After a false start in about 1958 when my Novice Test mentor got sick and we had to send the test back untaken, I started as WN4LFP in Miami Springs, FL on 12/7/62 with a Globe Chief and a National NC-188. My Elmer was Chuck Bolvin (now a SK) W4LVV, then K4KQ. WA4LFP in 1963 in FL and Atlanta, GA (Georgia Tech). WA2TEI in NY in 1969. W B 6 Jelly Filled Doughnut (9/26/75) in CA, then N6HE (8/12/77). I turned 74 in November 2017. CW has always been my favorite mode.
I’m a semi-retired financial planner. I have an Icom IC-7300 as a travel/portable rig and am waiting for a Flex 6600 to be delivered (happy me!). The 7300 I bought at Visalia two years ago hooked me on Direct Sampling SDR radios.
My antennas are a 125′ end-fed long wire on 80-40-30. For 20-17-15-12-10-6M, I use a 2-element SteppIR Yagi. Both are disgustingly low (about 25′ up) but work as expected.
I have a new-to-me Alpha 9500 RF AMP and wired 220VAC into the shack. QRO operation finally – life is good!
I love participating in contests, especially on CW and RTTY – I love CW contesting the best, but I can copy faster than my two poor little fingers can type, so it’s more work, and I mostly Search and Pounce. Ditto SSB contests, even more so. I enter for the fun of it rather than trying to come out on top (or, truth be told, even near the top!) – I’m like a dog with his head out sticking out of a car window – he doesn’t care how fast or where he’s going, he’s just having fun…although I routinely hunt for my missing band/mode DXCC countries. Low wire antennas, some CC&R’s, and a huge close-in hill to my NE limit my competitive abilities. But…. hey, it’s all a blast, yes?
I do Field Day (CW) at URAC/K6AA and lead annual Santa Catalina Island “DXpeditions” with PVARC/K6PV to activate the Island for IOTA (NA-066).
XYL is Donna, W6DLD (since 2003 as a General Licensee), ex-N6HTH (1982-2003) and ex-KA6AKL (1978-1982). We were married on Field Day, 1966 (big mistake – er, I mean being married on Field Day, not on getting married in the first place!).
Graduated from Georgia Tech in 1966 as an RF-oriented Electrical Engineer. Member of TKE fraternity. Have worked for Pan American Airways (1962 – 1974), Continental Airlines (1974 – 1982) and have been an independent financial planner since 1982.
I’m also an ARRL Official Observer Coordinator (LAX Section) and an ARRL Volunteer Examiner. Other hobbies: Photography, scuba diving, and international travel (preferably, all at once!).
This biography is what appeared in Solid Copy when the member joined CWops.