I was introduced to the wonderful world of amateur radio when, on a family holiday, my family visited Britain’s Bletchley Park, home of the WW2 Enigma Codebreakers. The RSGB has a Radio Station there, GB3RS, and I was invited to pass a greetings message. I was hooked. We’d only planned to visit Bletchley once on the holiday, but ended up visiting three more times! On the second visit I bought the ‘Foundation Now!’ licence book, and on the third visit decided to find a local radio club.
I was soon licensed as M6EIO, then 2E0GUI and, under the tuition of Jonathan G0DVJ, began to learn CW. Jonathan ran twice weekly CW sessions on 2m, and I joined these for the next few years. I was a teenager at the time and, in all likelihood, didn’t give learning CW as much effort as it needed, so it was a slow process. Then, having taken my exams and moved to South Wales, I lost the bug for a year or so. Returning to my native Colchester, Essex, I returned to amateur radio and was amazed how much CW I remembered. My wife and I moved to Scotland in January 2022, and this was the point where I determined I would principally operate in CW. I took my Full licence exam, becoming GM5AUG, managed to self-teach myself the bits of CW I was lacking, and took RSGB Morse Tests at 12, 15 and 20 wpm. I became a RSGB Morse Assessor and a GB2CW Slow Morse tutor and transmitter. More than anything, I love teaching others CW, and currently have five students. I really hope, through being a CWOps member, to contribute to the CW Academy as I really believe in tutoring (I think Americans call it Elmering??) future CW operators.
I am a ‘mature’ student at the age of 26, half way through my first degree. In all honesty, I don’t know where my future career path will take me. I was training to be a minister/preacher but withdrew from that training last year. I am continuing to study Divinity at the University of Glasgow, but hope to build on my computer science qualification from College as well. I’ve helped found a University Wireless Society (www.mm0wsg.radio) and we now have about ten members.
Another group I am involved in is OARC (www.oarc.uk), and together with Colin GM4JPZ (CWops 2537) have begun the OARC Slow to Medium Speed Morse Net to encourage newcomers to CW to take to the key!
I am happily married to Jackie and together we live just south of Glasgow. In my spare time I enjoy driving my 1988 Fiat Uno and constantly repairing her – after all, FIAT stands for ‘Fix It Again Tomorrow’! I look forward to meeting some of you on the air.
Many thanks to those who nominated and sponsored my membership. I am honoured to join the ranks of CWops.
This biography is what appeared in Solid Copy when the member joined CWops.