We are pleased to announce that two more people were inducted into the QRP Hall of Fame this year. They were announced at the QRP banquet at Dayton and they are:

Rich Arland, K7SZ
Jim Kortge, K8IQY

Both are well known figures in the QRP community and have made substantial contributions over the years. Here is some info on them, compiled from some of the nomination letters.

Rich Arland, K7SZ

[Compiled from nominations written by W4DU and WA8MCQ]

Rich served three terms on the Board of Directors of the QRP ARCI and has published a number of QRP items, but unlike most people he wasn't just "preaching to the choir" by writing for the QRP journals, to be read only by those already in the QRP community. His works appeared for the most part in the mainstream ham press, giving widespread publicity to our aspect of the hobby. He not only entertained and enlightened us, but he also kept--and keeps--QRP in the eye of the general ham community, acting as a spokesman and "evangelist" of QRP to the mainstream of amateur radio.

Rich has written for many ham journals. This includes a QRP column in World Radio magazine that ran for more than 6 years, a QRP series in CQ magazine, and numerous QRP articles in QST during the mid to late 90s. He has authored four books on QRP, one of which is published by the ARRL.

In addition to writing on the subject, Rich has spoken on QRP at hamfests around the country. His presentations are informative, entertaining and well received by the attendees. Rich's writing and speaking efforts have gained national and international recognition and respect for him as a radio amateur and for QRP as a vibrant force in our hobby. Many current QRPers were first introduced to it by Rich's efforts. Rich has also been the master of ceremonies at the New Jersey QRP Club’s Atlanticon QRP forum for two years now.

The past five years have seen an unprecedented increase in QRP activity and recognition of it as a major part of amateur radio. Many have called QRP the "renewal of amateur radio". Some of the credit for this is due to the work Rich has put into it. The ARRL recognized both the value of QRP and Rich's contribution when, in January 2000, they added a QRP column to QST and asked Rich to be the first editor. Just like his QRP column in World Radio, it’s appearance month after month serves as a subtle but constant reminder to all readers that QRP is a viable, respected and vital side of our hobby, enjoyed by many.

Rich's QRP voice was also heard worldwide, literally, expounding on QRP. The well-known short-wave radio station HCJB in Quito, Ecuador, has a regular program on ham radio. They asked Rich to record a 6 part series on QRP for use on the program, and it was broadcast at least annually for many years.

One nomination letter said, “I firmly believe that the QRP Hall of Fame should not only honor those who are currently well known and popular within the QRP community, both in the traditional paper publications and on the QRP-L mail reflector, but should also honor those who have made significant long term contributions to QRP, and especially those who have been publicizing QRP to the "outside world" and bringing others into the QRP community. Rich fits both categories.”

Jim Kortge, K8IQY

[Compiled from the nomination submitted by George Heron, N2APB]

Jim's contributions to the QRP and homebrewing community over the last four years have been nothing short of spectacular. He is a meticulous and creative RF designer, a producer of kits, a patient and informative instructor, a public speaker at QRP events, an accomplished and published technical writer, and an absolute master craftsman who has done more to champion the extremely successful "Manhattan-style" construction technique than anyone else in our hobby.

[While Jim readily admits that he did not create the technique, which has been around for quite some time, he did introduce it to the QRP community and helped make it very popular. --WA8MCQ]

Kortge is the designer of the immensely popular 2N2/40 Transceiver, a 40M transceiver constructed solely of 2N2222 transistors and winner of a NorCal design contest a number of years ago. He wrote an article, published in NorCal's QRPp magazine, concerning his 2N2/40 design and it was the subject of tremendous excitement in ensuing years as others built his design.

In the recent 8 months, he has sponsored and actively "manages" a very popular "2N2/40" email list on Yahoo, wherein over 20 hams have been building their own versions of Jim's 2N2/40 transceiver. He has painstakingly encouraged every neophyte homebrewer, helped to source and find parts, and has updated his design to yield more readily reproducible results - the sign of a good design, and of an excellent designer. There are many 2N2/40 transceivers on the air now because of Jim's assistance and careful guidance along the way, and that group is very loyal and appreciative to Jim. [Although a relatively small number of people actually built the rig by way of the mail reflector, at one point there were about 150 subscribers to it, showing the intense interest in the subject. --WA8MCQ]

Since designing the 2N2/40 Transceiver, K8IQY has evolved the design to produce a 2N2/6 Transverter. This project was the subject of a paper and talk at a prior year's Atlanticon and FDIM QRP forums. To listen to the presentation, and to read the very thorough technical manuscript which was published in the respective Proceedings, even a staunch and inveterate QRP technical veteran (such as some of us) stood in complete awe at his work.

Jim then went on to build another variant of the 2N2-series, but this time focusing on the Manhattan-style technique that made him famous. He designed and produced the 4017 Transverter, which again was presented in full technical glory at Atlanticon and FDIM QRP forms. Further, the design was so good and so sought after, the NJQRP collaborated with Jim to produce a kit of his 4017 design. This project was very well received and ultimately sold over 200 kits around the world.

His next project is not as well known because of its being so new on the scene, but many people will get a chance to see and hear of it at the Atlanticon QRP Forum this year. Jim is presenting a topic close to his own interests - crystal calibration and measurement techniques, and I can tell you (since I've just completed editing the Proceedings) that the paper is just awesome. Further, the NJQRP Club is once again collaborating with Kortge to produce the test equipment he's describing, in the form of a Precision VXO Kit which will be announced at Atlanticon 2002. I predict that this project will be of great interest to many hams in the QRP and homebrewing community.

[WA8MCQ note--I was at Atlanticon in April. The paper and presentation were both outstanding, and the kit form of the Precision VXO is a work of art. Due to demand from attendees, the NJ QRP Club is also going to produce a kit of the crystal test fixture itself, in addition to the VXO.]

Jim Kortge is an affable, modest and very accomplished technician in the QRP and homebrewing scene. His technical, speaking, publishing and educational contributions stand heads and shoulders above the average QRPer, and we are so fortunate to have him in our hobby.