KU1CW Alex Tkatch
Team: North America 10 (Team Leader)
Country: USA
Age: 48
Occupation: Technology Manager, Telecom/Test and Measurement Equipment
KU1CW Alex Tkatch
Alex was born and grew up in Minsk, Belarus. He started on HF as SWL at the Minsk Polytechnic Academy, traveling to the club station on weekends and staying overnight trying to understand magic of the HF and work DX. Later he learned CW, found his first small military receiver, put together a homemade low power transmitter, and received his first call sign UC2AHZ at the age of 16. A small homemade amplifier, numerous antennas constructed, and involvement in contesting was the next step and a lot of fun! He later became EU1CW.
Radio had an impact on career choice. In 1982 Alex was admitted to the Belarussian State University and graduated with degree in Physics of Semiconductors. In 1992 Alex moved to the US, starting in New York and later settling down with family in Kansas City, MO in 1994. Alex has about 20 all-time W0 contest records and continues to be seriously involved in contesting from the US and abroad.
U.S. careers include RF design Engineer, Telecom Design Engineer and now Technology Manager with Rohde & Schwarz USA, specializing in Telecom and Satellite Navigation.
Alex has very supportive family. His wife Natasha carries an Extra Class license as KU1YL (V31YL) and has participated in few contest expeditions with Alex. Daughter Sasha is a pharmacist, but unfortunately has no FCC license yet.
There are more stories to tell, but all of that later in Boston at WRTC2014!