Biography

My name is Charlie and I live in Western New York State in the small village of Perry. We are a country village in Wyoming County that has more cows than people. Letchworth State Park is located within 5 minutes of my house. I look forward to chatting with my fellow "Hams".

I was always interested in Amateur radio and built a number of transmitters out of the 1962 ARRL handbook. In 1965 I joined the US Coast Guard and went to radio school. I spent 4 years as a Radioman working mostly cw circuits. I spend three years at sea duty serving on board the USCGC Pontchartrain WHEC-70 (NRUU); USCGC Humboldt WHEC-372 (NEJL); and USCGC Boutwell WHEC-719 (NYCQ). After departing the service, I got my First class RadioTelephone License and went to work for a number of phone companies for the next 35 years.

In 1980, I was helping a friend study for his Technician license and went with him to get his license. On the way he said I should take the test too! I passed the 20 wpm code test and the General test. I only had enough time and money for a 2M transceiver which I still have and use. I didn't get a HF transceiver until 1998. I still use the Yeasu FT-847, which I enjoy. I got my Advance license in January of 2000 but stopped working the ham bands in 2007, as we built a new house. Much work on the new house didn't allow me time to put up antennas etc. In September 2015 I got bit by the bug and put up one antenna. The bad part was that I had let my license expire, so off to a VE session to get re-licensed. I was given the call sign KD2JPA and General License but wanted my old call sign back. So in December 2015 I took the Extra test and got my old callsign back. So I've been operating as an Extra with my old call sign.

Now operating with a new Yeasu FTdx-3000 with a Buckmaster OCF Dipole. The good part is that now I'm working on RTTY, PSK31, and FT-8 digital mode. Having more fun DXing!

I enjoy dxing and checking into a number of nets. A headset on and radios in front of me and listening to the world just seems normal for me.

73

Charlie

Worked DXCCs:

Equipment

YEASU FT-847
YEASU FT-857 WITH LDG YT-100
YEASU FTdx-3000
Ameritron AL-811 AMPLIFIER
TWO HOMEBREW DIPOLES, ONE NORTH-SOUTH AND ONE EAST-WEST
ZERO-FIVE 27' VERTICAL ANTENNA