Ham radio has been a lifelong hobby for me, and I’m thrilled to be part of the CWops club. Thanks to Jim, N3JT, for nominating me, and to F6HKA, K5UV, and K3WJV for their sponsorship.
My brother and I were introduced to the hobby through our grandfather VE2UE (SK) in the 1970s and I got my ticket in 1978. From the very beginning, Morse code was my favourite mode. I remember sitting in my grandfather’s shack as he’d work someone with the bug, then show me what the other fellow sent, teaching me the abbreviations, the intro and extro to an exchange, and so on. It wasn’t long before I recognized the sound of his call without knowing the letters/number, and it struck me then that the code was very similar to music.
I went on to study geology and physics at Laurentian University and while there, I set up a Heathkit SB-102 and a dipole and had daily skeds with my grandfather and his pals. From there, I went on to graduate studies at the University of Western Ontario in geophysics where my brother VE3SIF and I had regular QSOs. I eventually landed in Ottawa working for the federal government. The next few years were a bit of a blur, with raising a family and doing all those family type things which, for us, was primarily baseball 24/7.
I left my government work in 2010 and taught English Literature at Carleton University until 2018. Now, I’m a full-time fiction writer and writing coach where I help aspiring novelists to realize their dream of writing a book. My novels are primarily science fiction and most of them have some link with ham radio, and they are all available on Amazon.
The radio bug bit me hard again in 2019 when my brother (VE3SIF) and best friend (VE2USM) and I went out to the bush and brought along an old HW-7 to play around with. There’s something magical about hearing CW echoing through the woods on a quiet, star-filled evening. From there, I discovered the SKCC and eventually CWops. I try to be active in as many CW events as I can, time permitting, and really enjoy the rush of high-speed code and contesting. Not only is it the most reliable mode, in my opinion, but it’s also the most fun!
Other than radio, I enjoy long-distance cycling, reading, painting, and model railroading.
I look forward to meeting you all on the air!
This biography is what appeared in Solid Copy when the member joined CWops.