 147.435 MHz FM(107.2 Hz) simplex and 145.67 MHz D-STAR simplex.

My Skype ID is markjthompson, my AOL Instant Messenger ID is WB9QZB, my Yahoo Messenger ID is WB9QZB_GROUPS and my Twitter ID is WB9QZB

I look forward to seeing you at a hamfest and talk with you on the air.

73, Mark

November 16, 2014