Jim Renfrew, United States

I live in Byron NY. I am 52 years old and married in March 2005 to Robin Dunnington. I have a twenty two year old son Roberto Renfrew-Marquez.

I have been DXing since Christmas 1965 when I found a Heathkit set under the tree. That Heathkit had some of the loudest heterodynes ever generated, but from the moment I dug out WHLO 640 from Akron I was hooked for life. I have DXed from New Canaan CT, Severna Park MD, Rochester NY, 30 miles west of Rochester in Byron NY, and now, since January 2007, in Holley NY, 25 miles west of Rochester. I am a pastor serving the First Presbyterian Church of Byron and Stone Church Presbyterian Church in Bergen, and I am now in my 24th year of ordained ministry. Though I work long hours, I also have flexibility in my schedule which allows me to DX at odd times of day.

The steadiest interest in my radio hobby is Medium Wave, and as of January 2007 I have logged more than 2200 stations from nearly 60 countries, 47 US states, and all of the Canadian provinces. I have also had a long-time interest in Shortwave, and I have logged approximately 160 countries as defined by NASWA. Since about 1985 I have added FM and TV DX to my interests, with over 1700 FMs and over 300 TVs logged. On occasion I also look for LW beacons. All of these hobbies are being impacted by new technologies, but I am optimistic that there is lots of fun to be had in this hobby for years to come.

I belong to the National Radio Club, North American Shortwave Association, World FM TV DX Association, and Medium Wave Circle. For many years I edited the International DX Digest Column in NRC's DX News.

My biggest hobby endeavor in recent years has been participation in MW DXpeditions to Newfoundland, along with John Burnell, John Fisher, Neil Kazaross, Mark Connelly, Bruce Conti, David Clark, Chuck Hutton and some others who were there at different times than I.

(written in January 2007)