Biography

This is W7HBP, I go by "Rick". I'm 60 yrs old, been playing with radios since my teen years in the 70's. Other ham in the family is my 13 yr old grandson who became a general class operator at age 11. He was first licensed in 2013 as a Technician (missed 2), then went right back to pass his General (missed 1). His call is KG7ESK, visit his QRZ page by clicking the link. Another ham in the family is my cousin, his call is KG7PZD he is a General class operator, and his lady friend KG7QFX, a new ham too.

The call I have now (W7HBP) belonged to my late grandfather who had been in radio since a very early age, went on to work at a big local radio stations (KJR, still around today) and then went to work at Boeing as a "radio man" where he retired from them in 1969. All his ham friends and co-workers called him "Sparks". He was an electronics whiz in his day.

His call, has been only issued to him and myself. I am the "first" caretaker of this call. My grandfather received this call in the the fall of 1938. He was a general class operator (top of the heap back then) and held this call for 55 yrs as a general till he went SK in 1992. He passed away a year before I got my ham ticket. My youngest grandson, age 11 has just obtained his FCC license (KG7ESK) and will assume this call when I go SK, which is hopefully a long ways out. Just keeping it in the family.

I am a lifetime member of the ARRL, a lifetime member of QRZ

I am a contributing member of 10-10 international.

Lifetime member of the Blue Ribbon Coalition and a Benefactor lifetime member of the NRA

Worked DXCCs:

Equipment

Equipment consist of:

Icom IC-746 (MF/HF+60/VHF)

Yaesu FT-857D (MF/HF/VHF/UHF)

Jetstream 45 watt switching powersupply

Diawa CN-801HP cross needle SWR/Power meter

Heil PR40 mic with Heil windsock

Heil PL-2T Boom with Heil DT-1 desktop mount

Heil FS-2 foot switch and/or Heil HS-2 handswitch

Icom SM-20 mic for 6 and 2 meters plus backup.

Icom SP-21 extension speaker

Heil ProSet IC headphone w/boom mic.

W2IHY EQ Plus

W2IHY 8 band Equalizer

MFJ-434B Voice Keyer

Ameritron AL80B 1KW amplifier

LDG AT-1000 Pro-II Auto Tuner

Gap Titan DX 88 Vertical (10-80 meters)

Radiowavz G5RV-LITE (10-80 meters, includes WARC bands 12, 17 and 60)

End Fed wire "QSO King"

Cushcraft AR2 vertical for 2 meters