For the 2025 IDXC this will serve as your real time presenter bio information
This page will be updated real time as needed based on changes.
Tom Schiller, N6BTFounder, Force 12, Inc., Next Generation Antennas and Antenna Airborne ; 32 years of design and production, shipped 27,000 antennas (amateur, commercial, military). Antenna research includes using drones since 2014 for empirical testing of verticals on flat ground(s), salt water and adjacent to sloping ground (discovered launch angle shift). Empirical comparisons of current returns and current balance. Developed first trapless triband Yagi (C-3, 1991), trapless 5-band single feed-line Yagis, larger trapless tri-band Yagis (C-31XR, C-49XR) and first 50-ohm direct-feed Yagis (Magnum 620, 1993), 80/75 mtr Yagis and 160 rotatable dipoles. “Gull Wing” radials; single & multi-band (no-trap) verticals: ZR series, VDA, SVDA Bravo series (latest V-8 and DX-8 for R.I.B.). Sigma series (“I” shaped, HF-VHF-UHF), VOR (vertical open ring, single & multi-band) and low profile towers and trailers. Speaker at more than 30 conventions, in-person and ZOOM; author, Array of Light (Four Editions). Co-founder of the NCJ; contributing editor to 25th Edition A.R.R.L. Antenna Book. Articles in QST and NCJ. Co-founder of Team Vertical with K2KW. 25 World Records). Several patents related to wireless communications. Licensed 1959, ARRL Life Member, CWops #281; contester (member of AOCC, Hualapai ARC, former NCCC, Paso Robles ARC, Mother Lode DX/CC). DXpeditions plus mobile and portable.
Gene Spinellil, K5GS was first licensed in 1976 as WB5WFD (Arlington, Texas), and issued K5GS in 1996. His previous call signs were WD6DLK (San Francisco Bay Area) and KE6LT (Northern New Jersey and Boulder, Colorado). His DXCC totals are 354/340 (mixed) with all current entities confirmed. Gene’s radio interest has always been DXing with occasional diversions into VHF/UHF repeaters, restoring vintage radios and the digital modes. He was a team member on: 2012 ZL9HR Campbell Island DX-pedition, Co-organizer / treasurer for: 2014 VK9MT Mellish Reef, 2015 TX3X Chesterfield Islands, 2018 VP6D Ducie Island, 2020 VP8PJ South Orkney Islands and the 2022 TX5N Austral Islands DX-peditions. A founding member of the Perseverance DX Group (PDXG), he also holds call signs VK2IXC and ZL1NA. He retired in 2012 after a 45-year career in the I/T industry. Gene and his wife reside in Tucson, Arizona
Don Miller W9WNV
Gayle Olson-Binder, K6GO, is a Past President of The San Diego DX Club, and is a member of ARRL Maxim Society, Young Ladies’ Radio League, Palomar Amateur Radio Club, Poway Amateur Radio Society, ARES, and VE for SANDARC, ARRL and W5YI. Some of the most fabulous experiences of her life involve amateur radio: her students talked to an astronaut on space shuttle STS 70 on July 18, 1995, she participated in a YL Dxpedition to PJ2 in 2011, where they were the first group of Yls to operate after the political change to the island, she was part of a YL Dxpedition to Montserrat in1993 before the volcano erupted. She also participated annually in IARU and NAQP RTTY as ZF1A. Outside the contests she is ZF2GO. Her husband is NA6MB and they know each other through amateur radio and their fight to change the antenna ordinance in Poway in San Diego County, CA. Gayle is very dedicated to getting Yls actively involved in radio as well as creating scholarships for young hams.
