Biography

Amateur Radio - The Greatest Service and Hobby on Earth

Hams know there is no other service like ours. No fraternity on earth has the power and magic to bridge culture, nationality, distance or disparate interests as Amateur Radio can do. Moreover, few other avocations offer the opportunity for public service, personal development, technological advancement, or for camaraderie and sheer excitement.

We are all part of a very privileged group

Let's advance amateur radio while valuing our differences

Hello from Marc, W4OVT which is a vanity callsign in honor of the Overmountain Victory Trail (OVT) and the Men and Women who won America at the Battle of Kings Mountain on October 7th, 1780.

No single battle or skirmish had more impact on the outcome of the Revolutionary War which, a year later, resulted in the surrender of the British forces in the Colonies.

Thomas Jefferson wrote about the Battle at Kings Mountain, stating it: "was the joyful annunciation of that turn of the tide of success which terminated the Revolutionary War, with the seal of our independence."

The leader of British forces in the Colonies wrote, "the American victory at Kings Mountain proved the first Link of a Chain of Evils that followed each other in regular succession until they at last ended in the total loss of America."
To learn more, visit http://www.nps.gov/ovvi/index.htm and https://ovta.org/

In 2019, I was honored to be asked by the TEN-TEC family to serve as Net Control for a new 80m SSB Net.

You are invited to check-in with us each Saturday regardless of radio type, on 3.928 MHz on Saturdays between 6:15 AM and 10:00AM EST.

Personal Info:

Education: UNC-Charlotte - Meteorology - Bachelor of Arts/Business 1982

University of Phoenix Masters Degree in E-Business 2002

Work History:

Retired from IT Industry finishing at SUN Microsystems (now ORACLE).

Started with Apple in 1979 with an Apple // computer and then in the first class offered by IBM on the "Personal Computer" in August of 1981 in Boca Raton, FL. Then on to SUN offerings in 1986 and never looked back.

Retired in 2008 and until 2015 served as President - Executive Director of a non-profit "Keeping the Story Alive" of how the Revolutionary War was won in the South. HUZZA!!!

Also own a Real Estate company that I use for buying/selling properties to avoid paying the mostly unearned commissions especially by listing agents - I know of no industry that has safe-guarded it's revenue model so effectively while delivering less value.

Technology Trivia Question: What is the most enduring consumer electronics product released in the late 70's that you can walk into a Best Buy and purchase today, essentially unchanged?

Answer: The HEWLETT-PACKARD 12C Financial Calculator - other than the change from 357 to the CR2032 batteries and a price reduction from $110 to today's $60, the HP-12C has retained its original design - amazing product from a great company until Carly came along.

I'm the son of two amazing parents who I miss immensely and father of an awesome Lakeland Terrier 'Max" and a friend to anybody with food to share!

Equipment

Main rig is a "vintage" Ten-Tec Paragon Model 585 with matching power supply and TEN-TEC 238A tuner purchased new from the late Bill Slep who sold TEN-TEC and Collins Radio equipment at Slep Electronics in Otto, NC.

In late 2019, added a TEN-TEC EAGLE, TEN-TEC ARGONAUT XI with the matching TEN-TEC 100w Amplifier and restored a Kenwood TS-520SE which was my first rig.

In mid 2019, added two Kenwood TS-590SG rigs, one of which is the rare 70th Anniversary Edition and even more rare 70th Anniversary Vibrocube Keyer which was factory (Vibroplex) upgraded to the Jeweled Movement for silky smooth operaton.

03/2020 UPDATE: Both Kenwood TS-590SG rigs are listed for sale - see QRZ Swapmeet, eHam, or QTH Swap for details.

Antenna - custom 80-10 OCF Carolina Windom 55' at the center, 75m Double Bazooka and a new NA4RR Hex Beam for 20m-6m not yet installed - waiting on the new QTH for that! Diamond X300A takes care of my VHF/UHF needs nicely mounted on two 10' sections of top rail fencing sold at Home Depot and Lowes.

Amplifier: Ameritron ALS-600S

Microphones: D-104 - Paragon, TEN-TEC Regal - EAGLE, MC-50 TS-520SE