WMØG

While my formal name is listed as John in the FCC’s database, no one has referred to me by that name since my birth! To those who know me, I go by “Jack.” If you happen to call me “John,” I’ll likely assume you’re either attempting to sell me something, have looked me up on QRZ, or are perhaps a bill collector—HI! The association of “Jack” with individuals named John seems to be an old New England naming tradition, exemplified by figures like John, a.k.a. “Jack” Kennedy, and others.

During my early teenage years, I developed an interest in Short-Wave Radio while working on the Radio Merit Badge to achieve my Eagle rank in the Boy Scouts. After constructing my inaugural Short-Wave receiver and exploring the ham bands as a Short-Wave Listener (SWL), the allure of becoming a ham took hold. I obtained my first license in August 1957 as a Novice, sporting the call sign KN1IVY, with my original home QTH in Providence, RI. Later that year, I upgraded to General Class, shedding the Novice ‘N,’ and retained the callsign K1IVY until its lapse in 1972.

In the 1970s, I delved into the CB radio “craze” and even owned a few CB Radio stores in New Hampshire. A 15-year hiatus from ham radio followed until 1987, when I re-tested in Colorado, achieving the Extra Class amateur license with a 20 WPM CW requirement. This led to the assignment of my current callsign, WMØG. Now residing in New England once again, I contemplate whether to revert to my old “1” area call. This year marked the celebration of my 66th anniversary as an amateur radio operator.

For the majority of my career, I held positions in engineering, sales, and marketing management with several prominent electronic companies. In the mid-1990s, I made the transition from the corporate world to enter the business as a Manufacturer’s Representative in Colorado, representing major manufacturers of electronic components and wire. I retired at the beginning of 2019. Recently, my XYL and I relocated to New Hampshire, where we are savoring our retirement days.

In June 2023, my lovely XYL, Mary, and I joyfully celebrated our 61st Wedding Anniversary. Having long attained the cherished status of “empty-nesters,” we revel in the company of our four grown children and six beautiful grandchildren. Despite my deep involvement in ham radio, the bug hasn’t bitten anyone else in the family, as they presumed they wouldn’t have the chance to operate given my extensive ham radio commitments. I’ve always believed in introducing the kids to ham radio at a young age, as illustrated in the photo below featuring my oldest daughter, Gigi, taken back in 1964.

Diving into various hobbies and interests, I’ve been immersed in the ceaseless exploration and documentation of our family genealogy, unearthing over 55,000 names. The comprehensive family genealogy book, in sheer volume, makes ‘War and Peace’ look like a paperback. In the 70s, just prior to the release of the classic made-for-TV movie “Roots,” I authored a how-to book on Genealogy. More recently, Mary and I collaborated on the publication of a family cookbook titled “Paesanos and Pioneers.” This extensively researched work encompasses recipes from my Sicilian-Italian family heritage and dishes from Mary’s All-American Pioneer family lineage, predominantly of English and Scots-Irish descent.

I find immense enjoyment in fishing for a variety of aquatic creatures, whether freshwater or saltwater. My fishing companions humorously assure me that my skills with a fly, lure, rod, and reel pose no threat to the population of endangered fish species. As a staunch advocate for ‘catch and release,’ I’ve adopted this practice not only out of conservation concern but also to spare myself the tedious task of cleaning fish.

Before my relocation to Colorado, I was an active B.A.S.S. Tournament angler in New Hampshire. Now that I’ve returned to live in New Hampshire, I anticipate that bass will once again be wary of my name! In addition to freshwater pursuits, I was deeply involved in saltwater tournaments, particularly the prestigious U.S. Atlantic Tuna Tournament in Galilee, Rhode Island. The image to the left captures a momentous occasion, featuring a 545-pound Giant Bluefin Tuna caught during the USATT with Boston Red Sox baseball legend Ted Williams (seated on the port gunwale), who happened to be my dad’s fishing buddy. I eagerly await the opportunity to resume my saltwater angling adventures.

I take great pride in my service as the Colorado ARRL Section Manager from 2012 to 2020, contributing to the enrichment of the ham radio community. Having been the past President and now a Life member of the Boulder Amateur Radio Club, I played roles such as Emergency Coordinator and later as Public Information Officer for the Boulder County ARES – Region 1 – District 3 (BCARES) Group during my time in Colorado. As a dedicated member of the Mile High DX Association, I continue to engage with the ham radio community. Recently, I received the appointment as the Assistant Director of the New England Division, overseeing EMCOMM and Public Service. Additionally, I am an active member of the Nashua Area Radio Society.

My primary focus in ham radio revolves around DXing, encompassing both CW and SSB. Recently, I achieved the milestone of receiving my 5-Band DXCC. The QSLs for most of these DXCC contacts had been stored in a cardboard box for over a decade. Finally, I took the initiative to gather and organize them. Seeking validation, I approached my local ARRL DXCC card checker to verify the QSLs for my 5BDXCC award. To say he was ‘thrilled’ might be an understatement, especially when presented with a briefcase containing over 600 QSL cards. His enthusiasm waned slightly when I decided to playfully handcuff the briefcase to his wrist. After all, those QSL cards represented over a decade of hard-earned DX contacts.

I played a role in introducing youth to amateur radio, a commitment shared by numerous members in BARC, recognizing its significance for the future of our hobby. BARC boasts a globally recognized youth auxiliary club known as the BARC Juniors. Over the past 30+ years, BARC members have actively engaged in teaching, licensing, and mentoring over 300 young hams under 18. Notably, many of these individuals have achieved Extra Class privileges.

An opportunity to witness our internationally renowned BARC Junior representatives, along with other young hams from across the USA, sharing insights into their ham radio activities awaits you at the “Youth in Amateur Radio Forum” during HAMvention. COVID-19 disrupted the 29th consecutive year in 2020, preventing our BARC Juniors from proudly representing the Boulder Amateur Radio Club at Carole Perry’s WB2MGP “Youth in Amateur Radio Forum” at the National HAMvention now held in Xenia, Ohio.

I’ve developed a penchant for occasionally collecting antique “boat anchors.” What’s amusing now is recalling that these “antique boat anchors” were once cutting-edge radio technology.

Explore the other sections of my WMØG web page, where you’ll find intriguing links and a couple of articles detailing my now-famous all-band “RainguttIR” Antenna. The RainguttIR shares similarities with the renowned SteppIR™ antennas but comes with its unique twist—HA!

73 ES GUD DX DE JACK WMØG