Biography

Ham radio In my life started with a crystal receiver kit for my 8th birthday. Then a few months later my uncle (who was K4HUH) gave me a National NC-100 receiver (see the first photo below). I remember hooking the radio antenna connection to the screen in my bedroom window. In 1952 the screens were all metal and worked very well as an antenna because the conditions were so good.

I remember spending hours turning that huge tuning knob, and listening to foreign broadcast and ham radio operators from all over the world. That was when I started to learn Morse code with a home made key, a door buzzer, and a 1.5 volt battery, all mounted on a 1" X 4" piece of wood.

Because I didn't have help in the proper way of learning the code, I learned it the wrong way (A, B,C, D etc.), and it took me many years to where I was able to pass the 5 WPM code test. By the time I graduated from High School I was ready to pass the code and written test and asked my uncle if he would give me the Novice test. I passed the test and 6 weeks later receive my Novice License (WN4PVW) in 1963.

My Novice station was great. I spent hours honing my CW skills, learning operating procedures, collecting QSL cards, and getting the biggest clock I could find. For those who remember, remember the red line on the meter for Novice and 75 watt limit? Boy you could never go over that line. Going ove rthe line was for Generals and Extra Class operators. From there it was years of home brew transmitters, receivers, antennas, and QRP radios made with tubes.

Fast forwarding to today, and a few call signs later (WA4PVW, N5EIF), I am blessed to be able to have a great station. Because I live in a city lot, my the antennas consist of a full wave 80 meter multi-band Loop up 20 ft in the trees around the house. A ground mounted Butternut HF6V vertical with added 12 and 17 meter coils, a G3TXQ designed and K4KIO kitted 5 band Hex-Beam, and a 40 meter dipole up in the trees about 20 feet high.

I mostly operate CW on all bands and enjoy rag chewing, and looking forward to the higher band openings for one more time in my life time. I guess that comes from the Novice days and working for my Rag Chewers certificate.

Equipment

RADIOS = TenTec Orion, Yaesu FT-1000MP

QRP RADIOS = K2, Red Hot Norcal 20

VINTAGE RADIOS = Heathkit HW-16 with HG-10 VFO, and an HW-101 with K4YG DDS, which gives me a Digital Display, 2 VFO's and an RIT control

AMPLIFIER = TenTec Centaur

ANTENNAS - FullWave 80 Mtr Loop, 40 Mtr Dipole, Butternut HF6V vertical, K4KIO Hex-Beam

TUNER = MFJ-986 Differential-T

MICROPHONE = Heil PR-20 and D-104