Biography
HELLO!
Thank you for visiting my profile! NOTE: My former call sign was KG7KWK.
My preferred bands are currently: 10M, 6M, 2M, 70CM. I particularly like 10 meter as I find it to be one of the most challenging HF frequencies for DX. I currently hold a "Continents of the World" award for 10 Meter Mixed from QRZ of which I received in less than a year after receiving my ticket.
BACKGROUND:
I've been in wireless communications for 40+ years but I'm just getting started in amateur radio. In High School, I took electronics as an elective and the instructor was a ham and had an old transceiver set up in the shop with an inverted "V" antenna on the roof of the school. I remember we made several DX QSOs on 20 meters. This was my first exposure to amateur radio (coincidence?).
After I graduated from H/S I received a card in the mail that I was number 6 in the draft. Uh-oh! The Viet Nam war was in full swing and so I joined the Air Force quickly as I really wasn't excited about going to Viet Nam. As I tested high in electronics on the entrance exam, I was sent off to Radio Relay Equipment Repair (304X0) school at Keesler AFB in Biloxi MS. After tech school I was assigned to the 2187th Communications Group in Aviano Italy. I was then assigned to Detachment 27 (Monte Calvarina) and there operated and maintained a KWM2A HF radio with 30L1 linear amplifier (another coincidence?) and various (and somewhat antiquated) Microwave (MW) radio equipment.
Since the military, my love for wireless telecom has continued. I've since worked for many companies and even started my own, Millennium Mobile Communications. I've engineered many MW radio paths and have built hundreds of cellular communications facilities to include switching centers both CONUS and overseas. In my travels I always have either a dual band mobile or HT with me and try to make as many contacts on the road as I can. I may be passing through your area so listen for me on the national simplex channels. I love to rag chew.
EXPERIENCE:
Commercial Broadcast, Television, Microwave, HF, VHF, UHF, cellular, WiMax, and Satellite. I'm presently a Construction/Project Manager building guyed, self-support and monopole towers and tower sites for American Tower Corporation (ATC).
SUMMARY:
So my exposure to HF and VHF have been in the works for years. Why fight it? It's my destiny I guess and so, here I am. Love me or hate me, just tell me on the air...
As for my call: "N", the initial of my first name, "7" my favorite number, "X" marks the spot and "AZ" where that "X" is, my home state of AriZona.
Thanks Again and 73
Worked DXCCs:
Equipment
Kenwood TS-520S, Radio Doctor end fed sloper antenna, MFJ 949E Versa Tuner II and a Tango Golf G5RV-Pro Dipole antenna
Kenwood TM-281A with MFJ 4230 power supply, 2m/70cm HD J-Pole Base Antenna.
BaoFeng UV-5R Pro VHF/UHF 2m/70cm HT
BAOJIE BJ-UV55 VHF/UHF 2m/70cm mobile with Comet CA-2x4SR antenna.
Echolink Node# 66768
Like I said, I'm just getting started so the shack is growing, just SLOWLY :-)
May the propagation be with you!