Biography

Hello Everyone:

A little bit about myself. I Have had my amateur radio license since 1978. I spend 98% of my time on CW and the other 2% on other modes. I enjoy DXing, rag chewing, traffic handling and technical work. I also hold the 2nd Class Radiotelegraph license, General Radiotelephone Operator License and the GMDSS Operator/Maintainer License. I am a volunteer for the Maritime Radio Historical Society.

I am a member of the following organizations:

CWOPS, LICW, FISTS, SKCC, LIDS, MTC, NAQCC, QCWA, RCA, CFO, SOC, OOTC, SOWP, SCDXC and Ten-Ten.

The picture above was taken during operations at the recieve site control point near Point Reyes California for commercial maritime CW stations KPH/KFS/KSM and amateur station K6KPH. For more information about the Maritime Radio Historical Society (MRHS), maritime CW and ongoing preservation and operation of KPH/KFS/KSM and K6KPH please visit:

http://www.radiomarine.org

I have history with KPH, KFS, WCC, NMC, NMO and other commercial and Coast Guard maritime CW stations.

When I was a young boy, I had an interest in shortwave radio and electronics. I built a few receivers that worked pretty good for what they were. I listened to all the big broadcasters but was rapidly bored. I became very curious about what was going on in the utility bands, chiefly just who and or what were those big CW signals and what were they saying. I found an old tattered copy of Learning The Radiotelegraph Code from the ARRL and taught myself International Morse. Having no one to work with other than listening to commercial stations, Coast Guard stations and hams on the air for code practice, It was a short time later that I found I could copy the wireless giants. Mainly it was the "wheel" but I would get lucky and catch the traffic lists and occasional radiogram traffic. The radiogram traffic being one sided of course as ships and shore stations work duplex when passing radiograms. The traffic lists made for excellent code practice as it consisted of ship call signs the respective shore station was holding traffic for. Some time later when I went to take my Novice test, I was copying 20+ WPM.

It is a wonderful thing to be able to come full circle and to be able to operate KPH and KFS on commercial frequencies as they and other coast stations were instrumental in starting me along my ham career which lead to me eventually becoming an Electronics Technician later on in my federal career.

My employment started in 1975 with the U. S. Forest Service as a Wildland firefighter. I left the U. S. Forest Service and went to work for the U. S. Air Force as a Airport rescue/firefighter/medic and structural rescue/firefighter/medic. As I got older and firefighting/rescue operations started to take its toll on me physically, I went back to work with the U. S. Forest Service as an Electronics Technician finally retiring in 2012.

I am a Freemason, a Scottish Rite Freemason, a York Rite Freemason and I am a noble of the Mystic Shrine.

I am a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles.

Thank you for stopping by. See you on the bands.

73 ZUT

Rob

Worked DXCCs: