First licensed in 1959 as WV6DZS, Novice, thanks to the crew at 29 Palms K6MCA; that expired '60, so upgraded to Technician WA6DZS at El Toro W6FCS. Then I was a Roberts (didn't marry Barnes and splice names until '84; see below.)

Being a ham completely changed my military career. At MCAS Iwakuni JP in '65 fixing Phantom F4B radars and their Sparrow computers, ran into one of my Elmers from 29 Palms, and got roped into Navy/Marine Corps MARS. SSgt Bud Rosenberg and I opened N0EFB for business in DaNang in February '66, at 1st MAW HQ. Rotated home for NESEP in May, spent two years at the U of Utah in Salt Lake for a BSEE, blew that out (another sad story for another beery time) and back to FMF.

After a year on the flight line with a Phantom F4B squadron ('twas VMFA-312, the Checkerboards) got orders back to 'Nam - duty with MARS! Somebody from 1st MAW (WO Joe van Brocklin?) was at HQMC and saw me back available. (Thanks, Bud!) So in '69, off to N0EFD at 1st MarDiv HQ on hill 327 (up past the Big PX), then to N0EFC in Chu Lai with MAG-12 on the prettiest whitest beach in the world, and back to EFD in '70. Found Barry Weathersby's great NMCMARS page, which reminded me N0EFA had left town by then, to be up North ("as far North you could go and still be in South Vietnam") with the troops at 1stMarDiv-FWD, and with a link (then) to Jim Bogue WB6VTX's site with pix from those days and rascals I worked with. See more at marinecorpsmars.com

Upgraded in DaNang (at N0EFD) in 1970 to Conditional, finished my tour at El Toro, working for Gunny Cooper on the other end of the phone patch and MARSgram world at N0RSB->N0MET/W6FCS. My obligation was up in '72, went to work at Philthy Phrog AeroNeurotics making Sidewinder seekers. Things turned sour, and I turned in my ticket in '74 (too much personal turmoil to come in and sit the exam for General; divorce, layoff, roommate with 4 kids...) The divorce got over with, and the layoff, and the roommate. Spent six years at Hughes Newport, building test boxes and testing hybrids. Then a few years in the digital phone biz, at AJ and Ericsson. Finally realized after listening to lots of Alan Watts, smarter bullets are _not_ on the Noble Eightfold Path.

Spent that next twenty years trying to find a club with some code-practice structure, finally found Allen Wolff's (KC7O) class with the Pasadena Radio Club, got the new wife interested (see KE6PNC and her Website ) and #2 daughter as well (see KF6AQK). Still working on getting #3 daughter (now 22 in '09) licensed -- maybe -- she will have her ticket, and it will lengthen her leash. Besides enlarging her social circle! Technogeeks are _good_ to have around you! I are one!

Now I was at JPL for seventeen years (with the occasional hiatus of being outsourced/downsized, and layoff) and it was still like coming home. ElectroMagnetic Compatibility is the latest grift. Does it put out (RF) noise? Can it take noise? We found out how much, both conducted and emitted... And as of 11/12/2004, looking for the next gig (just short of vested)- but the space biz has changed. Lately, fixing boatanchors, building Elecraft kits etc. at home, and squaring-away the Kaiser EOC radio room for K6ARN in Pasadena, volunteered with LA County Sheriffs' DCS (Mary-027) from '97 to '08.

Don't you shy off from being prepared for The Big One; just get serious for the Next Big Enough One!

73 to new and old friends, both on and off the air! de WA6DZS/KE6PMZ/AD6PQ (pick one) and as Barry sez, to those who didn't come home, "Semper Fi!"