My journey as an amateur radio operator began in 1998 when I started hanging out with the guy next door, Jay Bromley, W5JAY. Jay helped organize and sponsor ArkieCon, a QRP event involving a full day of speakers in Ft. Smith, AR. I met many hams including Chuck Adams K5FO/K7QO, who casually asked me if I wanted to become a ham. I said sure, that is when the journey began. Chuck sent me “Learning the Code” CD’s. That along with studying the question pool, I went from no call to Extra Class in about 30 days in 2000. I only had to learn the code at 5 wpm. Jay and I were married in September 2001.
Jay was the Ham; I was pretty much name only when it came to being on the air. I only used CW by using a memory keyer for chasing DX and only when Jay was in the shack. Same thing for SSB and digital. But I had other attributes that were useful in the ham radio field and that was organization and being a people person. Because of that, I was asked to serve as vice present of QRP Amateur Radio Club International (QRP ARCI) by a dear friend Ken Evans W4DU. Ken said he had the technical knowledge but needed my other skills. I served in that capacity for several terms and worked Four Days in May (FDIM) every year during Hamvention. I met so many hams, many of whom are now silent keys such as the Rev. George Dobbs GERJV, Hank Kohl K8DD and Vern Wright W6MMA and many who are not just acquaintances’ but have become lifelong friends.
I retired in 2021 as the chemistry supervisor from the local VA Hospital. Being a people person in retirement is difficult during COVID. A friend Danny Bryant W5CI, gave me a membership to LICW in Jan. 2023. I loved the interaction of Zoom sessions and started learning the code again. Later, one of my LICW instructors Eric Kennard WS4K suggested I sign up for John Merkel AJ1DM’s CWA Intermediate class with himself and John Comella N8AA as co-advisors. I progressed so much in John’s class but after graduation, decided to take Intermediate again. Tony Pattinson VE2KM became my advisor. I gained more confidence and registered for Advanced. Buzz Tarlow, AC6AC became my advisor with Rich Girardin N4DPM and Shirley Park M0WSG as co-advisors. Buzz’s class is intense because of the extra practice sessions and extra homework outside of the CWA curriculum or maybe it was because it was Advanced, but it was worth it. Buzz is so supportive and I had so much fun and gained a whole new family. By now, I was taking over my husband’s shack. I learned so much from my advisors and co-advisors. All of my classes and classmates helped me to become the CW operator I am today but the journey continues.
Thank you Buzz for the nomination and thank you Mike, KC7V, John N0TA, Terry K3JT, Rich and Shirley for your sponsorship.
I love the outdoors and hope to do some POTA, SOTA and of course work as many CWops members as I can.
This biography is what appeared in Solid Copy when the member joined CWops.