K0XB - Rick at Lake Vermilion, Minnesota USA

KØXB - Rick at Lake Vermilion, Minnesota USA

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K0XB chief op December 2010_1_5_1

Rick Borken

Amateur Radio Station KØXB

Lake Vermilion, Saint Louis County, Minnesota USA

I received my amateur radio license in 1961. There have been lots of different callsigns and different QTHs, but it is hard to believe so many years have gone by. It sure doesn’t seem that long.

I am a Physicist, and my wife and I moved to our lake home when I retired. My QTH is on the shore of Lake Vermilion, which is a large and beautiful lake in the wilderness of northern Minnesota just a few miles west of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Loons are a favorite summer visitor. Eagles and osprey fly over the lake almost every day, and deer, bear, moose, fox and wolves live in the nearby forest. Fishing is good too. Walleyes are the most popular game fish, but northern pike, muskies, crappie and bass are plentiful. During fishing season, you can find me in my fishing boat a lot.

I also operate as KØXB/6 in Coronado, California or as KØXB/5 from the desert in Santa Fe.

My current setup includes a Ten-Tec Orion II Transceiver and Alpha 87A and Elecraft KPA500 amplifiers. IMG_2861_1_1_1_1 I also have one of Icom’s new IC-7000 HF/VHF/UHF transceivers along with a High Sierra Sidekick motorized vertical antenna for portable use. An oldie but goodie, a Ten-Tec Omni D, Series C sits next to my Orion II as a back-up rig. It just keeps on working even though I bought it new in 1982.

A 3-element SteppIR Yagi on top of a 60 foot Universal tower is my primary HF antenna covering 10 through 40 meters, and I have a sloper for 80 and an inverted-L for 160.

DX-ing has always been my primary ham radio interest. I am on the Mixed DXCC Honor Roll, and I have also earned 8BDXCC, RTTY DXCC (#315), CW DXCC, SSB DXCC, QRP DXCC, Diamond DXCC, a 2000 medallion for DXCC Challenge and WAZ.

Licensed as a Novice in 1961 as WNØAPN, I received my General Class license in 1962 and became WAØAPN. I upgraded to Extra Class in 1976, and my callsign has been KØXB since 1977. I am a vice president and charter member of the Lake Vermilion DX Association. Also, I belong to the American Radio Relay League, the Northern Minnesota DX Association, the Minnesota Wireless Association, the Twin Cities FM Club, the San Diego DX Club and the Twin Cities DX Association.

At home, my wife Liz and I enjoy cooking and exploring California wines and single-malt whisky. We also had the pleasure of driving two different MGB/GT sports cars for years. That is the two of us in the picture on the right.

I can’t help but include a special link. Click here.

Feel free to check my logbook. Please QSL via Logbook of the World if you can. If not, you can use the bureau or send your cards to my callbook address.

Thanks for visiting es 73, Rick

E-mail to: KØXB

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Page updated April 24, 2013