Don Keith
Amateur Radio Station N4KC

Amateur Radio Operator,Ham Radio Author,DXer,Ragchewer,Amateur Radio Operator,Ham Radio Author,Radiosport Enthusiast,Ham Radio Advocate

 
State: Alabama
County: Shelby
Grid: EM63pi
CQ Zone: 4
ITU Zone: 8
 
About me

Now more than sixty years in amateur radio and still going strong...

I was first licensed as an amateur radio operator in 1961 at the age of 13 as WN4BDW...later WA4BDW. I changed my call sign to N4KC in the 1970s when I got my Extra Class license. I enjoyed a 22-year career in broadcasting, won numerous awards from the Associated Press, UPI, and others, and was twice named BILLBOARD magazine’s “Broadcast Personality of the Year.” I later helped develop software for radio, TV, and ad agencies and spent another ten years as vice-president of marketing and communications for a major education company. I’m also an author with over thirty-five books published, fiction and non-fiction, and have several screenplays that I hope to soon have in production. My novel HUNTER KILLER was the basis for the major motion picture starring Gerard Butler and Gary Oldman, and my biography DREAM ON became the documentary film COLORS OF CHARACTER. See my author website, www.donkeith.com, for more.

Author Don Keith
K4KIO hexbeam on a Rohn 20 tower

N4KC Amateur Radio Books

Don Keith N4KC is not only an active amateur radio operator and former award-winning broadcaster and broadcast journalist. He is also a best-selling author. He has written books—both fiction and non-fiction—on such subjects as college sports, NASCAR, submarines, broadcasting, World War II history, and more. See his books about the exciting world of amateur radio below, or visit Don’s author web site for more info on all his works: www.donkeith.com.

DIAL DANCING: Tales of the the fascinating, fabulous, frequency-hopping, wavelength-walking, power punching, ionosphere-scorching, ditting and dahing, digital dancing and glorious globe-spanning wide and wonderful world of amateur radio

“Amateur radio is just plain fun, and these entertaining short stories show you why...with humor, pathos, drama and more!”

Dial Dancing by Don Keith N4KC

Amateur or ham radio is more alive, more vibrant, more exciting and magical than ever. Now award-winning and best-selling author Don Keith, who is an active and enthusiastic amateur radio operator, spins a series of tales that show exactly what this amazing hobby offers. Help save lives with emergency communications and weather spotting. Compete in radiosport. Talk with friends all over the planet, bouncing signals off the ionosphere, through ham radio satellites in orbit, or even using the tail of a comet, the moon, or the Northern Lights. Bring radio to mountaintops, remote islands, or national parks. And do it all with a station you helped put together. Now, with these exciting, emotional, funny and captivating tales, you can learn about the magic of amateur radio and how you can begin dancing around the dial.

CLICK HERE to see a sample, learn more or order your copy for Kindle or many other e-reader formats.

CLICK HERE to see a sample, learn more or order in paperback...for yourself, your club, licensing classes, or as gifts for others.

CLICK HERE to preview, learn more, or purchase DIAL DANCING for Nook, Adobe Digital Editions, or a wide array of other e-reader formats.

THE AMATEUR RADIO DICTIONARY: THE MOST COMPLETE GLOSSARY OF HAM RADIO TERMS EVER COMPILED

THE Amateur Radio Dictionary by Don Keith N4KC

More than 1400 terms...1600 definitions...hundreds of web links so you can learn more! This is the most comprehensive Ham Radio glossary ever put together. An invaluable resource for Amateur Radio operators, those just getting interested in the hobby, or old-timers as well. Click on the book cover to see a free sample excerpt or order your copy in paperback or e-book.

ORDER PAPERBACK EDITION

ORDER KINDLE AND OTHER E-BOOK EDITIONS

ORDER NOOK AND MOST OTHER E-BOOK EDITIONS

GET ON THE AIR...NOW! A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO GETTING THE MOST FROM AMATEUR RADIO

GET ON THE AIR...NOW! by Don Keith N4KC

Amateur Radio is a fascinating hobby now entering its second century. Many who are interested hesitate, though, because of the license, learning the jargon, or building a station. Get on the Air...Now! is designed to help newcomers get started in this vibrant pastime. Also included in this easy-to-read book is The Amateur Radio Dictionary, the most complete ham radio glossary ever compiled. Click on the book cover to see a free sample excerpt or order your copy in paperback or e-book.

