Welcome to Ham Spotlight
Read the uncensored story about Amateur Radio operators you may (or may not) know..
by Lory Whitehead,W3AX
I have long been thinking about ways to highlight some of the hams who have impressed me with their commitment to Amateur Radio. The idea of doing an exposé on those I know led me to the idea of writing a brief summary of the lives of hams who have excelled in various aspects of ham radio work.
Welcome to the Latest Amateur Radio
Edition of
Ham Spotlight
Jessica and Danny Horney, KM4NCM & KE4AAP
Join me this holiday season in recognizing the many acts of giving by both the Horneys, Danny and Jessica!
All about Danny Horney, KE4AAP
I’ve been focusing on personal achievements with my earlier “Ham Spotlight” articles, but this coming holiday season I want to comment on two members who have given so much to our club over the years of their membership in WARC. Together Danny Horney, KE4AAP, and Jessica Horney, KM4NCM have given over 20 years of combined service as club officers to the WARC. I can think of no better example of such selfless service to celebrate at this time.
Danny Horney has been an Amateur Extra since 2012. He received his first license as a No-Code Tech in 1993 at age 20. At that time, he was allowed to operate only on VHF. Danny had been very active with CB radio when John Austin, KC4WCK, introduced him to ham radio. John Austin and Chris Penick, N4YGY were his first examiners (and I was very surprised to see that they also gave me my first license in 1993).
Danny remembers attending his first field day in 1993 or 1994 up on Howard’s Knob. He sat down in front of a beautiful Yaesu radio and started making contacts on HF for the first time. He loved it, but just could not master the Morse code requirements that were necessary to progress to permanent HF privileges at that time.
Danny, like many of us, was inactive for some years, but in 2012 his doctor recommended he get into something relaxing to help his blood pressure, and luckily for us, Danny chose radio. When he came back into amateur radio he was unstoppable. Since getting his Extra license in 2012, Danny served as the WARC President for 5 years, Vice President for another 5 years, and is one of the members of the Volunteer Examiner Team. He will continue as Vice President in 2026, having been in executive positions for over 10 years!
In addition to occasionally calling our Thursday night 2 meter net, Danny enjoys rag chewing, emergency operations, learning new technology, club friendships, and trouble shooting and fixing problems with our repeaters on Beech and Rich mountains. He volunteers a lot of time keeping the controllers programmed and operational, and even installed his personal repeater on Beech when the club repeater there quit at one time. That and antenna work are other examples of Danny’s “additional duties” as a member of WARC.
Danny’s comments about ham radio are that it is still the best way to guarantee radio communications. Even on battery power he can relay messages on simplex and knows that his radio is there “when all else fails”. He cites the example of his experience during Hurricane Helene last year when he was able to maintain contact on VHF for three days when phone lines on Beech Mountain were down. He thinks not requiring folks to do Morse code allows more people to get into amateur radio, but he agrees that CW is still the best way to get through under adverse conditions. Today he is encouraged by the fact that more young people are learning the code.
All about Jessica Horney, KM4NCM
Jessica Horney received her Tech license in 2015 after betting Danny that she would get her license if he would stop smoking! Jessica fulfilled her part of the bargain immediately; it took Danny a few more years to finally give up smoking. All in all, I guess you could say they both won that bet.
I met Jessica at a Field Day held at the Blowing Rock Fire Department. At that time, she and her sister had a catering business, and they provided the meals for the entire operation. Over the years, Jessica has been there at every WARC activity, either with her catered meals or simply as a volunteer who brings the snacks that WARC hands out to anyone stopping by our booth. Based on my own sampling of her cooking, I can see how she truly “loves to watch people eat!”
Jessica served as the WARC Secretary for 8 years and was one of the members who would call the Thursday 2 meter net. She recognized that just hearing a female voice on the radio would help keep members motivated to stay tuned in and involved. She enjoys amateur radio for the camaraderie and fellowship, the stories, fox hunting (she has taken her son to participate and he enjoys it also), rag chewing and emergency operations.
