Well I have decided to go for the Gastric Bypass surgery to try and get rid of my Type 2 Diabetes. I am writing a blog about it as I go to share with other interested parties what the experience is and the benefits of having it done. I would like to share that with my ham radio family and those that are contemplating this procedure. My blog address is www.kc0gp.blogspot.com. I enjoy writing and I hope this brings some good for those that follow me thru this process.

An update on my status with my Gastric Bypass. I have now lost over 100lbs since my surgery in June.

I grew up in Terre Haute, IN and graduated from North Vigo High School where I was one of the original members of the North Vigo Ham Club. I am an active mobil hf operator as I spend a great deal of my time in my 2010 Honda Element travelling all over the country working on packaging machinery and automation control systems. I enjoy cw operation more and more and am trying to get my speed back up after so many years away from the key. I am over 15 in my head and about 20 with pen and paper. My setup in my car is a Yaesu FT857D running barefoot into one of three antenna systems on my car. A 4magnet base with changeable hamstick antennas and a Comet UHV6 with resonators for 40, 20, 17, 15, and 10. The Comet antenna mast will run 6 meters, 2m and 440 and a ball mount on the side of the vehicle for a set of full length hamstick knock offs from a company called Shark. I like these antennas alot. They talk very well. I also have a Yaesu FTM350AR for 2m and 440 with APRS running all the time. My setup at home is a Yaesu FT450 and an Ameritron AL84 amplifier. The antennas at home are a Hygain 5BTV vertical ground mounted with a cattle panel ground plane and a G5RV up about 25 feet. I really love the FT450. What a great little transceiver. I am a member of the W7DXX remote base and hope to put in my own remote base operation in the near future. One item on my wishlist that I hope to get up and working at home soon is a Hexbeam antenna. I have recently discovered a love for digital communications and am enjoying PSK31 and JT65 and have made several contacts on both. I am also in the middle of building G11 SDR radio and am anxious to get it working as I am fascinated with SDR. I just adde a 5band hex beam to my station and I reallylove this antenna. Makes working20 thru 10 a whole lot of fun.

Well, all for now. Hope to see you around the bands. 73, George

My first grandchild - Jarek came in at 6lbs 10oz and is a real bundle of joy.