NR5M George DeMontrond
Team: Team 59 – Sponsored Team (Team Leader)
Age: 62
Occupation: President of DeMontrond Auto Group
NR5M George DeMontrond
George was first licensed in 1966 as WN5PQK at the age of 14. He was not active during his college career at Princeton University where he earned degrees in Basic Engineering and Economics. George graduated from the University of Texas School of Law in 1976, with a J.D. degree.
After returning to Houston and working in the family automobile business for seven years, he got involved with the Texas DX Society where he took up contesting for the first time in his radio career. George, with the help of many members of TDXS, started erecting a Multi-Multi contest station in Hempstead, Texas.
George participated in TDXS-led events including the XE2FU contest operations, the Great Armadillo Runs, and a DXpedition to Desecheo (KP5). The NR5M contest station was active into the early ‘90s. A tower-climbing accident by a member of a professional climbing crew stopped a major renovation effort in its tracks and essentially shut down station operation for 15 years.
This was a period of major change in the automobile business and George was busy expanding his business by adding two additional locations and eight franchises. He was also very busy on the civic front, leading Houston’s efforts to host the 2012 and 2016 Olympics as well as several other civic errands tasked for him at that time by the mayor of Houston.
In 2007, George refocused his efforts on Amateur Radio. Flexibility was the design inspiration during the NR5M rebuild. The station is now capable of Multi-Multi as well as SO2R operation in HF or VHF contests. It has EME capabilities on 6, 2, 432, and 1296. “DC to light, any mode – any band – any category – any contest” is the NR5M motto.
Although station building is important to George, contesting has become his passion over the last seven years. He looks forward to WRTC2014, not only for the competition but for the opportunity to interact with all those who share his passion for competitive radiosport.