In addition to her participation in field day and emergency fests, Jessica likes to help with VHS contesting and making unique contacts using JT9 to Antarctica Research Stations and the Galapagos Islands. Learn about JT9 here: https:/www.arrl.org/have-a-great-time-with-jt9. She also enjoys the Special Events and QSO contests held regularly (here’s one list for those interested: https://www.contestcalendar.com/contestcal.php).
Like Danny, Jessica agrees that amateur radio is a tool that is vital in emergencies. Her neighbors know they can count on ham operators for emergency communication. She also feels that it’s hard to get kids interested in amateur radio when there are so many other ways to communicate and they do not see the need for ham radio. She is encouraged by things like radio contact with the International Space Station (ISS) and the Boy Scout Jamboree-on-the-Air, (JOTA) (https://www.scouting.org/international/jota-joti/jota/) programs for introducing more kids to amateur radio.
The last question I asked Danny and Jessica was what they thought their most significant contributions to amateur radio had been. Not surprisingly, these two individuals, who have given so much to our club and our hobby, were extremely humble in their responses.
Danny felt that keeping the club going during Covid, which meant initiating zoom meetings and making sure folks stayed in touch and involved with the club, was his most difficult and most significant accomplishment. In addition, he continually tries to be the best ambassador he can be for ham radio by explaining how ham radio is always there in any emergency.
Jessica didn’t feel she had done anything (!) above and beyond what many other women have already done. She hopes she has been an example to others, especially women, and an encouragement to her family and friends.
There are many generous people in WARC. Danny and Jessica Horney have given their time and talent throughout their tenure in the club. During this holiday season, they represent the real meaning of service to others. Thank you, Danny and Jessica, thank you, and Happy Holidays to you both!
What’s Next?
Is there a particular field that one of our members excels in that you would like to hear more about? I’m thinking of delving into Morse code and emergency operations next year, and I would appreciate your input about other subjects of interest.
Lory Whitehead W3AX
Corey Brown WB0RXQ
Tune in to the story about that Inventor and Master Craftsman Corey Brown, WB0RXQ!
This is the second article for the Ham Spotlight series. After exploring the subject of DXing with Scott, I knew I wanted to pursue some of the other aspects of what being a ham radio operator entails. I am continually impressed with the variety of backgrounds that are represented in the hams I have known, and their talents in taking this hobby to extraordinary heights. It was logical to investigate the topic of creating equipment for amateur radio as my next subject.
While interviewing Corey Brown about his expertise in antenna tuners, I recalled my first attempts to manufacture a simple crystal radio set when I was growing up in Florida. Remember the lead pencil “tuning” across the razor blade? While my first set did not produce any positive results, I persevered and eventually produced a working model where I finally heard some radio static! And for many of us, tinkering with our station equipment is one of the great benefits (and frustrations!) of being a ham. Follow me into the shack and the shop of Corey Brown, who has mastered the machinery and the design behind creating impressive roller inductor tuners.
All about Corey Brown, WB0RXQ
Corey Brown has been a ham since he was 15 years old, having gotten his Novice license in 1975 (Novice call sign WN0RXQ). He upgraded to General in 1976. As what often happens to many of us, Corey’s amateur radio hobby took a back seat during the years he was building a career and raising a family, but in 2018 he got licensed as an Amateur Extra operator. While he did not need to master CW at 20wpm in 2018, Corey recommends using the “head reading” technique to increase your CW speed (head reading is the ability to mentally decode Morse signals without writing them down by listening for complete words and phrases).
Corey’s High School Physics’ teacher, Robert Klawuhn (W0VIV), was the one who first inspired Corey to become a ham. Klawuhn sponsored the Broomfield, Colorado High School radio club (WA0FTM) and had a ham station set up in the back of the Physics classroom. As soon as Corey saw that equipment, he was hooked. When he was 16, his dad bought him a Collins S Line (https://collinsradio.org/cca-collins-historical-archives/the-equipment-of-collins-radio/the-grey-boxes/51s-1/) receiver and transmitter that are impressive pieces of equipment in his shack today. They are fully operational, and Corey does not plan to ever part with those sentimental pieces from his youth.
