Biography
I have a General license. I don't use it much since I enjoy the 2 meter band so much. I got that level so that I could conduct test exams. We've conducted a few but my fellow examiners aren't too much available.
My first radio was a tube Citizen Band Radio back in the late 60s. As you probably know they still required a license and my call sign was KDDK 5664. Amazing what you remember. While serving in the Army I always specialized in radio communication both in and out of the field. I worked as a Police Officer for awhile and was one of the best dispatchers there. I got into the Amateur Radio ranks a few years ago and now work with the County's Emergency Operations Center. I tried to start a club here in Pagosa Springs--KE0DZV. I became the President simply because I was the only pushing to get it up and running. It has since become stale despite my attempts to get them back on board.
I work mainly on the 2 meter band and the many repeaters here in the four corners area. I do have an HF radio--ICOM706MKII--at 100 watts. Both the vertical and dipole antennas I have get some work on them. I was kind of active on the OMISS net, but I'm not real fond of sitting in front of my radio for a couple hours only to get one, or two, contacts.
I think that's enough for now.
Equipment
All my radios are mobiles. I live off the grid and my sources of electricity are solar panels and a small 3.5 kw generator when two many days get gloomy. Both these sources charge a six 12VDC battery bank so it makes sense that I use sources that are VDC. The power can go down, as well as the repeaters and cells and I wouldn't notice until someone contacts me through the National 2 meter simplex frequency. As I said above, I have two antennas at this time: 18' grnd mtd vertical and a ladder dipole.