N5OT Mark Beckwith

Team: North America 9

Country: USA

Age: 55

Occupation: CEO Nevus.org, Musician

I was first licensed in 1971 as WN6OTU at 13 years old.  Less than a year later I was operating Field Day, and boy, was I hooked.  As a teenager I cut my teeth in the time-honored way by joining the biggest Multi-Multis I could find around where I lived.  I spent many DX contests at K6RR, AI6V, and others, where I got to work alongside some legendary operators.  For domestic contests I operated as a guest at some great stations like W6AQ and W6UE.

My first DX outing was XE2SI in 1983 for CQWW both modes.  It was a big multi-multi effort, and I think we finished in the top 5 in the world on both modes.  That gave me my first taste of “being DX”, a flavor I have coveted ever since, operating HC8U, HC8N, A73A, ED9Z, V31NN, PJ2T, PJ4R, PJ4O, 4A3MX, TI5N and HP1XX.

In daily life, I have been a professional musician since I opted out of higher education.  I have sung professionally on the opera stage across the USA.  Now I conduct orchestras and choirs, and direct theatrical productions.

In 1996 my wife Kathy and I gave birth to our only child, Megan Rose, who was born with a giant mole covering more than half her body. This is a rare birth defect called a “giant nevus”.  We founded nevus.org, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving awareness and providing support for people affected by giant nevi, and finding a cure. Today I serve as the organization’s chief executive – a job I never thought I’d wind up doing!

There are plenty of operators deserving of an opportunity to compete in WRTC2014.  I am honored to have been invited by my friend Mike, W9RE, who qualified the hard way, by doing really well in a bunch of contests, to be his partner.  We are glad to be here.