I started working in Broadcasting (radio) after getting out of college in 1971. The technical aspects of that industry had always interested me.
I worked at small market statons in the West Palm Beach FL market, and got friendly with the engineers. Back in those days, you needed a First Class Commercial license to take antenna base current readings, and adjust the plate and load on the AM transmitters every three hours. So. I went off to a 6 week cram school, visited the FCC in Miami, and passed the exam.
After being appointed Chief Operator at the station in Jupiter, FL, I got more involved with the technical end (doing weekly field strength readings, helping with regular maintenance), and also sitting in the studio one night, running 7.5 watts (our Pre-sunrise authority power) after midnight, testing our coverage, talking to the contract engineers via the STL link while they travelled down the road.
I was really hooked now.and went off with a bunch of CB'ers (yikes!) and took a novice, class, and passed it (mid-1977).
I had a part time job at the local volunteer fire department, and grabbed a copy of "5 to 1000 watts" (self study manual put out by Radio Shack) and crammed my head full of theory and legaleese. After doing that for a month or so, I went down to the FCC field office in Miami, passed the code, and passed the General exam.
I . Upgraded to Advanced in 1982, and passed the Extra test 4/10/2010.
I was deeply involved in packet radio from it's inception, and ran a VHF/HF gateway on 14.105 till Hurricanes Francis and Jean wiped out my antennas.
My main HF rig is an Icom IC-718, with a Ten Tec Corsair for backup, and a old Ten Tec Argonaut for occasional QRP.
My primary antenna is now an S9 vertical, with 35 27 foot long radials, fed with RG-213 "direct Bury" coax.
Looking forward to RAGCHEWS and casual DX QSO's as time and propagation permit.
The (always somewhat disorganized) shack
S9 Vertical used on 40 and 20 (with a 4:1 Unun & LDG tuner in the shack)
Alpha Delta DXCC as inverted Vee up 35 feet at center.
J-pole up 25 feet
2nd op "Skutch" callsCQ !!
