Biography

Medically retired steelworker (forging), originally from New Castle, PA (western PA). Married and currently living off-grid in a cabin in western Maine. Just got a hybrid generator/inverter/battery system installed, and it works great.

Amateur photographer (still) using film. Shooting 35mm with mainly Nikon, but have Minolta, Olympus, Pentax, Zenit, and Praktica cameras. Also shoot with large (4x5) format cameras (mostly antique). We also have Nikon DSLR, but I favor film.

Always had an interest in Ham Radio, but Morse code kept me away. In 2008, while searching for a design for a fan dipole (for SWL), I came across on QRZ about license requirements. In two months I had my General license. Went to the Timonium Hamfest in MD and bought a HF transceiver. Have been on radio ever since.

Generally interested in anything old. Cars, motorcycles, glassware, furniture; you name it. The majority of our furniture is refinished antique. (I know, you're not supposed to refinish antique furniture, but most of it was in such bad condition that its only use otherwise would be for kindling).

I like mechanical things and have spent my life tinkering and building different things. Some of the stuff I built actually works! It's amazing what one can do with a torch outfit and a welder.

Was the Saturday Net Control Station for the Old Buzzards Radio Club for 2 years.

Equipment

Kenwood TS-820 & 830. Yaesu 857. Ameritron 600w linear. Dentron Super Tuner, Swan power meter, Heathkit SWR, Kenwood remote VFO & Speaker, Carolina Windham and some other small accessories. I have a Mosley Tri-Band yagi that's waiting for a tower (someday).