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Wednesday, June 14th, 2023

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Email WX8DX wx8dx at wx8dx.com

 

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Who or What is WX8DX?
 Brace Yourself...

WX8DX is the Amateur ("Ham") Radio Station callsign of Craig Wicks. That's me.
Born and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan, I now reside in Roanoke, Virginia.
This page is my Radio biography of sorts... kind of a laid-back reflection of my
years turning the dial. Radio has been a major influence on me throughout my
life and I've been involved in some facet of the radio hobby for as long as I
can remember: Mediumwave and Shortwave listening, Crystal radios,
Walkie-Talkies, Antennas, Scanners, and Amateur Radio. Now there's Satellite
radio, and the Internet with streaming audio and links to radio stations across
the globe. Even the ability to chat with people around the world! The world of
radio has changed a lot, but today it's more important than ever. When All Else
Fails... Amateur Radio!

My earliest radio experiences began in the 1950s. Even then several of the more
popular radio programs were still on the air. I recall the Lone Ranger most
vividly. My brother Kevin and I were already avid listeners at that young age,
and especially enjoyed radio "DXing" (listening to distant stations). At night,
on a used AM (tube) radio I bought for $2, we strained our ears listening to
radio stations all over the United States and Canada. We were amazed that we
were able to hear stations so far away!

During the late 1960s, listening to distant stations became more than just an
enjoyable pastime, it became a downright necessity! My sports passion was (and
is) Ice Hockey and my long time friend Rob Z. and I were BIG fans of the Detroit
Red Wings and Boston Bruins. At the time, cable wasn't available in Grand Rapids
so the only choice we had for following our teams was to listen to radio
play-by-play coverage. I remember many an evening struggling to hear Boston
radio station WBZ as it faded up and down. I hope to have a sampler of excerpts
from some of these broadcasts in the future.

During this same time frame, I was actively pursuing the hobby of Shortwave and
Broadcast Band (AM) DXing. Rob and I used to listen regularly to Larry Glick, a
late night talk show host on WBZ and Harry Abrams with "Jazz After Midnight" on
WHAM out of Rochester, New York. I roamed the airwaves on Shortwave, QSLing
(obtaining verification cards from a broadcaster that confirms your reception of
their station) and building antennas. Even taking the radio "thing" one step
further by incorporating our listening experience into a fictitious radio
station: WVFQ - Radio 102. It was great!

Unfortunately, the Vietnam War was still raging by the time I reached my 18th
birthday and I ended up getting a "winning" number in the draft lottery (#75).
Rather than wait for the Army to take me, I decided to join the USAF. My primary
career aptitude: Radio (go figure)... On August 8th, 1972 I was on my way! Basic
training at Lackland AFB (San Antonio, Texas); tech school at Keesler AFB
(Biloxi, Mississippi); and finally my permanent base assignment as Ground Radio
Communications Equipment Repairman (AFSC 30454) with the 18th Comm Squadron,
99th Bomb Wing, 8th Air Force, Strategic Air Command, at Westover AFB,
Massachusetts (near Springfield). I worked at the Receiver Site located at the
Stoney Brook section of the base. In 1975, I was transferred from Westover to
the Air National Guard base at Battle Creek, Michigan, where I was a "weekend
warrior" until receiving my honorable discharge in 1977.

In 1978 I came up with the idea of utilizing my radio knowledge and experience
by providing local broadcasters with a radio-based news gathering resource
called NEWS/SCAN. Two years later, the service was expanded to include news
programming under a new name: Independent News Watch. There is much to tell
about these two and that's worthy of another page (if you're interested, click
the INW logo on the right).

In 1986 I finally became a licensed Amateur Radio Operator. My Novice callsign
was KA8YWF and was changed to N8HIB when I upgraded later that year to
Technician class. After passing my General and Advanced exams early in '87, I
decided to keep N8HIB until the Advanced callsigns got close to a series I
liked. You see, I had learned that certain ham callsigns were "heard better" by
DX stations ("X" being a prime attention getter). Talk of vanity calls stirred
my imagination... "WX" in radio shorthand means "Weather" and as I said earlier
"DX" means "Distance" or contacting people in far away lands - two facets of the
hobby I enjoy the most! When vanity callsigns became a reality, I patiently
waited until FCC Vanity Application Gate 3 (for Advanced class licensees) opened
and I submitted mine. WX8DX was issued to me in September 1997... eleven years
later. Listen to my First Australian Contact (7 MB).

So that's my personal radio saga in a nutshell. And BTW, the strange background
graphic for this site is Morse code for WX8DX Online. Thought I'd best relieve
your frustration...

73 (Best wishes), de Craig, WX8DX



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