Hello, this is KD8GXL, Keith,
Welcome to a new ham KD8TOP, Kevin, a friend from work. Congratulations Kevin!
Recently joined the Lorain County Wireless Operators, LCWO. Check them out at www.NW8S.com.
I passed the General in April 2009. I bought my first HF rig at a Ham swap back in 1990. It was a Heathkit Model HW-101 with the narrow CW crystal filter installed. The guy selling it said it worked fine and I didn't know any better. The "boat anchor" was deader than a door nail. Fortunately, my good friend and Elmer, Bill Wildenhein, W8YFB, [now a silent key] was with me and went over the thing. He found that the "R302" resistor in the audio circuit board was blown. He said it was a tricky son-of-a-gun to find and it was no wonder they were dumping it. Not only did he repair it, he decked the power supply companion unit out with a speaker and watt-meter, along with a new enclosure. Bill was a super nice guy and smarter than any rocket scientist. He once received a Chicago radio station on a crystal radio set from the roof of NASA in Brookpark, Ohio. An engineer told him he was crazy and ended up loosing his slide rule in the bet. Bill was brilliant. My latest rig is a Yaesu FT 897D.
UPDATE In July my shack took a direct lightning strike. It fried things pretty good. The long wire and the A99 were evaporated. The big Maple tree out front was split and now there is a four inch hole in the ground where electrons made their escape. The 897 was toasted and all the smoke was let out so I upgraded to an FT-950. WOW! A nice rig and I am loving it.
I jump in as Net control on the OHIO WIDE AREA D-STAR Net that meets every Sunday at 8PM on Reflector 38 ALPHA. Get on the air and join us! NODIG would love to have you. Go to www.nodig.us for more info. I also check in to the BURNING RIVER TRAFFIC NET that meets every evening at 9:30 PM on 147.150 PLUS 110.9 PL. It is a training net for NTS traffic handling. We would love to have you stop by. Check out the website for more information on traffic handling at www.qsl.net/brtn/.
I am happily married to my high school sweetheart. It has been 31 years now and the best thing that ever happened to me. She earned her Technician class ticket in 2010!
73's and hope to meet you on the air!
Keith
PS The picture of me all fat and sassy was taken on a 43' yacht that I helped pilot up to Tobermory, Ontario . It was an awesome sail and one I will never forget!
