Mine was a "complicated" birth. Mom did a whole lot of screaming during laborprimarily because I refused to let go of that Hallicrafters receiver on the way down the birth canal!! My interests in radiocontinued andwhen I was about10 years old I got the shock of my life from my father's old Arvin console radio. I heard mom tell people, "He ain't been right since!"

I became a Novice class ham in 1963 (KN7YHA). A year later I upgraded to Technician and dropped the "N". K7YHA lasted until 1996 when I "vanitized" and got K7SZ. Over my 20 years in the USAF I operated from several overseas locations: CT2BH (Azores), KA2AA(Japan), G5CSU (England), DA2NE (W. Germany) and have worked the requisite QSOs to make DXCC at least three times!! Unfortunately, paperwork is not by big suit, so the cards never got collected and submitted. I'm trying to do better this time!

I have been a practicing QRPer (low power, under 5W RF output ham radio) since 1965, when I joined the QRP ARCI (#2388). My current station consists of an Elecraft K2, a K3, a Ten-Tec Argonaut 509 and 515 (2.5-3W) radios. The Argonaut 509 is a restoration project and both analog Argonauts preforms very well for 35+ year old radio sets. Antennas: MFJ 1792 40/80M vertical, an 80M Carolina Windom, a 40M Extended Double Zepp (EDZ) at 60 ft and an A3S and Skycraft 5 el 6M yagis on a roof tower.

Since my original start in radio was shortwave listening (SWL) I also have a small collection of SW receivers: Hallicrafters S-38 (circa 1946), Hallicrafters S-120, Zenith R-600 TransOceanic, Zenith Global (EXTREMELY rare circa 1946).

In early 2010an "antenna eating tree" brought down one end of my 40M EDZ and, simultaneously bent the center support mast! Therefore, we have now named our little piece of heaven in Georgia "The Bent Dipole Ranch". Here's the photographic proof! In August, thanks to the efforts of the Barrow County ARC, I was able to move this antenna to the top of the roof on a 40 ft mast for a total of almost 60 ft of altitude!

While I work about 80-90% CW, I do occasionally wander into the phone portions of the bands and work some DX on that mode

In addition to QRP I also love to homebrew gear, normally QRP rigs and accessories. Plus I have a long time love affair with the older, tube-type equipment, quaintly called "Boatanchor" rigs, due to their weight. My BA station consists of a near-mint Drake 2B with 2BQ, several Heathkits: HR-10B receiver, DX-60B CW/AM transmitter, a HW-16 CW transceiver and an Allied A-2516 Ham Bands only superhet receiver. I have a modern copy of the AMECO AC-1 CW transmitter of the 1950-60s along with an ORIGINAL AAMECO AC-1!!

Since arriving in Georgia my wife, Patricia, KB3MCT, and I have joined the Gwinnett Amateur Radio Society (GARS) and the Gwinnett County ARES group. In addition, I am a member of the following radio organizations: NoGA, SEDXC, SECC, QRP ARCI, NJ-QRP, Nor-Cal, MI-QRP, SKCC,FISTS and QCWA.

Using talent on loan from God, I have been truly blessed in myattempts to become a published author. My writings havefound their way into the pages of QST, CQ., CQ-VHF, Popular Communications, Monitoring Times, Worldradio, NationalCommunications and various club newsletters and quarterly magazines.For four years(Jan 2000 through Dec 2003) I was the QRP editor for QST Magazine. I have authored a total of six books, the last three for the ARRL on QRP. I have just completed the 4th edition of the ARRL QRP book which should be out before Dayton 2012.

VY 73 es GUD DX!

Rich Arland, K7SZ
Bent Dipole Ranch
Dacula, GA

Cogito Ergo CQ!(I Think Therefore I Ham!)
(With apologies to Rene Descartes, 1596 to 1650)