In addition to the radios in his shack, Corey has many DX awards that he has earned since getting back into ham radio after his retirement in 2020. The DX Century Club and the Worked All States awards reflect his work with FT8, CW, and various other modes. While Corey is on the net several times a week, his biggest interest now is the theory and science behind the equipment used in amateur radio. He shared his mathematical proof of how antenna tuners are based on wave theory at the Feb 2025 Hamcation conference in Orlando, dispelling the urban legend that tuners simply “fool your radio” into thinking it’s getting a 50 ohm load. You can watch his presentation here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9SvM8kXwhE.
I asked Corey what his most significant contribution to amateur radio was, and he talked about his work with antenna tuners. Corey spends the better part of each day working in his shop and producing the finest made roller inductor tuner in America. He has state of the art equipment and makes every bit of the tuner from scratch. And he didn’t learn how to do this in shop class–he taught himself how to be a master machinist using U-tube videos! Today, Corey has a three year backlog of orders for his tuners and has written the software to create tuners without knobs that use “stepper” motors. If you are interested, you can learn more about those motors at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stepper_motor.
When I asked Corey what he thought the importance of ham radio was today, he cited the most recent examples of emergency operations we practiced during the Hurricane Helene event in September 2024. Without our 2 meter and point to point communications’ systems, Western North Carolina would have been unable to communicate the many urgent needs as the multiple disasters occurred throughout our region. With extensive power outages, some responders were not able to follow the most extreme routes to reach those stranded by the storm without information provided by means other than cell phones and internet access. They definitely wanted someone with a 2 meter radio along whenever possible.
Corey feels that the cost of getting into ham radio today is not that much of a deterrent, as working equipment can be found at reasonable costs. Also, the technology has improved so much and the rise of AI will bring further enhancements. Plus, while the subject matter for becoming a ham is the same, the newer materials to study and the online resources make learning that material easier than ever. There is nothing stopping anyone with the interest from getting into amateur radio.
I did question Corey about the elimination of the CW requirement for ham licensing, and what impact that might have had on amateur radio. He agreed that removing that barrier would allow more people to get started in radio, but that CW is only one mode of many that are available for ham radio operators. In the past, there was more need for CW, especially in providing a ready pool of operators for military use, if needed. Today, there is not so much calling for CW operators to be available for the military, and not requiring it for amateurs is not likely to be an issue.
Corey’s bottom line about ham radio: it’s a life hobby, it expands your mind, and it’s so much fun! And it’s never too late to start, or to get back into, amateur radio.
Corey has a website featuring his craftsmanship. For information on some of Corey’s tuner creations, go to his website at: https://www.blueridgeamateurradio.com/roller-inductors.
What’s Next?
If you enjoyed this biographical sketch of Corey Brown, let us know. I have lots of other areas of the amateur radio hobby that I want to spotlight in future articles. Things like CW work, emergency operations and service to ARRL. Don’t try to avoid my call, as I am serious about wanting to know your story!
Lory Whitehead W3AX
Scott Douglass K2SD
It was easy to choose Scott Douglass as my first subject, and his passion for DXing was a logical way to talk about one of the key activities associated with being a ham. He agreed to be interviewed (twice!) for this article and was most cooperative in sharing his story. I hope you enjoy Scott’s reflections on his many years in Amateur Radio.
All about Scott Douglass, K2SD
Scott Douglass has been a ham for 71 years, having gotten his Novice license in 1954. For that first license he had to learn Morse code (CW) at the rate of 5 words per minute (wpm), and was limited mainly to CW bands. His first call sign was WN0WER.
At that time a ham operator had to remain a Novice for a year and then was expected to take the Technician/General exam. The General exam required CW at 13 wpm and gave the operator almost complete privileges on the amateur bands. Scott got his General license in 1955. It would be another 20 years before he earned his Advanced (CW at 20 wpm) and finally Extra rating in 1975 at the FCC office in New York City.
Some of you may enjoy learning more about the history of amateur radio licensing, which began in 1912 and was interrupted by both World Wars. Check out Wikipedia for more at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amateur_radio_licensing_in_the_United_States.
