On Air

License history

From an early age, I’ve been exposed to electronics and picked up an interest in them. Nothing realistic, mostly screwing around with scrap pieces of wire and scrap circuit boards. My dad is licensed as N8ETP (SK, 2023) and I would tag along to meetings, public service events, and listen to repeaters on his HT. Mostly playing games on the Commodore 64 and VIC-20, we acquired an IBM PC 286 somewhere around my 2nd grade. I was hooked and haven’t left the computer since.

I attempted to try for a ham license around 5th grade. I knew the FCC rules questions, technical ones were not going well. I passed the Novice and Technician exams in July and August, 1999, just before sophomore year of high school. Originally issued the call sign KC8MWP and changed soon after to my initials, K8JTK, in September of the same year.

Throughout high school and college, operation was VHF/UHF repeater only.  Tried to study CW to pass the General but that didn’t go well either.  I waited until the testing requirement was dropped.

In January of 2008, passed General and then Extra in February.  The extra privileges were not used on the bands, only to grade Ham Radio Exams.

About this time I was becoming more involved with clubs and public service activities.  Other notable events: entered digital modes in 2009 after acquiring an ICOM D-STAR radio after graduating college.  Finally entered the HF bands in 2014 after putting up a station about the time I completed grad school.

Modes of operation and bands

My interests are focused around computers, networking, & digital modes. I have most digital modes used by hams, including: APRS, JT65, JT9, FT8, WSPR, PSK, Olivia, MT-63, Winlink.  VoIP/data: AllStar Link, Echolink, Hamshack Hotline/Hams over IP/AmateurWire, D-STAR, System Fusion, DMR, and POCSAG.  Pi-Star, DVSwitch, MMDVM.

If you would like to test your equipment or do a sked, email me at the email found on the home page or QRZ, my call @ the league.

Most often you will find me on during nights or weekends on whichever band has propagation for HF: 80 meters, 40 meters, 20 meters.  I love to work special event stations and have alot of wallpaper. Very rarely work contests.

Local: 2 meters & 440 including the digital and VoIP networks.

Network radios

Best place is to reach me on my nodes or my IDs. If linked below, names link to service real-time status pages and my ID links to node status page.  For making contacts:

Terminated: IRLP, Hamshack Hotline.

Digital VoIP Multimode Interlink System

Maintain an interlink hub system that links many ham radio VoIP modes, analog and digital.  See DVMIS.

Online reporting and spotting networks

Winlink

Contact me via Winlink by using: my callsign (at) winlink.org
When using a non-Winlink email, prepend “//WL2K” followed by a space then the subject to the subject line.

Mesh

I have a MikroTik hAP ac lite AREDN mesh node K8JTK-arednap01 (mesh link), low-profile.  With no other nodes around me, I tunnel with other mesh users.

QSL card and info

I have a great QSL that I love to share. The front was designed by Jeff – K1NSS (preview above) who did the artwork for background used for the Ham College postcast. The back was designed and printing done by Amanda – K1DDN of Ham Nation.

The card is a mash-up of my interest in digital modes and shack setup. The likeness is an APRS map with the icon and info box relating to my shack – which is setup in an old camper. “Cuyahoga Falls” and the digital waterfall is an Easter egg. Cuyahoga Falls is a city on the east side but the egg is Cuyahoga is the county I live in. Falls jokingly refers to the digital waterfall seen in many digital modes (see Operating Modes above).

Carding

I love to receive QSL cards! I will reply 100% for all contacts in the log. Shortwave Listener (SWL) cards are welcome but will not be returned.

  • In the U.S.: send your card direct to my call book address. Please include a SASE for a standard sized card.
  • Outside the U.S.: direct to my call book address or via the bureau.
  • Electronic: logbook is uploaded to Logbook of the World. The current month will be uploaded around the 1st of the following month. At this time, I do not use any other electronic QSL service.

Thanks and I hope to receive your card!

Ham radio and tech.