The following speakers have been confirmed for the 2026 convention.
Gregg Marco W6IZT
Speaking: Friday & Saturday
Gregg Marco, W6IZT, is a passionate DXer and expedition operator with a remarkable track record of activating rare and coveted entities from around the world. Gregg has participated in some of ham radio’s most well-known DXpeditions operating from far-flung corners of the globe. In recent years, he has become one of the hobby’s most dedicated advocates for bringing young operators into the world of DXpeditioning.
Gregg’s commitment to youth involvement is best illustrated by the expeditions he has organized and led in partnership with Youth on the Air (YOTA). Following the success of remote station operations at the CB0ZA Juan Fernandez DXpedition, Gregg brought two of his custom-built NexGenRiB remote stations to the 3D2Z Rotuma DXpedition, with the goal of having 75% of remote contacts made by young operators. That model of mentorship through hands-on experience has become his signature approach.
Most recently, Gregg led the PJ6Y DXpedition to Saba Island in October 2025, organized by the Pacific Island DX Group in partnership with Youth on the Air. Over fourteen days, the team completed over 56,000 QSOs, with nine first-time DXpeditioners on the island team and an additional 30–40 young hams participating as remote operators worldwide. Gregg’s vision that every new DXpedition can also be a training ground for the next generation is reshaping how the DX community thinks about its future.
Kevin Thomas W1DED
Speaking Friday & Saturday
Kevin Thomas, W1DED, has one of the more compelling stories in amateur radio today — a ham who was first licensed in 1977, stepped away for four decades, and came back swinging. Licensed as a teenager, Kevin grew up around Heathkit gear built by his father, WA1YOA, before life, career, and family pulled him away from the hobby for decades. Yet he carried his radios, logbooks, and QSL cards through every move, convinced he would someday return. That return came in 2022, when he earned his Extra Class license.
Living on a small island community in Maine without room for towers, Kevin discovered Parks on the Air and immediately connected with the simplicity and accessibility of portable operating — grab a radio, head to a park, and get on the air. What began as casual activations soon expanded into contesting and DXpedition-style operations in the Caribbean. Most notably, Kevin operated as VP5/W1DED and VP5E from Providenciales Island in the Turks and Caicos, earning an unofficial top-six finish in North America in the Single Operator High Power category at CQ WPX SSB.
Beyond his own operating, Kevin is a respected voice in the amateur radio community as the creator and host of Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. Q5 sets a new standard in amateur radio media through long-form interviews, technical insight, and global storytelling, exploring the people and ideas shaping the future of the hobby. Kevin also serves as one of the newest board members guiding Parks on the Air through its next chapter, bringing the perspective of someone who discovered POTA as a returning ham and never looked back.
John Sweeney K9EL
Speaking: Friday & Saturday
John Sweeney, K9EL, is an accomplished and influential figure in the world of DXing. An accomplished DXer with many years of experience both chasing DX and being DX. John operated from a variety of rare locations during the course of a nearly 30-year career with Motorola before becoming a telecommunications consultant. He has worked more than 300 countries on each of the major HF bands and has recently achieved the 3000 level of the DXCC Challenge. That depth of experience on both sides of a pileup gives him a uniquely practical perspective on what it takes to succeed in the pursuit of DX.
John is perhaps best known for his stewardship of the CQ DX Marathon, the year-long competition in which operators chase as many entities and CQ zones as possible before resetting to zero each New Year’s Day. When CQ Magazine reinstituted the DX Marathon in 2006, John was appointed as its manager, and he led the program for 17 years before stepping down at the end of 2022. His tenure transformed the Marathon into one of the most popular DX programs in the hobby. John also serves as the Central Division representative to the ARRL DX Advisory Committee (DXAC), which advises on the DXCC program, where he has been an active voice on issues ranging from Honor Roll reform to the future of entity qualification.
Beyond his administrative contributions, John is a sought-after presenter on the practical side of DX operating. His presentations shared with the broader DX community pull back the curtain on the software tools and techniques he uses to maximize his score year after year. Whether you’re chasing a new entity or chasing a top-ten finish in the Marathon, John’s insights are the kind that only come from decades of hard-won experience at the radio.
Bob Ronk W9AP
Speaking: Friday
Bob Ronk, W9AP, is an accomplished DXer and expedition operator with an impressive resume of operations spanning the globe. He has been a regular operator with the TO9W team, joining fellow DXers for multi-band activations from Saint Martin that have put tens of thousands of contacts in the log. In March 2023, Bob was part of the nine-operator 9G4X DXpedition to Ghana, hosted by the Accra Amateur Radio Club, where the team logged more than 17,000 QSOs on 160 through 6 meters and through the QO-100 satellite, including a multi-two entry in the CQ WPX Phone Contest.