Scott began his foray into the world of amateur radio with the building of a crystal radio set when he was a 10 year old Cub Scout in Newton, KS. He was able to hear a Wichita AM station and was instantly hooked on radio. He also built his first kit around that time–a Philmore regenerative short-wave receiver. When he heard someone calling CQ, CQ New Caledonia, W0CPY, he didn’t know what was going on, but was told to check the library for a book that listed call signs.
From that source, Scott learned that W0CPY was the local Fire Chief who lived down the block from him! There was an active club of about 30 hams in Newton, KS, and Scott used their Instructograph machine to learn CW (the Instructograph was a paper tape-based machine and you can learn more about this nifty device at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instructograph). He listened to the local amateurs during the summer of his 11th year and met the ham who became his “Elmer”, Myron Scott (Scotty), W0VTT. Scotty died 30 years ago, but another ham now has that call sign, and Scott hopes to meet him someday.
Those who know Scott know that he is on the radio every day and on nets at least once a week. His first passion in amateur radio is DXing, which he has done most of his life. He continues to talk to hams around the world and has received numerous awards for his contesting work. I have been around Scott while he is in the contest mode, and I was barely able to record the CW contacts he made so rapidly. Phenomenal!
I asked Scott to reflect on what he thought was important in ham radio today. He feels the new technology and the digital revolution allow us to make contacts around the world and to copy signals well below our “human hearing” level. He has also noticed a resurgence of interest in CW, especially among some younger hams. While new equipment can be expensive, it gives you a great “bang for your buck”, and you can also find plenty of used radio equipment that is affordable. Kit building is Scott’s 2nd passion, and there are still kits to be built (check out the QRP Labs site at https://qrp–labs.com).
Scott recognizes that eliminating the CW requirement in ham radio licenses opens up the hobby to more people. And, in his own words “ham radio is a diverse group of people using all the equipment and technology to build relationships with others”. In his lifetime, he has met all types of hams, from some who were homeless to those who were CEOs of industry. Ham radio has brought them all together and is a way of life for Scott and others like him.
When queried as to his most significant contributions to amateur radio, Scott focused on his work with Charlotte area clubs from 1979 to 1996. During that period he served in the Volunteer Examiner (VE) program and helped hundreds of new hams get into the hobby. Also in Charlotte, he was part of a contest team led by N4ZC who had multiple towers at his home and kept the hams going for 48 hours during a contest where they won third place in the worldwide competition!
Scott is a founding member of the Carolina DX Association, which has an international membership of almost 300 people and is centered in the Charlotte area. He is a life member of the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) and a member of the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT).
Scott’s many honors for DX work include the DX Century Club award, which he earned under his
General call sign, W2FPG, in March 1974. In July 1985 he earned his most coveted award, the ARRL 5BDXCC, which required contact with 100 countries (verified by QSL cards in those days) on each of the 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10 meter bands. Scott has now qualified for the 8BDXCC, which adds 30, 17 and 12 meter bands to be worked.
Additional awards include the DXCC Challenge, which Scott received in Nov 2019 for working at least 1000 DXCC band countries (he has now worked 1700 of those!); the ARRL QRP DXCC (which requires working 100 countries at or below 5 watts power); and the prestigious ARRL DXCC Honor Roll for hams with confirmed contacts in at least 331 (out of 340 possible) countries. Scott currently has worked 337 countries. You can learn more about DX awards at https://www.arrl.org/dxcc–award–information.
Many thanks to Scott Douglass, K2SD, for his inexhaustible work as a DXer and for his contributions to promoting the amateur radio hobby that is such a huge part of his life. It was both a pleasure and an education working with Scott in preparing this ar?cle.
What’s Next?
If you enjoyed this biographical sketch of Scott Douglass, let us know. I would like to spotlight hams who focus in other areas of the amateur radio hobby in the future. I’m thinking of those who excel in CW work, emergency operations, technical expertise, and service to other hams. If you get a call from me, do not run, do not hide, as I am determined to hear your story!
Lory Whitehead W3AX