ORDER PAPERBACK EDITION

ORDER KINDLE AND OTHER E-BOOK EDITIONS

ORDER NOOK AND MOST OTHER E-BOOK EDITIONS

RIDING THE SHORTWAVES: EXPLORING THE MAGIC OF AMATEUR RADIO

RIDING THE SHORTWAVES ham radio by Don Keith N4KC

“...entertaining and informative...eminently readable by youth or adult, (RIDING THE SHORTWAVES) covers the waterfront, from why Amateur Radio, at 100 years of age, remains fun and relevant...and more to the point, what you need to enjoy and explore ham radio’s magic. Old-timers will enjoy this book, too.” — Rick Lindquist, WW3DE, QST Magazine

“This book is fantastic, IMHO! If you have someone that you know is thinking of becoming a Ham, has inclinations about becoming a Ham, or is actively studying to become a Ham, or recently became a Ham, direct them to this book! I wish this book was out 34 years ago when I first got started.” — Larry Makoski W2LJ

Don’s book about the magic of amateur radio is a best-seller! RIDING THE SHORTWAVES: EXPLORING THE MAGIC OF AMATEUR RADIO contains articles and short stories that capture the truly exciting world of ham radio for anyone, regardless the experience with the hobby. See why ham radio has experienced a tremendous resurgence in interest, with over 700,000 licensees in the USA alone. Little technological knowledge is required to get into this fascinating past-time...just an interest in communicating, assisting in weather spotting or disaster relief, melding computers and radio, or myriad other aspects of this exciting hobby.

Click on the book cover to see a free sample excerpt or order your copy in paperback or e-book.

ORDER PAPERBACK EDITION

ORDER KINDLE AND OTHER E-BOOK EDITIONS

ORDER NOOK AND MOST OTHER E-BOOK EDITIONS

WIZARD OF THE WIND: THE DEEJAY NOVEL

N4KC Wizard of the Wind Don Keith

Don’s novel WIZARD OF THE WIND is set in broadcasting and features an amateur radio operator as a central character. The book is now available for Kindle and other eBook readers as well as a in a new, revised paperback edition. Both contain an updated dedication list of deejays who were truly “wizards of the wind” as well as author’s notes about how the book relates to what is happening now in radio broadcasting.

Click on the book cover to learn more, “Look inside the book,” and download a copy of the newly re-edited E-BOOK edition with author’s notes

ORDER PAPERBACK EDITION

ORDER KINDLE AND OTHER E-BOOK EDITIONS

ORDER NOOK AND MOST OTHER E-BOOK EDITIONS

Events & Media

Author Don Keith is available for speaking and presentations to groups of all kinds, either in person or via Skype. For info, details, and potential topics, contact him at [email protected].

NOW AVAILABLE: “EXPLORE THE MAGIC OF AMATEUR RADIO” PREMIUM ITEMS

Explore the Magic of Radio Merchandise - shirts and bags

Articles

Don Keith N4KC writes articles about various aspects of the amateur radio hobby. Some of these articles—plus many more—are now available in book/e-book form. Click BOOKS to learn more.

