The main photograph in my listing is the qsl that my wife made for me for a birthday present in 1972. She was a commercial artist and enjoyed art. I have gotten many comments on the qsl over the years.

I enjoy qsl's. Bureau or direct to my address is ok. I put all my logs into e-qsl, http://www.eqsl.cc/ and LOTW, http://www.arrl.org/lotw/ (logbook of the world). It is very convenient way to qsl and I encourage you to join them. I am trying to update my DXCC now so am looking for all the new ones I can get. I lost a box of dx cards in moving so am having to rework some of them or either try to beg another card out of them. But that was so long ago probably don't have their logs. Anyway its fun. My main web page http://www.w4tki.com/ham/index.html is where I have more information about ham radio and my other interests.

Some of my numbers if you are a collector: SKCC 3025 FISTS 7899 QCWA 20677; SOWP 4751M; GERITOL 1128; OMISS 1950; ILERA (esperanto) 347; 10Ten 4891; 10Ten VP 2423; Feld Hel #2436; 30 Meter Digital 30MDG#1326. As they say, much water has been under the bridge but the fun is still there. Technology has changed tremendiously and it is lots harder to build or work on your equipment nowadays. Hopefully the sunspots will start up soon and we will be able to do more.

Far away voices and sounds from the little Philco battery radio inspired a great curiosity about radio. When a high school classmate, Rex Bagwell, WN4HOH, told me you could talk back I was elated. However, other interests took precident at the time. Then in 1960 I was working as a co-op student with the FCC in Powder Springs, GA I the burning interest returned. I studied and went down to Atlanta to take my novice test. Then they said they were giving the general test next so I took it. That made me a novice for about thirty minutes altogether. My Elmer, Karl W4IUD helped me build my first transmitter, a 6AG7 driving an 807 final. After many 40 meter CW contacts I graduated to a more expensive rig. In the following years I have had many QSO's of great interest and met many good friends. It is a great hobby. I chose my career in Electronics Engineering because of Ham Radio. Now I mostly work CW on 30 and 40 meters and reminisce about old times with ham friends. In the last couple of years I have two sons, one grandson and one daughter in law who have become hams. So, I guess that we are becomming a full fledged ham family. I hope they will be able to carry the tradition on into the future.

Other Calls I have had: WA7LGD (late 1960s), WB9IJL (early 1970s), K9AS (Vanity Call in 1970s, Didn't work out because my XYL said I was calling myself a dog's rear and all the hams thought I said wait on CW) MARS Calls: NNN0JJI; AFA2UP. Also operated mars station A6WAN/K6WAN in 1961/1962. I can still remember some of the tactical calls that I used while a CW operator in the Army but they might still be classified.:)

I have recently gotten interested in the digital modes using computer sound card. I have used some of them and really enjoy Olivia and Helschriber. I also like the psk31 and the old RTTY. If you want to make a sked with me on some of the modes I would be glad to try. Drop me an e-mail if you do. mailto: w4tki@w4tki.com . Right now am trying to get my two meter weak signal stuff working. Hope to do some of that. So much to do and so little time!!

Early Mornings at the Rig

        Who says there can not be heaven on earth? Dawns light peeking through the trees and the world is waking up with morse code blasting away from my rig. What a fine time for hamming. My shack is in the back yard located next to the woods. That lets me hear the numerous birds waking up the world with their songs. I check 17 meters around 10.105 MHz. Some morning DX comes in from the Pacific area about 10:30 to 12:30 GMT. This is a low sunspot time and you have to strain to hear them most of the time. But when you can hear them what a satisfaction to sit here in South Alabama and chat with a JA or VK.

Then I tune 80 meters at 3.650 MHZ and talk to Russ W4YKF, Larry N4RPH and Doc K4TE. Sometimes Doc is at "The Barn" in Sylacauga and other times he is at the home QTH of "Smokerise." Usually we have some kind of subject to enlighten our minds with. Sometimes we don't and we just shoot the bull.

            Time rolls around to 12:00Z and it is time to check and see if there are any Rattlesnakes out and about, not the kind that slither on their belly, at least I think that is the case. They gather on 7.278 MHz. Now 7.278 MHz is a very difficult frequency in the early mornings. There is the Fat Lady and the Fat Children and they always do lots of singing. Hearing it on SSB slightly off to the side of the frequency gives new meaning to musical style. But, eventually Bill, Jay, Bob or one of the others come through and I am able to check into the net with their help. Signals are usually very strong by the time to turn the frequency over to the Doublers.