Biography

Shortwave listener in Jr. High school. Original Novice WN5QMX, General and Extra WA5UKR. Overseas 2-7 years each place: ET2US , ET3USA, SV0WPP, VS6DD, WA5UKR/YV5 and N7DC/YV5, G5CTB. Shorter visits and operations in at least 3 dozen other countries from 1960-1984. Back stateside, here in Virginia since then.

Other hobbies include old tyme negative photography, canoeing, hiking, camping, Scouting from age 8 onward, and presently a Commissioner in the Stonewall Jackson Area Council of Virginia/West Virginia. As we say in Scouting- Bobcat to Eagle.

Married since 1967, three adult children, 2 grandsons here, 3 down in Florida. Retired professional telecommunications officer, working for Uncle Sam ( U S Government) for 29 years, and my final real job was working at a local community college supporting IT and chief audio/video manager. Now work part time as a Educational Guide, (teaching Kindergartners thru 5th grade students about what goes on at a farm/apple orchard, in Madison county, Virginia. We run day groups of about 400-500 children thru the system, weekly, for 2 months in the spring, and 2 months in the fall.

Equipment

Presently a Kenwood TS-570S, with a MFJ-962D Versa Tuner, an Icom 706g as backup. An Ameritron ALS-500M amp. Pushing signals into a very low tribander for 10-15-20, a home brew Quagi for 6 meters,and also two 8 and 12 element Quagis for 2 meters and 440. A 40 ft. high Inverted L gets me on 6 meters, and sort of back up several other bands, including 6. There is a whole backyard of dipoles for 80 thru 3-, 17, 12 meters, plus a home brew square beam for 17. Nothing over 30 ft high except the Inverted L. With this, I have 343 worked and confirmed. I am info CW/SSB RTTY,and PSK, and have played with some of the other digital modes, but not serious with them. sing the DXLab suite of programs to keep the logs,work the DX, etc. Great suite!