In a Galaxy far away., a lad of 9 discovers Music, Astronomy, and Shortwave Radio, receiving his Novice license in March of 1955, at the age of 13, and his General Class license in August of that year, as K5ATT. Lots of late nights with buddies on 40 meter AM, instead of getting a proper nights rest seemed to be a good enuf reason to occasionally miss Homework, citing the appearance of VK's and ZL's above 7200 for the tardiness in bringing in a projecr or two, that went unappriciated by the paddle wielding Math prof, swinging away at my little red fanny.

So began a lifelong, altho, fragmented love affair with the Shortwave, and VHF frequencies he'd come to explore, spending teen-age years and beyond, cutting measured wire, and running transmission lines in through wall or window.

Beginning with a Hallicrafters S38C, and a single 6V6 oscillotor to folded dipole. With the General license, and a newer Hallicrafter S-40A, into which someone had installed an S meter, into the speaker grill, I bravely swapped a 6L6 into the 6V6 socket, .and doubled my output power to 15 watts!

It's been all downhill since then~