Hi Friends,

I've been a ham since 1954, first as KN2KJX.  I was 13 at the time.  I'll never forget my heathkit AT-1 and my 2 tube regen rcvr, a Meisner T-2BK.  Funny how those details are burned in.

We moved to PA.   I was W3EDX there.  I was always on the roof, stringing wires.  Drove my mom nuts.  Hey, it was 1956, sunspot max !

Later, in the U.S. army in W. Germany, I was DL5BC.  I loved that call, still have the ticket.  I used it only once, in Heidelberg, as a guest.  We were busy with other things at the time.   Like, they had 50,000 tanks.

In MA as W1FVI, I was teaching physics and math, and later doing electrical and optical engineering work.  in 2004 we retired, and are now in Vermont.  It is cold up here, but otherwise it is a great place.  After about 20 years of listening only, I'm back on 40 meters with an old ten-tec.  Soon, I'm shelving it, and then it will be homebrew QRP.   

I live in a condo with antenna restrictions, so it has been a huge challenge to sneak a wire among the trees that will not give offense.  I think I've got a good configuration now, end fed, LC matched against a good ground.  The sigs come pounding in, and with 50 watts in, I'm getting good reports back.  So, we'll be seeing you on 40.  If the sunspots ever come back, we'll see you on the other bands !

All the best, 73s from op. Chris R. Brown, Montpelier, VT