I began my amateur career as a high school student in 1965. My Dad came home with a CB radio around 1963, and while “playing” on the CB I met a lady that lived a few blocks away. She invited me to her house to meet her husband, Ted, he was a ham. I was overwhelmed with all that high tech tube equipment and distant land QSL cards he had in his basement, so much better than CB! I was hooked. I was a boy scout and “knew” the Morse Code, so with the help of my new Elmer, I got my speed up to 5wpm and took my novice exam (WN3DYP). Shortly afterwards my Father got his license (WA3EST), which was great because as a kid, I really couldn’t afford equipment on my 65 cent a day newspaper route, and my building skills were close to non-existent.
Less than a year later I graduated High School and enlisted in the Navy. My novice ticket expired, and being a young kid gallivanting around the world, I had little interest in Ham Radio. Eventually I settled down and got married to my high school sweetheart. With the urging of my Father, my interest was renewed in Ham radio. I studied and went down to the local FCC office and took my General in 1971. Requested and got WA3DYP as my call.
Still in the Navy, I was transferred to Guam in 1973, this is back when you could have a secondary call, so I applied for a KG6 call (prior to the now KH2 prefix) and got KG6JEU. While stationed on Guam I upgraded during an FCC visit to the island. Eventually I got stationed at Misawa, Japan, where I obtained the AMRS KA8RB call (1980-1982). Many of you “old timers” will probably remember that KA calls were unique to US Forces in Japan. Things have changed…
I finally retired from the service and accepted a job in the Washington, DC area where I took up residence in Northern VA for the next 22 years. In 1997 I decided it was time to get a shorter call and grab a 1×2 while they were still available. I selected K3YP, a bit shortened version of my WA3DYP call. I had planned to settle in Western Pennsylvania (home) when I retired, so I stayed with the 3 call.
Finally, in 2008, I moved to North East Ohio, yelling, screaming, and kicking I might add. The XYL (now K8EST) wanted to be close to the kids and grandkids. In 2001 my number 1 son moved to NE Ohio for a job, and eventually number 2 son and numbers 1 and 2 daughters moved to Ashtabula county OH. So here I am, a 3 call living in 8-land.
The station is modest, a FT-950 barefoot to a GAP Titan “vertical” and 14 AVT and a 160 meter dipole. I was active in Navy MARS until the program was terminated.
Although I’m not much of a paper chaser, I do enjoy CW and digital contests as well as county hunting. Oh, and just to clarify, I only upgraded to Extra because I’m greedy and really wanted the bottom 25 KHz of the HF bands. I’m not on SSB much, probably because I simply don’t get out that well. At least on CW I have a fighting chance.
This biography is what appeared in Solid Copy when the member joined CWops.