Bob’s DXpedition ambitions extend to some of the most challenging destinations on Earth. He has played a key role in the 3Y0K Bouvet Island expedition, one of the most ambitious DXpeditions ever achieved, involving travel by icebreaker and helicopter to one of the rarest DXCC entities. Bob has co-presented on the 3Y0K effort at the Hamvention DX Forum, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the immense planning, logistics, and equipment challenges involved.
Closer to home, Bob is a cornerstone of one of the Midwest’s most beloved amateur radio gatherings. He serves as Convention Chair for W9DXCC, the annual convention organized by the Northern Illinois DX Association that draws DXers from across the region and beyond. Whether he’s chasing rare entities, activating entities from remote corners of the world or helping organize a world-class DX convention, Bob brings the same passion and commitment to every facet of the hobby.
Jeff Bolling NA9P
Speaking: Friday
Jeff Bolling, NA9P, proves that enthusiasm for DXing can outpace experience in the best possible way. First licensed in October 2024 as KE9BPZ, Jeff has been a ham for less time than many attendees in the room have had antennas in the air — yet he wasted no time falling in love with the chase, particularly on CW. Operating from a suburban lot in Northbrook, Illinois, with nothing more than 100 watts and an end-fed half-wave, Jeff has confirmed 170 mixed DX entities in under two years, a milestone he considers genuinely thrilling and one his XYL considers genuinely puzzling.
Jeff’s rapid rise in the DX community didn’t go unnoticed. He was welcomed into the Northern Illinois DX Association in 2025 through its associate member program and NIDXA has since reviewed its associate membership criteria, a development the club insists is purely coincidental. Whether that’s true or not, Jeff’s story is a refreshing reminder of just how much can be accomplished with a modest station, a good ear for CW, and the kind of persistence that turns a brand-new license into a serious DX resume in record time
Tim Gennett K9WX
Speaking: Friday
Tim Gennett, K9WX, of West Lafayette, Indiana, is a fixture of the Midwest contesting scene with decades of experience chasing points, multipliers, and the satisfaction of a well-run SO2R operation. With his antenna setup favoring domestic contests, Tim operates mostly CW and RTTY events, typically running SO2R to help maximize his score. A member of ARRL, CWops, HDXCC, the Lafayette DX Association, the Society of Midwest Contesters, and the Tippecanoe Amateur Radio Association, Tim has built a reputation as both a serious competitor and a dedicated contributor to the contesting community. He also chases some DX when it doesn’t conflict with a good contest, having completed 5BDXCC in August 2016 and the DXCC Challenge with its 1,500-point medallion that December.
Beyond his own operating, Tim has spent years working behind the scenes to support and shape the contesting hobby. He served on the Board of Directors for the Society of Midwest Contesters from 2019 to 2021 and currently manages the data for their Lifetime Achievement Award. He also edited Solid Copy, the CWops monthly newsletter, from 2017 to 2022, and managed the now-concluded NAQP Challenge. Tim brings that same eye for detail and process to his work on the ARRL Contest Advisory Committee, where he helps shape the policies and guidelines that govern competitive operating nationwide.
Retired from Purdue University in July 2014 after a 37-year career, Tim now spends much of his time in the shack — a perspective he brings to his talks on competitive operating, station strategy, and the volunteer work that keeps the contesting community running.
Craig Thompson K9CT
Speaking: Friday
Craig Thompson, K9CT, is a true heavyweight of amateur radio, equally celebrated as a contester, DXpeditioner, and station builder. First licensed in 1967 at age 14 and an Extra Class licensee since 1971, Craig has achieved DXCC Honor Roll status in Mixed, CW, and Phone. Craig built his K9CT contest super-station with a dozen towers spanning 160 meters through 1296 MHz plus EME capability, a project he has shared in detail through seminars on contest station design and planning.
Craig’s DXpedition resume reads like a tour of the world’s rarest entities. He has been a team member on operations to Cocos Island (TI9K), Midway Island (K4M), Sint Maarten (PJ7E), Swains Island (NH8S), Conway Reef (3D2C), Wake Island (K9W), Amsterdam Island (FT5ZM), Navassa Island (K1N), and Palmyra Island (K5P), and Pitcairn Island (VP6R), and more, serving as co-leader on several of these expeditions and earning four DXpedition of the Year awards along the way. Craig has spoken candidly about the deliberate path he took into DXpeditioning, describing it as something close to a calculated effort to become qualified and connected within the community.
Beyond his own operating accomplishments, Craig has spent decades giving back to the hobby through leadership and mentorship. He developed the North American Collegiate Championship program for college amateur radio clubs. He served years as the chairman of the ARRL Contest Advisory Committee, is the current President of the Northern California DX Foundation, and is past president of the Society of Midwest Contesters. Craig’s continued efforts within amateur led to his 2022 induction into the CQ Contest Hall of Fame. Craig remains an outspoken advocate for bringing young people into the hobby, expressing genuine concern about the aging amateur radio population and the long-term health of CW activity, and pushing the community to actively engage the next generation before that knowledge is lost.
