Biography

Amateur Radio came into my life with my training in the Marine Corps (1960-1966) radio-telephone,telegraph,teletype,crypto. Spent time with 2nd Recon Bn. Montford Point, NC (Camp Lejune) and with the 3rd Marine Division (Okinawa) and Da Nang Vietnam.While I was in the service I had used the MARS service to call home and let my parents know that all was well, and that got my interest going.

After my tour in the Marines I worked for Wester Electric in Cicero, Illinois, and they had an amateur radio club that I would vist on my lunch and before I knew it I received my novice ticket in 1967 wn9ahl. But I got married and moved to Phoenix, Arizona and amateur radio was put on hold. Started a new job with airlines moved into a house raised three rug rats, and the Ham bug kicked in again.DeVry in Phoenix was the place to go for the exam , and I made General in 1979 with the call sign of wb7esx. After working 40 years in customer service with the airlines I was burned out and retired. Tried for a vanity call sign and got it on the first try.Wb7usm was issued 2009. Now that I am retired life is good, and so is Amateur Radio.

The gear I have in the shack are Icom IC-7300 into a R8 & G5RV , MFJ-969. Also have Icom IC-9700, and in the truck is a Yaesu FT-8900R, and a Icom ID-51A HT, OpenSpot2. Just started playing around with D-Star on my OpenSpot2 and find it very interesting and easy to set up.

My other interest are Photography, Scuba Diving, and Travel.

Equipment

Icom IC-9700
Icom IC-7300
Cushcraft R8
G5rv JR
OpenSpot2 (D-Star)
Icom ID51A Plus