I'm retired from the United States Air Force,where I spent 12 years as an enlisted air traffic control radar technician and the last 9 years as a commissioned "Communications-Information Systems Officer." Upon retirement, I taught electronics engineering for a couple of semesters for ITT Technical Institute; worked for GTE as a Quality Assurance Evaluator on a military LF communications system("GWEN"), and an RF engineerfor a GTE/PageMart partnership; and, was a project/construction manager for the AT&T 3G cellular telephone buildout in Omaha/Lincoln NE & Council Bluffs IA.

I presently work for the civil service on Offutt AFB NE as the Land Mobile Radio manager and Installation Frequency/Spectrum Manager. Generally speaking, I get to play with the base radios all day long and get paid for it.yeah.tough job.someone has to do it. I also am the interop coordinator between Offutt AFB first responders and several local Emergency Management Agencies/public service entities.

I'd been "thinking about" getting my ticket since I first met WAØLIL (formerly WAØCBJ) back in the early 60s, but never quite got around to it until December 2005, when I tested on all 4 elements and passed them in one sitting. (Yes, I'm a "Know Code" Extra!) To some, that may seem like a big deal, but in reality, I owe it all to the 45 years of studying! Since then, I've managed to get both DXCC and WAS on 3 bands and WAC. Apparently, I'm spending just a little too much time on the radio, hi hi.

I'm a life member of both the ARRL and the Air Force Association,and a Volunteer Examiner, Assistant Emergency Coordinator/Sarpy County Nebraska, and certified instructorfor the ARRL.

My "modern" gear consists of a Kenwood TS-2000, a Kenwood TS-480SAT, Kenwood TH-D7G 2m/70cm handhelds, Kenwood TM-V708A 2m/70cm mobile rig, and a pair of ICOM V8000 2m mobile rigs for the emcomm kit.  For HF antennas, I use a Cushcraft R6000 for 20m and up, and a full-sized G5RV for 80/40m. For 2m and 70cm I use a Cushcraft A270a. For mobile work, I use a Cushcraft magmount on 2m and 70cm, and a Tarheel M200 for the HF bands .

I recently moved to an acreage in Blair NE. It's approximately 6 acres and is BEGGING for a tower and a few long wire antennas.  My property is in the Loess Hills of Eastern Nebraska and is on one of the higher points in the area. That's the good news.the bad news is, there are huge high-tension lines coming from a nearby nuclear power plant that may be causing me some problems once it goes back on line.Guess that's just an opportunity to go back to PSK31 or get on CW!

When i was a kid, I dreamed of one day getting my ticket and buying some Drake or Collins gear.  It was a long time coming, buti finally got around to it and picked up some sweet old Drake gear that all works like a charm. So far, I have a TR-4, two complete Drake B-series stations, an L-4 linear (not the L-4B, but the OLD L-4), and a host of old Drake transmatches, speakers, and power meters. One day soon i'll be building an L-shaped console with two operator positions - one for the Kenwoods and one for the Drakes.