Biography

I have been an active ham over 49 years. I was encouraged by my dad, Buck Fritts, W4DAN and started off working 6 meter AM in May 1962. I then upgraded to General class in 1965-just before the infamous "incentive licensing" fiasco of the ARRL. Upgraded to Advanced class in 1979 and then to Extra in 1980. Changed my call from WA4GZE to W4SEF (my initials) in April 2005. In November 2010 I changed my call to W4YJ.

In 2005 I married a wonderful lady, Sharron, W4WIF who is now an extra class amateur operator!

We now have a growing "antenna farm" with a 200 foot center fed zepp 35 feet up, a 40 meter cage up 60 ft, and a 40 ft tower with a Hy-Gain Explorer 14 tribander, 5 element M2 6-meter beam, 14 element 2 meter Hy-Gain beam, 5 element KLM 440 beam, and on the very top at 52 feet is a dual band 2m-440 vertical. Side mounted 30 feet up on the tower is a 6 meter vertical FM antenna. I am active on all the HF bands including the WARC bands. My favorite bands are 160, 20, 17 and especially 6 meters. I run an Icom 751A, a Yeasu FT 897, and Kenwood rigs for 2 meters and 440. I also run HF mobile using home-brewed mobile antennas of my own design.

One of my interests is SSTV analog and digital. I have a vintage Swan 350 that I restored and occasionally run on HF just for the fun of it.

I am retired from working in Oak Ridge,TN after almost 30 years and love being retired!

I also have a 2 meter repeater on 145.25 with a tone of 100 HZ using GE Mastr II equipment. I have moved the repeater to a high point in Sweetwater TN and it is working very well. This is a family type repeater-I don't put up with any profanity or rough stuff unlike a lot of other repeaters do. Anyone can listen and would not be offended. You will find the nicest, most helpful and friendliest folks in the area on this repeater!

If you are in the area give us a call!

Sharron and I hope to work you on the bands really soon!

WWW.W4YJ.COM
CHECK OUT MY VIDEOS ON YouTube! Just do a search for W4YJ.

Equipment

ICOM 751A, YAESU 897, KENWOOD 2 METER RIGS, KENWOOD DUAL BANDS. YAESU G-1000SDX ROTOR, EXPLORER 14 TRIBANDER, 200 FT CENTER FED ZEPP, 40 METER CAGE, 43 FT 60 METER VERTICAL, 5 ELEMENT M2 6 METER BEAM, 14 ELEMENT 2 METER BEAM,UVS 300 DUAL BAND VERTICAL. OWN A 2 METER REPEATER ON 145.25 100 HZ TONE ALL GE MASTR II EQUIPMENT. RUNNING SPLIT ANTENNAS AND SPLIT DUPLEXER.