Biography

My XYL is a 3rd Generation HAM so I figured I best get my ticket too!

So here is my ham history:

Having just starting out in the HAM field (May 8th of 2013 as KG7DEI) and then changed to the vanity callsign of WE7MJS on 03-12-2016 and now using my 1x3 callsign as of 4-21-2017 of W6MJS upon passing my General test. I will likely have this callsign for a long long time as I even registered my Ham Radio Callsign to my Lincoln MKX so now my License plates list my callsign!

First got up and running with my old radio shack HTX-202 2meter handheld from back in my TERT S&R days (operated 3 party when needed) and connected it to a self-made copper pipe J-pole that I had mounted up on the roof of our home. Wow what a difference it made over the rubber duckie antenna! hi hi.

Update on the Home base systems & Mobile systems as of 3-6-17

Have added a Yaesu FT-8800R Dual band (2m & 70cm) capable mobile/base rig that is handling the 2m & 70cm bands connected to a Tram model #1481 dual band antenna replacing my first home-made copper-pipe J-pole that had worked very well.

As for Mobile operations in my 2015 Lincoln MKX I am currently running a Yaesu FT-8900R Quad band rig connected to a Comet Quad band antenna and it works quite well considering the MKX doesn't have many options for simple antenna mounting.

My old radio shack HT finally died and since it's always good to have a HT around but I didn't want to invest much in that I picked up a couple of Baofeng radios Model # BF-9V2+ and actually have added Rugged Radio headsets H22 Carbon Fiber Pro-Series and added the CC-KEN cables to them so we can use them with the Baofeng HT's for communication between us when we are driving our Ex-Military M923 & M925 5ton Cargo/troop trucks!

Both Lynnette and I passed our General tests today 3-18-2017! Tried the Extra exam but found we still have a lot of studying ahead of us to pass that test!

Update: 4/4/17 - In celebration of passing the General licensing I added to the ham shack a brand new Icom 7100 HF/VHF/UHF all mode with D-star rig and really enjoying it! First day of getting it I was able to make my first 3 QSO's as an offical "General" to California, Wisconsin & La Habana providance, Cuba! via the CHA-250b antenna!

This past weekend (4-1-17) I got the HF antennas UP and/or remounted a couple of our VHF/UHF antennas as well around the QHT

#1 - My First Homemade antenna! a 1/2"copper pipe J-pole for 2m actually mounted it in a horizontal position as it allows me to participate in a local 2m SSB net via the Icom 746pro rig until I get a 2m Yagi setup in the future
#2 - Comet CHA-250b - HF multi-band 80m thru 6m mounted 26 feet up to the bottom of the antenna base with it being connected to the Icom 7100 rig.
#3 - Tram 1481 Dual band 2m and 70cm connected to the Yaesu FT-8800R rig.
#4 - Gap Challenger DX - Multi-band 80,40,20,15,12,10,6 and 2m connected to the Icom 746pro rig.
#5 - "Carl Pockrus" Dual Band J-pole 2m and 70cm (clone of the Arrow "OSJ")connected to the Icom 7100 rig.

Update 4/21/2017 - Got my 1x3 callsign today! Now I'm W6MJS in homage to my birth state.

Worked DXCCs:

Equipment

Primary HF rig = Icom 7300 using a Radiowavz DX-80 OCF Windom or G5RV wire antennas (6-80m)
Backup HF rig = Icom 7100 using a Comet CHA-250b antenna (6-80m) & Open Stub dual band for VHF/UHF.
Mobile Quad band rig = Yaesu FT-8900R using a Comet quad-band mobile antenna
Base Station/Mobile dual band rig = Yaesu FT-7900R using a Tram 1481 dual band base antenna
HT dual band = Anytone D868uv DMR with a "Signal Stick" replacement antenna
HT dual band = Kenwood D72a w/APRS with a "Signal Stick" replacement antenna
HT dual band = Baofeng BF-F9v2+ with a "Signal Stick" replacement antenna