Hello! When I was growing up outside of Chicago, I discovered radio when I noticed my parent’s old Zenith console model had a shortwave band (wish I could remember the freq range). The strange sounds and occasional voices were fascinating and I was hooked. CW seemed an impossible hurdle to becoming a ham so I got into CB, scanning, and SWL. Finally in ’87 I knuckled down, mastered the code, and quickly progressed from Novice to Advanced. Got Extra in early '07.

These days I run a 756 Pro II with a Hamstick antenna on the roof up about 75’ and work 17 and 20 meters. Also have a IC-7000 in our motor coach and a 707MkIIg in the car. There's a TS-2000 in reserve. My first HF rig was an IC-735.

A career in advertising and marketing had me jumping from Chicago to Madison to Rochester to Pittsburgh to Cleveland then back to Chicago and now to Marco Island, Florida. We're just above the Keys in the Gulf of Mexico. Wife Lisa KK9TTL and I run a management consulting business serving clients all around the country from our home. The website is www.joegrantconsulting.com.

After 10 years of boating on the Great Lakes and around Florida we recently sold our 41PC Formula and now concentrate on RVing around the country. IN the past 2 years we've travelled about 35,000 miles throughout the US and Canada in our Newmar Mountain Aire. Other interests include flying (licensed pilot), international travel, and writing.

Marco Island is a prime vacation and resort destination. You can find out more by visiting Marco Island Florida at http://www.marco-island-florida.com/ with specific information on local ham activity available at K5MI Marco Island http://www.marcoisland.org/k5mi.htm. Our primary repeater is 146.850 tone 141.3 and (-).

Most mornings you’ll hear us on the Spider Web Net http://spiderwebnet.net/ at 12:30 – 13:30 UTC on 14.347mHz. Stop by and say hello!