Robert Hill – K5NZV
Robert Hill – K5NZV has been a BVRC member for three years, along with his XYL, Dana – W5DGH. Robert has become a very integral part of the club in that short amount of time along with Dana, who is BVRC Secretary. Robert and Dana make their home in Bella Vista.
In addition to being a valuable club member, Robert, who is also a teacher in the Rogers Public Schools, has formed a top-notch school club at Lingle Middle School in Rogers with the club call sign KA5LMS. (Check-out their KA5LMS page on QRZ.com) The club has participated in several ARRL School Roundup contests and scored very well.
Robert has progressed so rapidly since entering the ham radio hobby, that he was awarded the Bella Vista Radio Club’s Rookie of the Year award in 2022.
Robert’s first callsign was KI5NZV, but after acquiring his General and Amateur Extra class licenses, he obtained the vanity call sign K5NZV. One of Robert’s favorite operating activities is the Parks On The Air (POTA) program. Since he began POTA operating and as of this printing), Robert has had 90 activations in 46 different parks in more than 15 states with over 4200 QSOs, as a park activator (along with Dana, of course). Robert and Dana have traveled many miles and have had very many rewarding experiences activating many parks in the POTA program. When at home and as a hunter, he has worked over 800 parks thus far.
When asked how he got involved with amateur radio, Robert said, “My interest in radio communications goes back more than 40 years. I spent the first part of my Army career as a Morse intercept operator (like Johnny Cash), then later I was trained in two foreign languages to do voice intercept. In both cases I spent a lot of time working in the HF spectrum and was always fascinated with long-range radio communications. Becoming an amateur was something I had thought about for many years before I finally took the plunge in 2021. I did a lot of research (including the BVRC web site), ordered a manual, and started studying. I passed the Technician exam in February 2021, the General exam in April of 2021, and the Extra exam in March of 2022.”
Robert was then asked what his favorite facet of amateur radio is, to which he replied, “ That is a difficult question to answer since I have done so many things I have enjoyed. Probably anything to do with HF, particularly what I called “bang for the buck.” What’s the most distance I can or the most QSOs with the least amount of equipment (or expense)? I especially like building and deploying my own antennas.”
Robert says his most memorable QSO thus far has been with NA1SS, the amateur radio station aboard the International Space Station on October 2, 2022. That was also his birthday and his XYL gave him an Arrow II antenna.
Robert’s home station consists of: ICOM IC-7300, Dentron Clipperton L amplifier, MFJ Versa Tuner III, a CT 73 MB CW paddle (made by Yury – UR5CDX in Ukraine), and an 80-meter home brew Windom Off-Center-Fed-Dipole antenna.
When he’s on the road, Robert uses either a Yaesu FT-857 and Xiegu G-90 transceiver, and an assortment of vertical or wire antennas depending on the situation.
Robert’s other hobbies include running, camping, golf, and some occasional fishing.
It is great to have member’s like Robert and Dana in BVRC.
by K5DB, Don Banta
