Four years ago I sent my first CQ call. At that time, I was operating in SSB and even without my own callsign! My father showed me that there is the kids’ ham radio day in which kids without a callsign can do their first QSOs with a special one. So, when the day ended, I had a bunch of QSOs with people from other countries and I loved the experience. That encouraged me to study and to get my ham radio license just after my eleventh birthday. In August of 2019, I did my first QSO with my callsign, in SSB too. My father and I were using a maritime radio installed in his sailing boat, so every time we wanted to do QSOs, we had to go to the boat. A few months before the lockdown, my father bought an IC-7300 for us and I loved it, because it was way easier to tune the radio and to understand all the functions.
When the lockdown arrived, I was happy because that meant I would have more time to do QSO’s and whatever I wanted to do. So, my father and I started doing a CW beginner course with EA3BA as the teacher (SK). I learnt all the basics of CW with him, he was a very nice person. By the time I finished the Morse course, I was doing QSOs in CW only because I could reach further away than with the SSB signal. I have always loved doing DX and in CW it was easier to find rare stations than in SSB!
I was on the air as much as I could during lockdown. When it finalized, I could resume my favorite hobby, dinghy sailing. So, I sailed all summer and trained for the next season. My other hobby is playing the piano and I take lessons every week since I was eight years old.
Just before the next summer arrived, my father discovered CWops and joined the fundamental course. When I finished my school lessons, I also wanted to join CWops, so I took the intermediate course. Since then, AC6AC Buzz has been my advisor. I love the way he teaches and, thanks to him, now I do not use pencil and paper anymore. I feel like I’m in a family when I’m in his class with my classmates.
Thank you Buzz for teaching me and helping me achieve my graduation from CWA and becoming a CWops!
This biography is what appeared in Solid Copy when the member joined CWops.