Married, three children Michael, Kate and Louise. Husband of 29 years to Gayle (as sweet as when we first met). Retired officer with Country Fire Authority (Volunteer) fire brigades and have worked in emergency services for over 20 years, including law enforcement as a specialist in policing technologies, leading the implementation of digital secure radio communications, in-car video and automatic number plate recognition.

Sometimes when managing large incidents you do not get to fly in the latest equipment. The photograph at right is a great example of this, when an old DC-3 owned by Nostalgia Air, was used to transport firefighters and management staff around the State of Victoria. How many people can say they have flown in a "Gooney Bird" these days??

Active amateur since 1978, and now operational on 160-10 metres, 6 metres, 2 metres, 70cm and 23cm. Antenna configuration's are under review again, with the acquisition of a 2 element HF beam and the production of a homebrew 6m beam. It's been a long time since I had directional antenna's up in the air so this summer should be a busy time.

Passionate about wire antenna's and convinced that an end fed zepp with open wire feeder is the best all round antenna for suburban blocks. The new homebrew end fed zeppelin consists of 2mm hard drawn stainless steel wire as a 1/2 wave on 80 metres, fed with 450 ohm open wire feeder with a solid copper inner. Results have been marvellous and although not a DX'er by any means I have worked my fair share of stations using 100 watts or less, with the antenna only 8 metres from the ground. Also works well on 29.600MHz FM, Pictured at left is my small 8 metre tower, with VHF and UHF antennae. The end fed zepp feeder can be seen clearly to the left of the tower. Considerable work is being completed on the tower, so watch this space.

I am particularly keen on QRP and field operations, 52MHz and 144MHz SSB work, 7MHz and 28MHz The old Yaesu FT-7 has been retired to the shack with a Yaesu FT857D as the main portable rig now. In fact in its first outing portable the FT857D and I won the 2012 6 hour single operator VHF phone only section of the John Moyle Field Day.

An FT290R Mark I on VHF and an Icom IC-505 on 6 metres form the backbone of my "other" portable equipment. Portable antenna's consist of an end fed zeppelin, inverted vee (40m), 4 element beam for 2m, portable 2 element beam for 6m and a Diamond VHF/UHF vertical. The IC505 has been in service in the mobile recently and the 290R travels with me on working trips.

No digital radio capability at this stage, however I have plans to re-commission an interface to one of my HF boxes to allow for PSK31, SSTV and other digital modes on HF.

As a keen aviation enthusiast I also have an IC-2200H for monitoring around airports, an excellent aid to snap arriving and departing aircraft on my new digital camera.

If you hear me about, by all means give me a call as I prefer to "chew the rag".

Check out the VK3PI radio website and/or my emergency services.

Life Member of the Western and Northern Suburbs Amateur Radio Club (WANSARC). Check out WANSARC. WANSARC now also has a forum at Yahoo.com.au - check out the WANSARC group forum.

Member of Amateur Radio (Victoria), ARRL, NAQCC, Flying Pigs International QRP Club (FP #1786).