Anthony Willard AB9YC
Speaking: Friday
Anthony Willard, AB9YC, of Streamwood, Illinois, is a dedicated contester and recognizable names in the Society of Midwest Contesters. A regular on CW and an active member of the SMC, Anthony competes across a wide range of HF contests, operating low power from his Illinois station. He has written thoughtfully for the SMC community on the intersection of contesting and DX chasing, exploring how the two disciplines reinforce each other in ways that benefit operators of all skill levels. Beyond his own operating, Anthony has been a steady contributor to the club’s infrastructure, previously serving as the club’s President and created a high-level introduction to SMC that members can take directly to their local clubs to grow awareness and participation.
Anthony is known in Field Day circles as the driving force behind the Blazing Paddles Field Day Team, a competitive Illinois-based group that consistently turns in impressive scores on the national stage. In 2025, the Blazing Paddles team, operating under AB9YC, logged 1,449 QSOs for a final score of 7,166 points, placing them among the top Field Day entries in Illinois. His Field Day experiences have inspired writing shared with the wider CW community through CWops, reflecting on what makes a successful portable operation tick.
Glenn Johnson W0GJ
Speaking: Saturday
Glenn Johnson, W0GJ, is one of the most accomplished and decorated figures in the world of DXing, with a career that spans from a homemade crystal transmitter to the most remote islands on Earth. Glenn’s interest in amateur radio began as a youngster listening to his grandfather’s shortwave radio. Licensed at age 15, he contacted all 50 states within three months using a homemade crystal transmitter, an early sign of the drive and ingenuity that would define his operating career. He has achieved DXCC Honor Roll #1, 5BDXCC, and 5BWAZ, and has earned nine First Place World scores operating QRP in the ARRL 160-Meter Contest.
Glenn’s DXpedition resume is the stuff of legend. He has led or co-led four major expeditions to Top Ten Most Wanted entities: the Kingdom of Bhutan (2000), Lakshadweep (2007), Desecheo (2009), and Navassa (2015), all four of which were awarded DXpedition of the Year. He was also a team member on the HK0NA Malpelo, K5P Palmyra, and VP6R Pitcairn DXpeditions. His contributions to the hobby have been recognized at the highest levels: Glenn has been inducted into both the CQ Magazine Amateur Radio Hall of Fame and the DX Hall of Fame.
Beyond his own operating, Glenn has spent years investing in the next generation of DXpeditioners. He served as an on-island advisor and mentor for a recent all-youth DXpedition composed entirely of operators under the age of 25, alongside fellow speaker Gregg Marco, W6IZT. He also serves as Secretary of the Northern California DX Foundation, where he has helped steward grants to many DXpeditions, ensuring that rare entities keep getting activated for DXers around the world.
Jose “Otis” Vicens DDS NP4G (Banquet Keynote)
Speaking: Saturday & Saturday Banquet
Jose “Otis” Vicens DDS, NP4G, is one of the most accomplished and respected DXers, with a story that spans from teenage ham radio beginnings to leading some of the most significant DXpeditions of the modern era. Born and raised in Humacao, Puerto Rico, Otis was first licensed at the age of 16 and went on to study biology at Purdue University, where he became active with the W9YB Amateur Radio Club. He later graduated from the University of Puerto Rico School of Dental Medicine and completed a specialty program in Pediatric Dentistry, returning to Humacao in 2008 to practice orthodontics. His DXpedition resume includes operations from Easter Island, Bermuda, Saint Martin, Bouvet Island (3Y0J), and more.
Otis’s most defining recent achievement is serving as Team Leader for the KP5/NP3VI Desecheo Island DXpedition of 2026. Desecheo Island, ranked as the 14th most wanted DXCC entity worldwide and unactivated since 2009, was brought back on the air in what represented the first Puerto Rican–led DXpedition to Desecheo in 48 years. The operation deployed two self-sustained Remote Deployable Units, allowing operators from Puerto Rico and around the world to participate without physical presence on the island in a groundbreaking approach that may redefine how DXpeditions are conducted at environmentally sensitive locations.
Beyond his work on the air, Otis is a pillar of the global DX community in leadership. He is a past President of the Puerto Rico Amateur Radio League and currently serves as President of the International DX Association (INDEXA). His amateur radio service also extends to emergency communications — he helped coordinate amateur radio emergency communications across eastern Puerto Rico following the devastating 2017 hurricane disasters. In 2026, his contributions were recognized with the Dayton Hamvention Amateur of the Year Award.