Biography

FISTS #7424

Greetings from "Grizz" in Franklin County the "Moonshine Capital" of Virginia. They call me Grizz~ Model 44 ~ Retired In 92 ~ Lic. Ham In 76. I am nestled on 31 acres near Smith Mountain Lake in the beautiful Blue Ridge mountains of Southwest, Virginia.

I retired to Virginia from Maine in 1999. I have been a Professional Licensed Master Guide & Outfitter for over 45 years. My guide service has taken me to Maine, Virginia, Idaho, Montana, Colorado, Northern Quebec, New Foundland, Northwest Territory and Labrador. Check out my URL listed above for some of my experiences as a Mountain Man and Master Guide.

My Uncle Phil Parker, K1HEL started me in the hobby of Ham Radio back in 1956, when he would take me down to his cellar and sit me in front of his ham bench and fire up the old Yaesu tube transceiver and tune it up with a 100 watt light bulb. That light bulb would get so bright at first that I would jump out of my chair before it burst. Uncle Phil would just laugh and say "Ole Grizz", sit down son, we are ready to have some fun and we sure did.

Later on my Uncle Phil became a Silent Key. I was blessed to receive his call sign "K1HEL" from my Aunt Connie and the family. My old call was N1MXS. I received my Novice and my Technician License back in 1970's than the next year went on to my Tech Plus with 5 wpm code, than Generall Class with 13 wpm code. Than came the AdvanceClass.That was the hardesttest I ever took. Over 90% of the test than was all about schematics and as a child growing up on a dairy farm where we milked twice a day by hand, I did nothave the technical back ground so that was a rough one but got through itthe first time I took the test. Than came my final test which was my Extra Class with the 20 wpm code.

I am a CW Fists Member #7427 and a member of the CW Fists Bureau. I handle all the number #2 CW Qsl cards for the Fists Bureau located here at Smith Mountain Lake in Franklin County. The link for the Fists organization is: www.fistsburo.org Other hobbies include teaching Fly Fishing lessons, tying classic salmon flies, fly fishing for Atlantic Salmon, Grouse & Duck hunting with my two chocolate labrador retrievers, Remington & Winchester.

So I hope you have a fine one pilgrim. I sincerely hope our paths cross on the bands and I wish you and your family our Heavnly Fathers Blessings throughout your journey in life. Good luck and good Dx. Best 73, de "GRIZZ" ~ K1HEL.

Equipment

Rigs: Kenwood TS-940S AT Transceiver ~ Kenwood TS-850S AT Transceiver
Bencher BY Series Iambic Paddles BY-3(CW) Fists #7424
Yaesu HF/VHF FT-897 All Mode Transceiver
Ameritron 75 Amps Switching Power Supply SPS-75 MV
Ameritron AL-811 HF AMP, 600W Linear Amplifier
TFC-3001 SWR RF Power/Watt/Modulation Meter
Signal Link USB Interface For BPSK
Cushcraft A6270-13S - 2M/6M/70cm Multiband Yagi Base Station Antenna
A3S 3 Element 10-20-40-80 M Tribander Yagi Base Station Beam Antenna