Paul Ewing, N6PSE is a Silicon Valley Information Technology & Cybersecurity expert. Paul holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from St. Mary’s College. Paul was an early Internet pioneer running the systems, networks and datacenters for such Internet companies as eBay, Yahoo and Google during their early years. Paul has been an amateur radio operator since 1982. Since 1992 he has been a serious DXer. Paul loves to travel and participate in DXpeditions. Paul was the leader of the April 2010 YI9PSE DXpedition. Paul was the Co-Leader of the ST0R DXpedition to the new country of the Republic of South Sudan, July-August 2011. Paul was a member of the 3D2R-Rotuma Island DXpedition in Sept-Oct, 2011. Paul was a member of the ET3AA team from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, December, 2011. Paul was a member of the 7O6T Team from Socotra, Yemen, May 2012. Paul was the Co-Leader of the 3D2C Conway Reef Dxpedition in September, 2012. Paul was a member of the XZ1J Myanmar DXpedition, November 15-26th, 2013. Paul was the Co-Leader of the March 2015 DXpedition to Eritrea, as E30FB. Paul was the Co-Leader of the January, 2016 Dxpeditions VP8STI-South Sandwich and VP8SGI-South Georgia Islands. Paul has operated from Turkey, Egypt, Serbia, Macedonia, Greece, Albania, Montenegro and the Falkland Islands. Paul enjoyed his visit to Mount Athos and conversation with Monk Apollo in 2012. Paul is a Life member of the ARRL and an A-1 Operator. Paul supports the NCDXF and INDEXA. Paul is the ARRL Pacific Division Representative on the DX Advisory Committee. (DXAC). Paul is the founder of the Intrepid-DX Group (Intrepid-DX.com), Paul is a member of the Palo Alto Amateur Radio Association, Northern California DX Club, Utah DX Association, Araucaria DX Group and the World-Wide DX Group. Paul was honored by the Northern California DX Club as their DXer of the Year for 2012, 2016 and 2017. Paul travelled extensively throughout the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) and Iran in 2015 and and has provided opinions and commentary to various media organizations. Paul is on the DXCC Honor Roll and has Nine Band DXCC.
Jeff Wandling, W7BRSis a semi-retired avionics engineer. A husband to Christina and father to his son Nick. His call W7BRS has been in the family since 1931. He pursues DX, plans new DX'peditions and makes new friends with amateur radio, Contesting, DX'ing. He is an author, member of the Western Washington DX Club. If all plans go well, he will be on Bouvet 3Y0K in 2026 and Peter I 3Y0L in 2027 with the Delta DX Team. Knock wood. From his 2025 Visalia talk he wishes you find something interesting from his answer to the question "So, you want to go on a DX'pedition'?" Another voyage back to the Pacific sounds like a good idea.
James Gallo, KB2FMH began Hamming and chasing DX in 1985 (he once had JY1 answer His CQ in ’86). Having been off the air since 1991, he came back to us in 2016 chasing DX and has accrued 298 countries since but didn’t get involved in Being the DX till summer of 2022 when invited to be an operator for K7K – Kiska Island out in the Bering Sea, with the Russian Robinson Club. Since then, he has dove in headfirst having gone to the Caribbean and South Pacific for DX / IOTA activations. He is a founding member of the NYC DX Association with his friend, and everyone’s in the DX community, KO8SCA, Adrian. He is also very active with the explosive POTA program, as one of the global administrators and specifically as the DX Liaison, working closely with Expedition teams to bring qualifying rare DX locations into the program for the benefit of the now 70,000 plus members worldwide. He is currently working on some other adventures to Africa and distant Islands and is the pilot / media person for the coming Bouvet (2026) and Peter 1 (2027) expeditions organized by Ken, LA7GIA in Norway.
Aside from DXing James does many Special Event operations, most notably the largest international event for World Autism Awareness in April with operators in over 30 countries as well as at the West Point Military Academy for their annual Scout Jamboree where up to 7,000 Scouts from around the world gather for a weekend of fun and learning special skills from the Cadets there. He is also one of the operators for the popular 13 Colonies and 12 Days of Christmas events to list a few. Being an SSB op, or Talker, James knows how to tell a story that will captivate any audience, make sure to be in the room for his presentation.
Vicki Zumwalt, N6KLS resides in Kingman, Arizona. My accomplishments include: ARRL Life Member, QCWA member, ARRL Assistant Director of Southwest and Pacific Division, Pacificon Ham Convention vendor chair and tri-chair for the 2019 convention in San Ramon, CA, Trustee for the W7KDS Northern Digital Repeater System, Past President of the Mt. Diablo and Hualapai Amateur Radio Clubs, chair of the Contra Costa Repeater Association and a net control operator. Plus, a net control for the popular Route 66 event for the Kingman, AZ station. I maintain my QCWA membership in Chapter 228 in Concord, CA and am passionate about my work in supporting the YLRL and QCWA scholarship programs. I also own a small business called Vintage Stitching, a museum for Singer Vintage Sewing machines, some as far back as 1874. So, when I’m not on the air, you might find me in my museum polishing and listening to the click clack of the needles and the treadle moving slowly back and forth!
