Team North America - NA #6_1

Team Leader:	Patrick Barkey, N9RV
Other callsigns:	n/a
Country:	USA
Age (WRTC 2018):	63
Previous WRTC experience:	Competitor: 1996, 2002, 2006
Occupation:	Economist
I’ve been a ham since 1967 – got my novice license in Michigan as WN8YVR at age 12. N9RV since 1996. Became a CW operator by getting active in traffic nets, bumped into a contest once while waiting for a traffic sked! Favorite contest is the CQ WW CW, favorite category is SOAB. From W8 and W9 land never managed to win the USA, but kept trying! Moved to Montana in 2007 where I work as an economist and research director at a university. Have owned multi-tower contest stations in Ohio, Indiana and now Montana. Also enjoy M/M operations, have been part of the K3LR team since the early 1990’s. I was a teammate of K3LR at three previous WRTC’s in San Francisco (1996), Espoo (2002) and Florianapolis (2006). Currently President of the Big Sky Contesters. I also serve as editor of National Contest Journal. Married to Rita with two adult kids and 3.9 grandchildren in Chicago.

Team Mate:	Larry "Tree" Tyree, N6TR
Other callsigns:	K7RAT
Country:	USA
Age (WRTC 2018):	63
Previous WRTC experience:	Competitor: 1996 Organizing Committee: 2014 Log checker: 2006
Occupation:	Signal Integrity Engineering Manager
Started listening to SW when 10 years old and first licensed just after my 13th Birthday (WN6ZVC). Homebrewed my first transmitter from the 1967 ARRL Handbook. My first QSO with is was during the Novice Roundup - but I had no idea what was going on. Received my General in 1968 and was active in CW Traffic nets and contests. Outside of contests - I have operated much of the time on 160 and 6 meters. I seem to enjoy bands that are not always open.During the 1980's - I started developing software for contest applications. This started with a duping program and then a totally antonymous CW operator used in the 1996 ARRL Field Day. This led to the TR Log program which was first released in 1991. Around the same time, I started working with N6AA and developed log checking software that was used for several contests. Today - I do log checking for about 20 different contests. I participated in WRTC-1996 as a competitor and a couple of others on the log checking team. I was also on the board of directors for WRTC-2014. Currently - I focus on the NCJ CW Sprints, ARRL Sweepstakes and any of the 160 meter contests. My country total on 160 meters is 245. I look forward to seeing everyone in 2018!!