First licensed in 1967 as WN7IHO, operating a 15 watt Ameco AC-1 powerhouse from Sherwood, Oregon. Receiver was a Knight-kit Star Roamer...later upgraded to a Heathkit DX-60 and HR-10B...and mostly hung out on 40m novice band...

The Ameco transmitter earned me one of my first 'qsl cards'...a pink one from the FCC Alaskan branch...seems I had a case of bad harmonics...oops!

Other fun rigs were the Heathkit HW-32 and HA-10 Warrior amp...loaned to me for my first 'real phone contact'. Remember breaking in to a QSO and working Adak Island and some military guy up there...I was awestruck!

Just entering high school, I fondly remember my first ssb rig, a Galaxy V Mk III... always enjoyed the 'rainbow colors' on the VFO dial late at night...it sat on a tall dresser almost level with my top bunk...

Bussing tables at a local greasy spoon after class earned enough dough for a Drake TR-4. My love affair with Drake rigs continues to this day with a refurbished T-4XB/R-4B sitting just to the left of me...

Field Day and portable operations hold many memories. One year, I sat like a mummy in my sleeping bag in front of the Argonaut 509. It was so cold at our mountain top location, I left just enough room to poke a pencil out to turn the VFO around  with the eraser end and spy out with one eye...

...later I discovered everyone else had given in and driven home!

CW and QRP are my favorites nowadays; 10 SSB when the band allows...

I QSL 100% paper only, no electronic confirmations...

Most weekends & evenings you can find me operating on 7.035 +-...73, John