Biography

I began my activities in telecommunications as a Shortwave Listener (SWL) when I was 11 years old, encourage by my dear grandfather General Wlademir Fernandes Bouças (PY1KZ), Amateur Radio prefixed in 1934. In 1969, when I turned 12, he gave me my first equipment: an Eddystone, model S640. At that moment the doors of amateur radio opened to me, so in 1970 I joined LABRE. Listening to whole world was something that thrilled me. I clearly remember a Lebanese station that was operated by a Brazilian (OD5CX - Youssef). Below the picture of a Eddystone Receptor Model S640, acquired in 2016, just like the one I got when I was 12, as well as a QSL and photo of PY1KZ from the period it belonged to my grandfather. This QSL was sent to PY1AFA in 1969, our esteemed Gilberto Afonso Penna, editor of the magazine Antenna & Eletrônica Popular.

In 1974 I got my Amateur Radio License Class C, prefix PY1ERB. Soon after DENTEL (now called ANATEL) change the prefixes for Amateur Radio Class “C” and I was given prefix PY1WHB.

In 1977 I joined the Brazilian Air force Academy in Pirassununga, where I had the opportunity to be one of the founders, along with my class college Lieutenant General Intendant Eurico Jorge de Lima (PY5ACY), of the Amateur Radio Air force Academy Club - GRAFA, prefix PY2GFA. I had been recently promoted to Class "B", after taking exams in Rio de Janeiro, at UERJ, thus, my number changed to PY1DGR. The cabinet of the then Airforce Secretary, Lieutenant General Délio Jardim de Mattos gave us a complete new Collins station (KWM2A), with a 6-elements Hy-Gain Antenna. I graduated in 1980, having served as a Fighter Pilot, in the following units: 2º/5º GAv (Natal Air Force Base) twice, 1º/4º GAv (Fortaleza Air Force Base) and the historic (2nd World War) 1st Brazilian Fighter Group (RJ - Santa Cruz Air Force Base). In 1982, during my time at the Fortaleza Air Force Base, I took the Class “A” exam. In 1984, I received the prefix PY1KZ, due to the unfortunate passing away of my grandfather the previous year. I am greatly honored to keep this prefix active. I left active-duty in 1987, and joined VARIG Brazilian Airlines, where I worked for 20 years.

At VARIG I had the opportunity to operate many Air Mobile and to participate in communications between FAB (Brazilian Air Force) aircrafts and the company´s headquarters (through phone patch), during the search for aircraft B732, which disappeared in the region of Marabá, in September 1989. My esteemed college Captain Joaquim "KIM" Teixeira Alves (PY1AFL) also participated of the mission, and we the first to communicate the location of lost aircraft found in the jungle.

In 2001, I worked with the Secretary for National Integration to create the National Amateur Radio Emergency Network (RENER - Rede Nacional de Emergência de Radioamadores), I was the one to suggest the name. Due to this initiative, I was awarded the Honor Diploma by the Secretary for National Integration.

In 2008, I was invited by David Neeleman to establish an airline company in Brazil: AZUL. I remained in the company until 2012. I was first Captain in the company.

Due to the circumstances of life, I spent almost 8 years without my fixed station, even though I continued to operate V/UHF on my motorcycle (FTM-10R and I Comet SBB7 antena), a Harley-Davidson Heritage Model, and from my car. Unfortunately, this kept me from continuing my HF contacts and collect my DX plaques to get my DXCC "Honor Roll". I currently ride a Harley-Davidson, Ultra Classic model.

In 2016 I moved to a beautiful apartment in Copacabana, which allowed me to once again setup the fixed station I dreamed about for so long. I would like to thank my friend Soni Endlich Leite, PY1NX, for this guidance and support during the important phase of reactivating my station. Here are some installation photos of a self-supporting Ourofino tower, as well as of the antennas. Fernando Rodrigues PU1MKZ did a fantastic job assembling the whole thing. The tower was assembled on the slab of the elevator house, of an 11-story building.

I try to keep active, despite the challenges from the day to day.

Thank you for visiting my page!!!

QAP / QRV !!! 73´s

PY1KZ

Equipment

- Radio: Kenwood TS-590SG / Kenwood TS-870S / Kenwood TH-F6 / Yaesu FT-897D / Yaesu FT-7900R / Yaesu FTM-10R / Eddystone S640 / Linear AL80 Ameritron

- Torre/Tower: 10 metros (Ouro Fino) / Rotor: Yaesu G-1000DXA

- Antenna: YAGI - 2 elementos 40 mts (PP5UA) / YAGI - 7 elementos 10/15/20 mts (PP5UA) / Dipolo Multibanda / Vertical Twister (TW718) 5/8 V/UHF

- Diversos/General: Microfone Shure Vintage 55SH / Microfone Heil GM-5 / Microfone Gemini GM-10 / Boom Heil PL2T / Antena Tuner MFJ-989C / Speaker SP-430 / Speaker Motorola HSN4031b (7,5w) / Power Supply PS-50 / Power Supply MFJ-4230MV / Artificial Ground MFJ-931 / Dry Dummy Load MFJ-264 / Phone Patch PC-1A / PC Intel Core i5 (RTTY/DIGI) - WIN 10 PRO / Log ProLog V.8

- Estação Meteorológica/Weather Station: ANOVA (DRIA-0111)