About Me (Updated 04/28/2008)

I am 77, a retired (11 years) family doc, and have been hamming for more than 55 years now. I am married to the same PATIENT woman for the same 55 years. We have 3 children, 2 boys and a girl, and one grandson.

I was first licensed in 1954 as WN5BEN. I held K4AAE for many years before finding out that W5BEN had, apparently, never been issued. I thought about that for some months and finally could not resist the temptation and got W5BEN under the vanity program.

After a couple of years in SSB (mostly on 75M) while I was in my internship and residency in Memphis, I operate almost exclusively in the digital modes. I have been "into" the digital modes since the late 1970's. I came up through RTTY, AMTOR and PACTOR which is, (in my opinion) still the best of all digital modes, especially PACTOR-II). However I have been enjoying the so-called soundcard modes for several years now.

I also enjoy RTTY contesting, but I am NOT a serious contester. I usually quit after 100 - 200 Q's. Until then, it is great fun!

I also enjoy computers, boating (we have a 63-foot houseboat, vintage 1988), traveling and camping in our old (1988) motorhome, and photography (I taught it in the USAF).

Thanks for reading about me, and 73.

"Budd" (I use my last name on the air)