Biography

I was interested in radio from an early age. At the age of 12 I built a crystal set and threw a wire out my bedroom window. It received our local AM station and from that moment on I was hooked on radio for life. After all as simple as it was, I built something that received a radio signal. I was fairly happy as a SWL from the age of 12. I struggled with Morse code for several years, and I never had any kind of aid in my endeavor to learn it. Years later I was working on an electronics building project that had me stumped. I only knew one person in our community who was a ham operator, Jim Bonner, K4UMD. I figured he could help me. I went over to his house and knocked on the door. As I went in I noticed the ham station, but I didn't say anything about it. I was there for help with my project. He got me on the right track with it. Afterward the conversation turned to ham radio. Jim said, "You really ought to get your ham radio license". I answered by saying "why". "Just because you can", he said. Jim was the first person ever to tell me I could get my ham radio license. I told him I had a problem with the code. I came over to his ham shack several times for some CW tutor and practice. I later got to where I could practice on my own. Jim gave me my Novice exam in 1986 and suddenly I was a ham radio operator. If not for the help and patience of Jim K4UMD I may have never gotten my license. I upgraded to Advanced in the same year.
Our 10 meter beacon runs 5 watts into a 10 meter vertical antenna on the side of my tower. The beacon was first placed on the air in October of 1987 on 28.224, and the first report came from Don, WB4YRJ, who is now a SK. The frequency was chosen because it was the only place I could make the converted CB transmit at due to the crystals I had on hand. Later I changed it to 28.267 for much the same reason. It was later changed to 28.255 at the request of the HF beacon coordinator Bill, WJ50. Contact Bill before you start any intended beacon operation. See the WJ5O Beacon List.

Worked DXCCs:

Equipment

I operate HF, 2 and 6 meters. My main rig is a Icom IC-7300.