For years I had listened accidently to shortwave signals via a hap-hazard use of electric guitars and various effect boxes. I became intrigued with the world of radio. Using a bass guitar, wah pedal, chorus pedal, and an old 22 watt tube amp I discovered that I could pull in everything from Radio Tokyo to ham activity including CW, AM, and amazingly enough SSB if conditions where right. I thought about joining the HAM ranks for years but I always had something more important to do.

I finally got into amatuer radio after Hurricane Irene in 1998. My family had moved from my hometown of Huntsville, Al, to Miami, FL, and I had listened via scanner to the local repeaters during the storm to the EOC coordination and decided to go ahead and do it.

After contacting a local Elmer, AC4TV, I studied for 3 weeks and then took all the testing necessary to get a technician plus license.

During last spring's licensing structure change, I upgraded to general. To date I still haven't finished a homebrew rig to get me on HF. I pretty much stay on 2m, partly because I've moved my family back to Huntsville and time and money are scarce. I do have plans to build the 40m rock bending rcvr from the handbook as well as a Tuna Tin 2. I also want to go for Extra next as well as getting certified in some form of emergency commo service. On a lark I may just have to perfect my bass guitar shortwave receiver - hey, it good bring in the young crowd.

Other notables, I spent 6 years active Navy as a Fire Controlman; since 1990 I've been in involved with computers, either hardware or software, and either fixing problems or causing them; I was a cavalry scout (mos-19d) in the Alabama Army National Guard for 3 years; I play guitar, bass, harmonica, sing (barely), and I'm learning to play the cornet (I don't know why...); I have 2 kids and am happily married to a girl I've known since I was 15; though adhd and dyslexic, I've managed to get a college degree in mathematics (hey, I got a B in a 400 level lit class, ha! my high school counselor can kiss my...).