Licensed in 1956 as KN4LRO at age 13. As I weighed only 79 pounds I used the Phonetics "Little Radio Operator". First DX was 15M AM EL2F using a rotary Dipole w/Cane Poles covered with Aluminum Foil. Called "The Catfish Special" I got into TV sets(21mhz i.f.) as far as 1 mile away. One lady 2 doors up the street swore she could "See me sitting front of my transmitter, right on her TV."So, I operated in the dark to fool her. I consistently wiped out all the TV screens at Pinkerton's TV at the end of the street when I was on 15Meters. I worried they would sue me and take my Globe Chief 90.

I fell in love with and could copy Morse Code at 40wpm within a few weeks as a Novice ,and took my General in Atlanta and became K4LRO. My antennas were poor and I spent a lot of time in the shack. My friends would come by and try to get me to chase girls when I was 15, but I would stay and work DX"Ya'll go on, I gotta work ST2AR for new one".how foolish was that?

College and Dental School slowed me down in the ham radio department. After graduation and a stint in the USAF I became Radio-Active again in 1972, then upgraded to N4RJ in 1973 and moved to the highest point in Gwinnett Co., Ga and armed myself with two towers sporting a 4el Quad and several Log-Yagis designed by K4EWG, then added a 2 Ele 40. I "invented" the sloper when I placed a quarter wave piece of magnet wire at 65' and actually beat W4MIP into Australia. W4MIP had a full sized 80M Rhombic at 100'. He had an Alpha 77, I used an SB-220. Upon the whuppin ( My QTH was fantastic on takeoff) he immediately called me and asked."How much Soup you runnin' over thar Boy?" You can't beat a Hilltop.

In 1979, N4PN and myself ran across a big Japanese Pileup on VP2KC on 15M one night. We talked to Kit until the band closed and formed a memorable relationship which led to the CQWW MM SSB record breaking run down in St Kitts. That is a very long story already told in CQ magazine. This experience, over a 4 year period, was a wonderful time in my life.

I purchased 23 Acres on the outskirts of Snellville,Ga in 1981 and proceeded to build a contest station which comprised 9 Towers to 180', Installed a 3 Ele Telrex 40, bought WA7NIN's 3 ele 80M yagi and ultimately had 4/4/4/4 stacks on 20,15, and 10M. I think we maxed out at 25 yagis and installed numerous beverages. N4RJ hosted many Multi operations and we had fun hooking up to one of the first Packet networks via a 220mhz. Link designed by W8ZF. W4AN, one of the best operators of all times moved to Atlanta and Bill (then KM9P) helped design and install improvements which resulted in a Sweepstakes win for the entire country, he won the CQWW CW single op (.and They said it couldn't be done from Georgia), and set new records for many contests. He was a contest prodigy and always an ethical gentleman. Bill was a close friend and patient. I miss him greatly. He won just about every contest he would enter. He was a master of the Sprint. Many contesters viewed Bill Fisher as a Flash in the Pan. How wrong they were. Becky and I miss you Bill.

We retired in 2001 and moved to the Georgia coast. We live on beautiful Tolomato Island at the Red Dot on the QSL picture above. I fish, hunt, and do some volunteer Dentistry at a charity clinic in Brunswick. N4RJ is a shadow of it's former self and tries to maintain it's the rankings using a Bird Feeder for an antenna. Pics to follow. N4RJ also invented the Term Ham-O-Holic by example in the 70s at Dayton. What a great hobby. I want to thank K4ICS(SK) and K4ICT and W4TED for their insistance that I attend code class in 1956. It has been a great Trip! I have met some wonderful life-long friends.

73, "Val"

More to come when I get time to edit the site.