Biography

(Retired: Packing up and moving permanently to Arizona in early 2020, probably around March).



Started out in the hobby when I lived in Tachikawa, Japan in 1969. Several of us took classes at the Tachikawa AFB MARS station, then AI1AD, and received our ham licenses (as "Conditional Generals." A term used back in those days). (I've had several call signs over the years, this one since 2006.)

Also, operated in Costa Rica, Germany and Panama. Lived in Gießen, Germany 8 1/2 years and in Tachikawa, Japan 5 1/2 years. (Bribri, Costa Rica and Balboa, Panama were short two-week adventures).

Spent many years playing the EmComm gig with RACES, ARES and the Red Cross going to wildfires, floods and earthquake disaster areas when I lived in Hemet, California. Now, it's strictly a hobby again.

Operate "100-watts max" on HF ... no amps. (Nothing fancy or exotic). CW & RTTY are my preferred modes. Operate 40-meters thru 432. (Also work QRP on the bands).

SWL cards are welcome here, also. (WA6054SWL)

I dabble with the satellites (birds) from time to time. (Usually when we're out mountain-top camping). Also, dabble with SOTA (since 1-3-2019) and POTA (since 1-20-2019).

Operate SSB/CW on 2-mtrs, 432 and 6-mtrs.(170-w on 2-mtrs, 100-w on 432, 100-w on 6-mtrs).

East County Repeater Association member (ECRA). Monitor/use the 147.240 MHz Monument Peak (KA6DAC) linked repeater system linked with the Arizona Repeater Association (ARA) repeater systems (CALZONA System).(I do not use any local analog repeaters in the Coachella Valley).

Secondary QTH: Sierra Vista, Arizona (Cochise County) ... near Fort Huachuca ... on some weekends. QSL cards made up for both locations, depending on which QTH you worked. (DM13vr or DM41um). (Permanently leaving the "blue state" of California in early 2020).

Operated the AN/GRC-122, AN/GRC-142, AN/GRC-46 and AN/GRC-26D series Radio Teletype sets while in the US Army 1972 to 1982. (MOS:Ø5C-Radio Teletype Operator w/Morse and SMOS:31V-Tactical Communication Systems Operator/Mechanic).

http://rattrig.com/AN-GRC-122_%20142/122.htm (Ron Boltz, K3TZJ's site).


Real-Time Lightning Map(s) https://www.lightningmaps.org/?lang=en#y=36.985;x=-90.0659;z=5;t=1;m=oss;r=0;s=50;o=0;b=15.65;n=0;d=2;dl=2;dc=0;ts=0;

SOTLAS (SOTA Atlas): https://sotl.as/map/coordinates/43.578032,-100.033014/3.5 (By: Manuel Kasper, HB9DQM)

Pacific Antenna: QRP Kits. https://qrpkits.com/blt_plus.html





BARTG ... #8429

European Phase Shift Keying Club (EPC)... #11040

Flying Pig QRP ... #1680

NAQCC ... #1892

Natal Digital Group (NDG) ... #0487

SKCC ... #680

10-10 ... #46370

100 Watts and a Wire ... #2034

30MDG ... #2457


MISC.

Echolink ... 559135

DMR ... SoCal 31066 (BM)


(Not all contacts are listed on QRZCQ.com).

Worked DXCCs:

Equipment