N6AN David Hodge

Team: North America 6 North

Country: USA

Age: 58

Occupation: Engineer, Broadcast Television, Electronic News Gathering

I think it all started when I stuck a hairpin in a light switch at the age of 3 or 4. I felt firsthand the power of electricity…and half the lights in the house went out. By 14 I was WN6KJI, a know nothing Novice. I got my General license and built a Heathkit SB-102 around my 16th birthday. Traffic nets, Field Day and two energetic lifelong friends, N6TR and N5OT, put me on the contesting path. By 1977 I was an Extra class, held AA6RX, and thought the ARRL DX was the best event around.

My first DXpedition was with N6ZZ, signing VP2VEQ. WOW! I want to do this again! W6UE, W6CIT, K6RR, N6ND, P42E, XE2SI, KP2A, N2UN, KY1H, K2LE/1, 6D2X, HC8N, TG9AJR, PJ2T, PW5U, K3LR, K6NA, W1AW/6, W6YI, A73A, ZF1A are some calls I have had the privilege of signing along my contesting journey.

In 1990 I moved to Mexico City to play French horn full time with two of the city’s top orchestras. XE1MD, Mic, provided much in the way of support, both radio wise and personally. During my XE tenure I signed XE1/AA6RX and XE1/N6AN. (N6AN became my callsign in 2001.) With newly earned immigrant status in 2002 I obtained my XE license and became XE1NTT. Representing Mexico at WRTC 2006 with Ramon, XE1KK, was both an honor and a thrill. Mil gracias, Ramon! XE2GG became my new call in 2007. Most of my XE2GG operations were done with the help of Hector XE2K and his family.

I have been back in the US since the early 2000s with my now 17 year old son. Broadcast television is my profession these days. Cycling, swimming and music are some of my favorite non-radio activities. Someday you may see me doing standup comedy.

A short, thrilling contest QSO is even more meaningful when one has had the opportunity to know the person on the other end. To spend a week with the best of the best in radiosport is a dream come true.