I got my ticket as WN9LRI in 1964 while attending Notre Dame High School in Niles Ilinois, via the HS radio club, WA9BWH. I passed the Tech license in 1965, and happily dropped the N to become WA9LRI. I hung out on 2 and 6 meters AM, then became an early convert to 2 meter FM while in college. I joined the Chicago FM Club, WA9ORC, and later served two terms as president. What a great repeater system with tremendous coverage!

In 1978, my new wife and I moved to Dallas Texas, and I got involved with the local clubs here. I knew I would never be moving back to snow country, so gave up my call for a new one, N5CSU, in 1983.

My interests are primarily repeaters, digital modes and public service. I am active in RACES and ARES, and served as NCS for Garland TX RACES for many years.

APRS is fun, and it's always on in the background (n5csu is the home station, n5csu-7 is my mobile, and n5csu-8 is the Yaesu HT). I'm also trustee of the Raytheon employee radio club, K5QBM, where I work. We have a great repeater and two digipeaters that serve the Dallas area, and a really nicely equipped EOC.

I'm a convert to QRP, after purchasing an Yaesu FT-817 "backpack" rig. It's an amazing little radio, and I've had fun with it on both SSB and PSK-31. I've won pileups with 5 watts, and even held a QSO on 20 meters with 500 MW! The picture shows me QRP'ing from the beach on Galveston Island, TX.

These days, you'll find me active weekends on VHF, IRLP and HF PSK-31 from our lake house at Cedar Creek Lake TX (also EM12).

I'm now also on DStar via a DVDongle, so drop in and say hello!

73

Rich/n5csu