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N0HI |
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 My name is Mike DeChristopher. Originally, I am
from Feeding Hills, Massachusetts. I was first licensed as a
technician in 1999. I started contesting in 2000 or 2001,
probably at the behest of John, Kx1x. I started multioperator
contesting in 2004 at the superstation QTH of
Dave, K1TTT. Around this
time, I became a member of the Yankee
Clipper Contest Club and became interested in contesting from
home. My dad, KB1FWM got in on the act and we began entering
multioperator contests from home in 2005.My interests within contesting are station design and propagation; I feel both of these are significant sources of improvement year to year, and involve a great deal of science and engineering. I have taught classes and spoken on both of these subjects at meetings and other forums. Current memberships include the Hampden County Radio Association, Grand Mesa Contesters of Colorado, and Yankee Clipper Contest Club. Outside of amateur radio, I work in the ski industry as an on-snow professional. I am a member of the Professional Ski Instructors of America and the United States Ski Association. I have served as both head and assistant coach in the ski racing field, both at the high school and club levels, and have worked at the Blandford Ski Area, Cannon Mountain Ski Area, and Steamboat Resort. I also enjoy spending time just emptying every pocket, which - of course - means I own and maintain a Jeep. It's a 2004 TJ with some aftermarket stuff. Prior to this Jeep, I owned a 1990 YJ. My interest and involvement in radio came from my activity as a boy scout. I am an Eagle Scout and Vigil Honor member of the Order of the Arrow (Pocumtuc Lodge). Scouting allowed me to spend my summers working at the Horace A. Moses Scout Reservation and playing in the ham radio shack there. I was also a charter member of Venture Crew 510 (that's DX in Roman numerals), a ham radio-oriented scouting unit formed by Kx1x and a few others. We received the callsign NE1C (New England's #1 Crew), which is still active every year during WPX SSB with 100% youth operators. I studied business at Plymouth State University in Plymouth, New Hampshire and the Western New England College School of Business in Springfield, Massachusetts. I also studied Ski/Snowboard Business at Colorado Mountain College Alpine Campus. |