I was licensed in October of 2010, so I'm a new ham. I was first interested in Amateur Radio in 1974 when I built an HF superhetrodyne receiver from plans in the 1974 ARRL Handbook. However, real life intervened and I didn't get my Novice license.
My home rig is a Yaesu FT-950 and an Ameritron AL-811 with 572B tubes. The antennas include a modified ZeroFive GP1040 vertical and a Cushcraft beam, both fed with ½" Heliax. The vertical is matched by a Palstar AT2K manual tuner. The vertical antenna is mounted on a tower 16.5 feet (5 meters) tall, and the antenna is 43 feet (13.1 meters) tall. The Cushcraft A-3S beam is mounted on a 38 foot (11.5 meters) tilting monopole. I have a Yaesu FT-1900R in the shack, connected to a Diamond X50A antenna in the attic. An Astron RS-35M powers the shack. I also have a 1960 model Bird model 43 wattmeter that was found in a recycler's waste which I've restored.
There's both a Yaesu FT-857D and a FT-8800R in my truck, using Hustler antennas on the mobile HF rig which is tuned by a LDG YT-100 tuner. The VHF/UHF rig has a Comet SBB-5NMO antenna and is APRS capable.
I'm a member of the DMC #05878, EPC #19637,30MDG #6087, PODXS #1598, OMISS #8219, Wichita Amateur Radio Club, the Air Capitol Tech-Ni-Chat Amateur Radio Club and the ARRL.
My digital mode contacts are made with as much as 50 watts of power; except JT65-HF where I run 25 or fewer watts. If I'm running something other than JT65-HF, I'm using DM-780, which is part of Ham Radio Deluxe software suite. I use a SignaLink USB interface.
I'm married to Dawn, and we have a wonderful daughter who was born in 2008. By the way, everyone calls me Mick, and I'd like it if you did, too.
I like to receive QSL's - either paper cards or from LoTW. While I also send all my contacts through eQSL as a courtesy to those who want it, that's not how I prefer to get my confirmations. If you send me a QSL card I will send one back, and you don't need to send stamps, SASE's or any sort of payment. I'm good in the ARRL Incoming Bureau and the OMISS bureau. For any contacts made on the 3905 Century Club, I'm good in both 3905 bureaus.
I've earned WAS #56,361 and DXCC #40,773.
I'm vice-president of the Ninnescah Amateur Radio Club and trustee of the club call sign KØNRC.
This is my QSL card, which was printed on yellow card stock for contacts made in October and November, 2010. It was printed on green card stock until February, 2012. Between February and December of 2012, it was printed on blue card stock. Now it's full color!
