Hello and welcome to my Bio.  Everyone knows me as Rick Sr. I have been a Ham Operater since 1980, started with my Novice, then Tech, Finally passed my 13 WPM Code and recieved my General  & Advanced Class license at the same time. I stayed a Advanced Class Operater until March 8th, 2008 when I tested and recieved my Extra Class license. I went after my Extra so that I could give Amateur Exams, I am the ARRL VE Manager for this area, and also a  ARECC insrtuctor and field examiner, CI/CE, for emergency communications courses thru the ARRL. I have a really great team !!!  Been a very busy year for me, I also was elected as the president of the Sevier County Emergency Radio Service, I am a Official Emergency Station, and Emergency Coordinator for Sevier County TN. The Sevier County Emergency Radio Service Club call is KJ4HPM which I am the trustee for the call. I am also one of the founder's for the 470 Amateur Radio Group Net, which meets every Thursday at 7:30 pm on the 145.470 repeater. I am a trained spotter for Skywarn in our area. I also am involved with the Presidental Volunteer Service Award, and even recieved one last year from a great ham operater working with Red Cross...well enough about me, Please feel free to check out the following sites:  www.freewebs.com/aresradio/  or  www.freewebs.com/n4jtq  or www.470arg.com . 

I was a police officer for the Morehead Police Department, had owned my own electronics business, worked as a General Manager for a low powered TV station in Morehead, and moved here to Seveirville TN in March 2000. I worked as Head of Maintenance for a local Hotel, Wildwood Inn, but my job was terminated due to no guest's staying at the hotel, I have though went back to work after four month's of being out of work as a Engineering Supervisor for a local establishment, pay's not all that great but at least I have a job, and Cathy and I will make it....and the job is really one that I enjoy, I have several great people under me, and they do a really super job, I do a lot of riding around on a golf cart ,now that's a job ....  

My station is a Yaesu 857D which I use for HF only, have a LDG Pro 100 as primary tuner with a AT11-MP LDG tuner, a pair of hamsticks  for 75/80 meters, a pair of hamsticks for 17 meters, both on the horizontal side, also use a 5BTV Hustler vertical ground mounted- no radials..and a pair of  60 Meter ham sticks  also set up..and well as a 60 meter dipole,....Well I have been introduced to 60 meters and wow! it's a awsome band, you can usually catch me on Ch 4, I have really enjoyed everyone that I have met on this band, and to me a very diffrent band to operate on...so thats where you will find me, on 2 meters I have a FT2800M into a  Ringo Ranger II,  I also have a FT5100 Dual band going into a Jetstream Tri Band,  and a ADI 220 Mhz radio going into a MFJ 5/8 wave base antenna. Other items include a 2 meter antenna tuner, a LGD At11  HF tuner for back up , several multiband recievers,   Oh the little fellow I am holding is my best buddy, Oscar, who enjoys watching Nascar with me, and talking on the radio , well watching me talk, he is working on his Tech at this time.....

My wife is a ham, KI4YPO, she operates a FT450AT with a Icom 718 as a back up , with a  LDG auto Tuner Pro 100, into a 80 meter dipole (pink) yes you know it !! which works all bands with no problem, she also has a 75/80 meter pair of hamsticks and a Antron 99 for 10 meters. Her 2 meter radio is a FT1802 into a Diamond base antenna. She has a Ladies Round Table Net every Tuesday on the 145.470 repeater which has a very large footprint = TN,GA, KY, VA, and NC owned by WB4GBI Tim Berry. So ladies if your a ham come on by and say hello to the ladies, 3rd party traffic is accepted !! Oh yea she is a member of Chick Factor International !!

We both enjoy working HF , contesting and DX so hope to catch you on the air.  We work 20, 40, 60, and 80 mostly. I enjoy the 17 meter band and you can catch me there from time to time.  I monitor 3.975, 3.983, 3.980, 3.717 and 3.752 on HF.  2 Meters usually on the 145.470 repeater with a 118.8 tone when needed.  We 100% QSL with a SASE, I use to QSL without SASE but with the current cost of postage, and job changes I am not able, so if you require a QSL card (Hard Copy) please send a SASE, also have  E QSL and thru the Bureau, I am also a member of OMISS #5957 and good thru their QSL Bureau, note we do not do LOTW. I have been sending QSL cards out stateside with postcard postage, does help cut the cost also, I know its hard for many so don't forget  E QSL !!

Again , we are now operating on 60 meters, and its a ball !! I have had a great time, great group of operaters, most of the time no noise, great signals, I work  both channel 4 and 5, and always someone on to have a QSO with, good old rag chew !! So if you don't hear me on the local repeater, or other HF bands during the day, I am on 60 meters........

Well  73 and hope to talk to you soon.......