Cartoonist Emeritus

Dick earned his ham ticket in 1947 at age 16. His first shack comprised a homebrew 6L6 oscillator running 8 watts on 40 CW, a longwire antenna and an old, even in 1947, S20R. Since then, Dick has owned many rigs, but his latest is a TS-850S. For QRP CW operating he has five rigs (three MFJs, a Ten Tec 1340 and a HTX 100). The shack is very compact, a holdover from his apartment days, and boasts a recent upgrade to computerized logging.

W9CBT's current antenna complement includes a 4BTV vertical (ground mounted)  and a ground plane collinear for 2m at 25'.  

Now licensed 64 years and holding an Advanced class ticket, Dick is not a serious DX chaser, but has worked about 160 countries. He is working toward DXCC/QRP and has earned WAS/QRP. He is a member of: SOWP, #5670M; Fists CW Club; WAC; WAS; QCWA; ARRL; RCC; A-1 Operators Club; and QRP/ARCI #10429.

Dick served as a Navy radio operator aboard an APA (Assault Personnel) during the Korean era, and then served as an electronics technician aboard an AKA (Attack Cargo).

For the past 45 years, he has worked as an Industrial Design Consultant, designing all types of consumer products and packaging. He was Director of Design for the Hirsh Company in Skokie for 21 years, and for the past six years has operated his own Design Consulting Business. He is now retired.

In 2004, Dick joined the K9YA Telegraph as staff cartoonist. This Ham Radio publication features at least one of Dick's hilarious cartoons each month.

In 2005, Dick released his new book, HI HI — A Collection of Ham Radio Cartoons. HI HI provides solid 5 and 9 laughter. Drawing on six decades of on-air adventures, Dick offers an insider’s view of the bliss and twists of ham radio.

Co-Founder, Layout and Production

A ham since 1980, Mike has experimented with many aspects of amateur radio. However, he keeps coming back to CW. Mike enjoys ragchews, DXing and contesting on HF. He also enjoys collecting boatanchor gear and Morse code instruments.

Mike has earned several operating awards, including DXCC MIXED, DXCC CW, DXCC20m, FISTS WAS, FISTS Century Club and A-1 Operator Club.

He is a founding member of the Robert F. Heytow Memorial Radio Club and a volunteer staff member of the K9YA Telegraph.

His son, Steve, KB9YPC, is also a ham, while his two cats, Scratchy SK and Pixie SK,are SWLs and BCB DXers.

Personal Ham Web site

• N9BOR Web site

Co-Founder and Editor

A-1 Operator Club -- FISTS #6753 -- SKCC #258T -- NAQCC #2227 -- CWops #308 -- CTC #2206 -- FPQC #2088 -- JA A-1 #509

DXCC; WAC-Mixed; WAC-CW; WAS-CW; A-1 Operator Club; QRP ARCI 50; QRP ARCI 1,000-Mile-Per-Watt; FISTS Century Club; FISTS Silver Award; FISTS Gold Award; FISTS Platinum Award; FISTS Platinum 250 Award; FISTS Platinum 500 Award; FISTS Diamond Award; FISTS WAS; FISTS Rag Chewers' Award; FISTS 15th Anniversary Award; FISTS C2C Silver Award; FISTS C2C Diamond Award; FISTS USA Club Call-KNØWCW Achievement Certificate; FISTS WACA Award; SKCC Centurion Award; SKCC Tribune Award; NAQCC Sprint, 1st place, SWA category; ARRL RCC; SPAR RCC; Illinois QSO Party 2002, Ninth Place; Illinois QSO Party 2003, Eighth Place; Illinois QSO Party 2004, Ninth Place; ARRL VE

Ex: WD9ADE and AA9N