If you are a ham radio club newsletter editor or provide content for an amateur radio club web site, Don is happy to give permission to use any of them. All articles are copyrighted, but permission is granted to reproduce any of them for non-profit use. Please notify Don prior to such use at [email protected]. Please use them exactly as presented here, with the notice: ”Copyright by Don Keith N4KC. See more of Don’s articles at www.n4kc.com.“

A Practical 5-Band Wire Beam
Antennas

A Practical 5-Band Wire Beam

Detailed instructions and links to more info on building your own 5-band hexbeam antenna

Amateur Radio: Not a Hobby for Everybody
The Hobby

Amateur Radio: Not a Hobby for Everybody

Thoughts on using basic marketing concepts in promoting amateur radio to others

What Can Be Learned from a Post-Mortem on a Broken Antenna
Antennas

What Can Be Learned from a Post-Mortem on a Broken Antenna

Learning from our mistakes after a homebrew antenna project goes bad

Bandscanning: A Tour of the HF Amateur Radio Bands
Operating

Bandscanning: A Tour of the HF Amateur Radio Bands

The pros, cons, and more info about each ham radio band, 160 through 10 meters

Everybody's S-Meter is Correct!
Technical

Everybody's S-Meter is Correct!

How your radio’s S-meter works and what it really tells you

Falling into the HT Trap
Newcomer

Falling into the HT Trap

Congrats on the new license! Now, don’t make this one fatal mistake when getting started

Feed the Beast: Amateur Radio Antenna Feedlines
Antennas

Feed the Beast: Amateur Radio Antenna Feedlines

The antenna feedline...here is the scoop on the most important part of your antenna system

I See Your Lips Moving: A Look at SSB Audio
Technical

I See Your Lips Moving: A Look at SSB Audio

Getting the most from your transceiver’s single-sideband audio adjustments

If Nobody Transmits...Is the Band Dead?
Propagation

If Nobody Transmits...Is the Band Dead?

Neat tools you can use to see when and where to you can communicate on the shortwaves

An Open Letter to the Deliberate QRMer
Operating

An Open Letter to the Deliberate QRMer

N4KC vents after having to put up with deliberate QRM during a DX pile-up

N4KC’s Skywire Horizontal Loop Antenna
Antennas

N4KC’s Skywire Horizontal Loop Antenna

One of Don Keith’s most requested articles, about building the venerable horizontal loop antenna

Reading Between the Lines in Ham Gear Reviews
Humor

Reading Between the Lines in Ham Gear Reviews

A tongue-in-cheek look at what people are really saying when they review amateur radio gear

N9N Ham Radio Event Honoring Nautilus
Operating

N9N Ham Radio Event Honoring Nautilus

Story of successful special event station honoring USS Nautilus’s historic North Pole mission

Resonance Schmesonance
Antennas

Resonance Schmesonance

Why everything you know about SWR and resonant antennas is wrong

Roadblocks and Obstacles to Pursuing the Hobby of Amateur Radio
Newcomer

Roadblocks and Obstacles to Pursuing the Hobby of Amateur Radio

The perceived (and real) obstacles to getting into ham radio...and getting the most from the hobby

The Amateur Radio Flea Market
Humor

The Amateur Radio Flea Market

What really happens at one of amateur radio’s most iconic event: the flea market

The Antenna Party
Humor

The Antenna Party

Getting even with that know-it-all antenna expert in your ham radio club

The Roundtable: a Short Story
Fiction

The Roundtable: a Short Story

A group of ham radio friends make a discovery about one of its members, and what the hobby means to him

Top Five Get-on-the-Air-Quick Antennas
Antennas

Top Five Get-on-the-Air-Quick Antennas

A look at some of the best options to get up a quick, easy but effective antenna system

Top 5 Station Accessories Every Ham Needs
Newcomer

Top 5 Station Accessories Every Ham Needs

Besides a radio, here is other gear you need...plus some that would just be nice to have

What? You Only Have One Antenna?
Antennas

What? You Only Have One Antenna?

A look at some of the reasons having more than one ham radio antenna can be a really good idea

Why You Should Learn Dah-di-dah-dit Di-dah-dah
Operating

Why You Should Learn Dah-di-dah-dit Di-dah-dah

No, Morse code is no longer required to get a ham license, but you may want to learn it anyway

Working DX is Easier Than Ever
Operating

Working DX is Easier Than Ever

Using new methods and techniques to make contacts with stations all over the world

You Might be a Real Ham Radio Operator if...
Humor

You Might be a Real Ham Radio Operator if...

With apologies to comedian Jeff Foxworthy, here are some clues on how to spot a REAL ham