Please feel free to add a comment to my Contact Log!

We probably just worked on the HF or VHF. Welcome!

Geratol # 2563, Directors # 662 (4/3/2009)

Triple Play Award # 212

ARRL, PODXS #500, EPC # 2004, SKCC # 256T CC # 2020 FISTS # 11586 OMISS # 1704 10-10 # 38784 Flying Pigs #1387 Feld Hell # 404 and a new Geratol # 2563.

I recently finished the new ARRL Triple Play award and a couple individual band endorsements via Logbook of the World. If you haven't used LOTW or Eqsl, I highly recommend both - not only saving a great deal of housekeeping qsl chores but instant gratification of tracking your progress immediately. Paper QSL's are great but LOTW and Eqsl are great too. Also, check out K3UK's pages at: http://www.obriensweb.com/sked/index.html - Andy's pages are excellent for skeds and digital work.

At 50 with 28 years of hamming I feel like I was born 'in between the old timers and the young bucks'. Was hooked the first straight key CW contact in 1974 and it remains a favorite to this day. I also appreciate the PC, internet, automated logging, digital modes, Echolink, APRS, WSPR etc. For me it isn't either or, it is both AND. I want to help preserve CW use AND embrace current and digital technology. The hobby is certainly broad enough for you to do your thing and me to do mine. I enjoying hearing what other interesting things other amateurs are doing. Cultivating friendships and goodwill are probably the most important benefits of the hobby in my view.

With help from the great group at the Stillwater Amateur Radio Club, a outdoor center fed zepp at 35' was installed 10/2006. After suffering with indoor antennas for a LONG time, I am thrilled to have the signal improvement. I recently acquired a Yaesu FT 450 (great radio value).

I was originally licensed at WN0NCF in 1974 after becoming interested. Our junior high/high school club station in Edina, MN was WB0IVR. Back then I used an HW-16 - at age 14 learning morse code was not a problem. I am sure I would not have the patience and fortitude now. Like many others, my license lapsed to concentrate on other things.

I caught the bug again after starting my business career in lower Manhattan and held KA2VBJ (not much fun to send CW), N2FGR, KD2TK, WB2S (waited a year timing so 2 land calls cycled through 2 by 2 and got WB2S). I succumbed to the vanity program in 2007 (for KE0N) only because the '2' hadn't been geographically correct in many years. So lucky ham will get it soon. I used a TS-430S from the 14th floor of a 16 story apt building facing the Brooklyn Bridge and the Twin Towers. I could not work SSB and would have loved PSK back then. I also worked Packet VHF and HF and did some MARS and traffic handling. I used a B&W AP10 apartment antenna on the metal window frame. Then I constructed a center fed zepp. It was cat and mouse with the co-op maintenance crew. Every six months they took it down. Every six months I would put up another. Leaning over the 16th story railing to tie down the zepp was interesting to say the least.

I lived on a small mountain (Sparrow Hawk) in northeastern Oklahoma in a town called Tahlequah for several years. A great location for VHF and HF average elevation about 400 feet above average terrain.

There I met K5JLS, Carl Mahaney. We became instant friends. Carl was in his 70's when I met him. But he became an Elmer but really a grandfather to me. He kept me company on my cross country travels with mobile rigs and QTH's across the land. He died several years ago of prostate cancer. The guy spent countless hours building antennas with and for me. I still miss him.

I took a several year break from ham radio after that, just lost interest. I am sure I am not the first. After about 8-9 years I moved out to a ranch in Manor TX. It was an ideal location for an antenna on 40 acres with no neighbors anywhere and the peak of the solar cycle about the year 2000. I bought a Radioworks Carolina Windom and an ICOM 706MK2G. I was amazed at how much radio fit into one box.

I also became enamored with PSK, Anything to merge the PC with a radio. The new digital modes just did it for me. I also enjoy 17 and 20 meter mobile SSB and and 10 meter FM (when the cycle cooperates).

I am a member of the Stillwater Minnesota (SARA www.radioham.org) radio club. This is a great group of folks led by Dave Glas W0OXB and company involved in many public service, weather, Courage Handi Ham, and just plain fun activities (Split Rock Lighthouse commemoration of the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald).

I joined the SKCC - Straight Key Century Club in 2006. This has refueled my interest in straight key work. SKCC is one of the hobbies outstanding CW groups.

There is something about amateur radio that still holds on after all this time.