I started my communications trained back in 1963 (aged 15) as a Radio Officer for the Merchant Navy at the “North Easter School of Wireless Telegraphy,“ Bridlington, and then finished off at “Plymouth Polytechnic” (Plymouth University). I gained my Post Masters General Cert in 1965 to go to sea (with 25 wpm CW). Instead, I joined the British Army and served with the Royal Corps of Signals, Queens Gurkha Signals, & Special Forces for over 24 years.
My amateur radio journey started when I was stationed in Gibraltar in 1967/69. I had the privilege of operating the Royal Air Force Amateur Radio Club Station, as there were no operators or interested RAF staff in the station who wanted to use the station, so I was given special permission (by Gibraltar Post Office) to operate the Club Call Sign (ZB2A) to keep it active.
Gaining my own UK Amateur FULL Licence and call sign G4KLE back in 1979, I worked from my first QTH in Portchester, Hampshire. Moved to Hong Kong (1982-85) and operated as VS6KL, following that to Germany (1985-87) as DA2MS. On returning to the UK my QTH was Herefordshire (1987-89). On leaving the Armed Forces in 1989, I joined Cambridgeshire Police (for 11 years) and set up at my present QTH in the village of Nr St Ives, Cambridgeshire.
I was absent from Amateur Radio for 20 years (1993 – 2013) when work took over my time, I retrieved my equipment (ICOM 720A) from the loft and set up the station again in June 2013. My main HF Rig is now a KX3 with KXPA100 amp, also have a Kenwood TS2000X which I use for SatCom plus VHF/UHF, I also have a Yaesu FT891 (using an MFJ 939 Tuner) into my antenna systems, a half G5RV or Hustler 6-BTV Vertical.
I work mainly CW (95%), a straight key operator using a Junker Straight key mainly but have been known to use my special Paddle key (K8RA P4 (#46)).
Now semi-retired (aged 75), I am still very much a Portable/QRP operator and can be heard on most bands either from the back of my car or having travelled by bicycle to local QTH (POTA). With KX3 and/or FT891 on 5 – 8 watts, using ex-military fiberglass 10m mast vertical with homebrew G5RV or SOTABeam BandHopper 4. More antennas are being constructed and experimented with for working portable/QRP.
I am a member of the Huntingdonshire Amateur Radio Society, a volunteer at the RSGB National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park (home of the code breakers) and RSGB Regional Rep 121 for Cambridgeshire.
I must thank Nigel (G3SZU) for his nomination to joining CWops, Stuart (GD0OUD), Nigel (G4BSW), and Andy (G0LXX) for their sponsorship. Thank you, gentlemen, very much.
This biography is what appeared in Solid Copy when the member joined CWops.