Photo - AB6Z (Me) on the playground of Gage Jr. High School, when I first was licensed.

Bio:

I began amateur radio because of my best friend Gordon Ishibashi (WB6TUO). Gordon and I were just graduating from Gage Jr. High School (1963) in Huntington Park, Calif., a subburb of Los Angeles. Gordon had found a Ham near where he lived, who was going to help him and a mutual friend, obtain a "Ham" license. It then became my goal to find one and get a license too. I did not want to be left out!  While delivering news papers, I had noticed a house with a lot of "big" antennas. I knocked on the door and eventually met Walt Pittman (W6DFO), who became my first ELMER. Walt was a homebrewer's homebrewer. I spent hours every day, after school, in his shack watching him solder and homebrew every model of Swan transceiver that was ever produced, linear amplifiers and my pride and joy, a homebrew Collins 75A4 receiver. Within a month, I had my novice ticket (WN6RDB). Three months later, I skipped school and took the bus to the FCC office in downtown LA and passed the General exam and was issued the callsign (WB6RDB). While in college in Nacogdoches, Tx, I had a second callsign of (WA5TUL).

Photo - My first transmitter, a 12BY7 Oscillator and 6V6 Final (5 watts output)

I built my first transmitter (pictured above) and receiver from old TV sets that people were throwing out as color television was just becoming affordable. All I could operate was 40 CW. My antenna was a homebrew 40 meter vertical, made of scrap aluminum, roof mounted with 4 radials. I was nicknamed "Ham" by my fellow classmates in high school. I spent nearly every afternoon, after school, on the air. I received my Extra class license in 1976, receiving my present call, AB6Z.

I have enjoyed my hobby for over 48 years now, all the while, meeting many wonderful and interesting hams. My focus has changed over time. Interests have included T-Hunting, Vhf, DX, Antenna Design, Packet Radio, Software Design, Packet/Internet Gateway and my latest, DXing via CW. I am enjoying DXing once again!

Several Hams have been a major influence in my life and career. I cannot thank them enough for the positive influence they have had on me. They are:W6DFO (Walt Pittman SK), W6MA (Dr. Bill Doud), K6FR (Tony Notario), N6RJ (Jim Rafferty SK), K6BWA (Dr. Joe Schulman), WB6TUO (Gordon - still my best friend), W6ZR (Ray Turner) and most of all my Dad W5YNH (Tom Kelly SK), my Dad! I never knew he was a (ex) ham until after I had obtained a license. He let me develop the interest and do it all on my own.  My oldest son, Thom just became licensed as KF7SEB.

I am a member of the ARRLand the 599 DX Association [http://www.599dxa.org/].

I have DXCC Mixed, Phone and CW.

Station:

• TS-480
• LK-500NTB (3-500 X2)
• MFJ - 998 Autotuner
• Winkeyer USB, Signalink USB
• 80 meter OCFD at 70 ft.

Thank you for taking a look. Enter your callsign to locate our QSO's in my online log.