Charles Luther, N8DD

I have always been driven to understand how things work. As a kid I frequently disassembled machines frustrating my parents. I badly wanted to be able to build and create, too.

This naturally led to a curiosity in radio. How is it that signals travel far and wide and become intelligible music? My uncle, K2BNC in Buffalo, NY introduced me to his Heathkit and Kenwood equipment when I was ten or so. I was hooked! A foray into broadcast college radio was my next adventure. I worked as program director and general manager for seven years at WRUW-FM-Cleveland, a 15 kw station serving all of Northeast Ohio. Our motto? “More Music, Fewer Hits.” Shortly after I left WRUW, I applied for my Tech license and quickly got on HF while living in New York City in 2001 as KC8RFV, then N2YF. There I operated an old Ten Tec Argosy with a 20 m dipole mounted on the brownstone roof. This was the peak of cycle 23. Phone never caught on with me, and my CW was so bad I couldn’t copy my own call at 25 wpm. CW is the heart of amateur radio, so I stuck with it and CWops has helped my proficiency immensely.

My wife, Tracie, of 23 years still chuckles when I call her “XYL.” Our two sons will never forget the time my vanity plate, “N2YF,” led some fellow drivers to comment, “Oh so sweet! You’re into your wife!” The hobby is filled with adventure. Aside from CW, I enjoy homebrew, vintage rigs, SOTA/POTA, and antenna theory/building. My other interests are astronomy, auto mechanics/tracking, running and fiction. These keep me fresh as I unwind from my work as a physician. One day I hope to join a DXpedition.

Years ago I stumbled upon the late night CWT and was stupefied by the speed. I had to join this club despite my internal Groucho Marx! CWops has been incredibly effective and welcoming. It’s a professional operation. I am so grateful for my sponsors and academy Elmers: Ron VE3FXX, Bob WR7Q, Ed K5YZW, George NE5A, Hal AF5J, and Mike K5UV. I hope to see you all on the air and long live CW.