Well-known contester Pat Barkey, N9RV, of Bonner, Montana, will become the 15th editor of National Contest Journal (NCJ) effective with the January/February 2015 issue. He takes over from Kirk Pickering, K4RO, who has served as NCJ’s editor since 2012. Pickering said he believes Barkey will bring a fresh perspective to NCJ readers.

“I am delighted that N9RV has stepped up to take the role as the next NCJ Editor,” Pickering said. “Pat has decades of experience in both the multioperator and single-operator categories. His results from his formidable home stations and from multioperator stations such as K3LR speak for themselves.”

Barkey said he considers it “an honor and a privilege” to be tapped as NCJ’s next editor. “When you take a look at the call signs of the people who have held this job over the years, it reads like a contesting hall of fame — literally in many cases,” he said this week. “I am particularly humbled to be following in the footsteps of Kirk Pickering, K4RO, who has done such an outstanding job in managing and growing NCJ.”

Barkey said he’d like to see NCJ continue and expand its role as the face of Amateur Radio contesting, while continuing to provide a gateway for newcomers to radiosport.

“I come to contesting as a station builder and contest operator,” Barkey said. “I know there are a lot of people who are totally devoted to contesting who have just as much passion for building and planning as they do for operating. I want to make sure that NCJ always has something for them.”

N9RV has been contesting since he was 11 years old, and he continued to be active in radiosport through graduate school and into his adult life. His day job is as an economist directing a business research center at the University of Montana, a position he’s held since 2007.

First licensed in 1967 as WN8YVR in Michigan, Barkey attended the University of Michigan (also attended by N4KG, K8QKY, and N8UM) in the 1970s and has contested from numerous top-tier contest stations over the years.

“I’m mostly a CW guy,” he allowed, “but I do dust off the mic every now and then.” Barkey is an ARRL Life Member.