Jim Kortge, K8IQY
Jim was first licensed in November of 1957 as KN8IQY, at age 14. Sometime later
in the summer of '58, he advanced to Conditional class, and call K8IQY. The
Conditional class license was issued to those living more than 125 miles from
an FCC office, and unable to test before an FCC examiner.
He first operated QRP on 75 meters as a novice, using a single 6AQ5 oscillator, and later on 160 meters, using an AM rig consisting of a 6AQ5 oscillator modulated by a second 6AQ5. Back then, 6AQ5 tubes were akin to today's 2N2222 transistor. Those rigs were the beginnings of his building career.
Jim's formal education was at Michigan Tech University; he graduated in 1966 with a BS Degree in Engineering Physics. The next 31+ years were spend working for General Motors at their Vehicle Safety and Crashworthiness Laboratory, part of the GM Proving Ground, near Milford, Michigan. His responsibilities while at the lab included instrumentation systems design, crash test dummy design, and software design. He held numerous supervisory and middle management positions, and was the "head dummy" for several years.
His original call lapsed in the early 1970's due to interest changes, and raising a family. He returned to amateur radio in 1988 with call NU8N. He later regained his original K8IQY call when the FCC began the vanity licensing program and gave first priority to previous holders of their old calls.
Jim retired from GM in the summer of 1998, and spends much time riding and operating bicycle mobile when the weather cooperates. He has also been studying RF design since retirement, applying that knowledge to designing and building QRP gear and specialized test equipment. His designs feature discrete components, often including the ubiquitous 2N2222. Free time has also allowed him to return to his music, and he is playing guitar with a local big band. Recently, he restarted bluegrass banjo picking in anticipation of some opportunities to jam with other hams interested in bluegrass music. Jim and Kathy are talented musians, playing Blugrass music or classical strings when they have the opportunity.
Jim has numerous famous
designs to his credit, among which are the Manhattan 2N2/40, Norcal's 2N2/xx series of kits,
and Four State's MagicBox. In 2002, Jim was
presented with the NJQRP "Most Significant Contribution to QRP" award,
and was inducted into the QRP Hall of Fame that same year by the QRP ARCI organization.
At OzarkCon 2010 he was awarded Four State's "QRPer Of The Year" award.
He has been married to Kathy, KB8IMP for
40 years, and they have a son and a daughter, both of whom are engineers
working for GM, and helping to fund their dad's retirement.