Wireless

Photo of a red-bellied woodpecker, overlaid on which is the text “WV8IRD” and “Clarksburg, West Virginia, United States”.

New to the whole radio thing—something else atop my already-extensive list of hobbies. This page—especially over the course of 2026—will be a continually evolving repository of info I’ve gathered about wireless and its equipment.

On amateur frequencies, I go by WV8IRD (“West Virginia bird”). I occasionally pop up on GMRS as WSLR222, though that call sign is also used by my wife, Myrtle.

73, and thanks for checking me out.

Places I’m active

Depending on my QTH, I’m often monitoring either HamTalk, the Appalachian Repeater Association System or the WVU ARC repeater. You might occasionally hear me on the two-meter call frequency throughout north-central West Virginia as well.

DXing and simplex in general is gonna be kinda hard from my home QTH without some kind of preparation, as my house is in a valley right by a river. Soon, I’ll get my General and/or Extra and be able to try out HF phone, though!

Clubs

General, regional organizations of which I’m a member:

International organizations of which I’m a member:

QSL

QSL VIA BURO OR DIR—that is, send me QSL cards via the bureau or directly. Since the following websites require you be an actual ham (as opposed to stalker) to view my address and such, I’ll let you check them out for info:

My equipment

Trust me, I plan on getting my General license and some proper HF equipment soon enough. For now, I’ve got:

GMRS, meanwhile: