NØDQS - EN22gd - Schleswig, Iowa

Hi my name is Gene Mitchell and I live in Schleswig, Iowa. I was first licensed in early 1980 and my original call was KAØHIG and upgraded in July of the same year and changed my call to NØDQS. I worked all states on CW during my first 2 or 3 months and lacked only a couple of states as a novice.

After upgrading I was bit by the dx bug and worked and confirmed around 150 countries during the following year or so. Eventually my interests turned to 160 meters and enjoyed working several of the contests in the early 80's as well as rag chewing and working a bit of DX as well. At the same time I developed an interest in VHF weak signal stuff and operated a lot of 2 meters. It seemed my interests were captivated by these 2 bands. I also worked most of my 100 plus grids during those years and due to a period of inactivity I have just finished receiving those confirmations in 1999 and now have VUCC on 2 meters. My grid collecting has been on pretty much a stand still since then. Although I am active on 6 meters thru now 24 ghz, all of my efforts have been put into the Rover and grid hopping. I have antennas for 6,222,432,1296,2304 and 902 in the garage ready to go on the tower but keep putting it on hold each year.

With an exception of a couple of inactive periods during the late 80's and the mid 90's, VHF became my primary interest. I became active again in 1999 when I purchased a Kenwood TS-820 along with a "Microwave Modules" 2 meter transverter at a local flea market at a price I could not refuse and at that time I realized that VHF Weak Signal work was still part of my main interest in Amateur Radio. I began to upgrade my equipment since that time and for the first time in 20 years as a ham, I became involved with 6 meters and 432, doing a little roving during some of the VHF contests. The last couple of years have been rather fun and I have since added some bands to the rover by purchasing a FT-736 w/222 and 1296 and borrowing some transverters for 902,2304 and 3456 and those bands have really surprised me. (as of 2001) Now the Rover is Equipped with a Kenwood TS-2000x for 6,2,432,1296 and nicely acts as the IF for an Elecraft 222 transverter. Use a Yausu FT-817 as the IF for 902,2304,3456,5 and 10 Gigs. Also have Amps on 222 (RF Concepts) as well as on 432 and a TE Systems amp on 2 meters. Also using a Jacobs 100 amp ACCU-VOLT to reduce voltage drop and filter voltage spikes. The Rover is equipped with 2 batteries and the largest Alternator that will work with the wiring of the vehicle. Still seems to drain the batteries a bit (rover is always running) since the Alternator does not carry enough amps to keep up, mainly with 2 meters as I run a larger amp there. So usually when I change locations it all catches up. (as of 2008)