I first became interested in amateur radio in 1993 at the age of 13. My father and I studied for our licenses together and learned Morse code using Gordon West’s cassette tapes. I was active for a few years, primarily using CW with my original callsign, KC5OHY, but by high school, I had moved on to other hobbies.
I re-engaged with amateur radio in 2003 while serving as a guitar player for the 2nd Marine Air Wing band at Cherry Point North Carolina, primarily operating QRP CW with an FT-817. After completing my military service, I sold my radio equipment to focus on my career and family. I worked as a trauma nurse in Fort Worth before returning to school to become a nurse anesthetist. I moved to West Texas in 2013 after completing my training.
After 21 years off the air, in December 2023, a colleague’s mention of getting his license reignited my interest in radio. Since my previous license had expired, I had to retake the Technician exam in January of 2024. I have been actively involved in Parks on the Air (POTA) and Summits on the Air (SOTA), enjoying a renewed passion for CW operations. My youngest son Evan is in the picture with me. He joined me on a few POTA activations recently.
My home station includes an FTdx10 and several wire antennas. For portable operations, I use a variety of radios, including a Xiegu G90 and an FT-891, along with a few other QRP radios.
I recently completed the CWops advanced course, thanks to my instructor YL3JD. I would also like to thank N5NA for nominating me and W5LXS, K5UV, NM5G, KJ5T, KG5SSB, and KN2D for sponsoring me. Both N5NA and W5LXS have been excellent CW mentors at the Midland Amateur Radio Club.
This biography is what appeared in Solid Copy when the member joined CWops.