Blog
Check out my blog. I write mostly about ham radio topics that interest me, including traffic handling and SKYWARN.
Aviation
The aircraft in the photo belongs to a friend (N9QYQ) but that's me in the pilot seat. I have a private pilot, aircraft, single-engine, land (PP-ASEL) certificate. I occasionally operate aeronautical mobile from N34894, a 1974 Cessna 177B Cardinal.
I am also webmaster for the Glenn Curtiss Historical Society.
Amateur Radio
I was first licensed in March, 1973 as a Novice and the FCC assigned call sign WN9MDS to me. In December, 1974, I upgraded to a General Class license and my call sign changed to WB9MDS. In Novemer, 2009, I upgraded to an Extra Class license. In March, 2010, the FCC issued me W9LW.
I'm a fairly active SKYWARN® weather spotter and am registered with spotternetwork.org. In 2012 I became Quadrant Leader for Quadrant 2 of IMO SKYWARN.
I also enjoy HF rag chewing, DXing, contesting and traffic handling. My HF rig is a Yaesu FT-450 feeding 100 watts into a G5RV antenna.
In 2011, I was thrilled to earn my first DXCC award, working all 100 stations with 100 watts and a G5RV antenna.
Other Activities
I am a former volunteer emergency medical technician and firefighter. I was a member of a disaster medical assistance team (DMAT) affilitiated with the U.S. National Disaster Medical System (NDMS). I responded with the team to assist the victims of Hurricanes Andrew in southern Florida and Marilyn in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
My XYL (N9XKU) and I enjoy ballroom dancing. Although we do not compete, we enjoy watching competitions and sometimes volunteer to help operate competitions. Several times a month we attend social ballroom dances in our area.
We also enjoy cross-country (nordic) skiing when there's enough snow here. I also am a low-level intermediate downhill (alpine) skier (N9XKU does not enjoy downhill, but fortunately, N9RYM joins me on day trips to Michigan ski hills).
In the summer, I enjoy sailing on northern Indiana's lakes.
N9XKU and I are members of Trinity Church, a congregation of the Presbyterian Church (USA). I am an elder (ordained lay leader).
Memberships
