Biography

Started out in the hobby when I lived in Japan in 1969. Several of us took classes at the Tachikawa AFB MARS station, then AI1AD, and received our licenses. (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. (Costa Rica and Panama were short two-week adventures). In Germany ... I was the chief operator (actually,the only operator) of Army MARS station AE1CJX which was located at Rivers Barracks, Giessen, Germany in 1973. I took over the station from Clyde Johnson, W4DAM(SK) when he went back to the states. The station later relocated to the Giessen Army Depot and I went back to my field artillery unit ... to the commo platoon.

Operate "100-watts max" on HF ... no amps. (Nothing fancy or exotic). CW & RTTY are my preferred modes. Operate 40 thru 6-meters, but I'm on 10/12/15 and 17-meters most of the time when I'm on the air.

SWL cards are welcome here, also.

I dabble with the satellites (birds) from time to time. (Usually when I'm out mountain-topping).

Operate SSB/CW on 2-mtrs, 432 and 6-mtrs.

Spent quite a few years playing the "Emcomm gig" ... running to earthquakes, wildfires and flooded disaster areas in different parts of California.

That being said ...

Recently got back into SOTA (Summits On The Air) and have been chasing stations, but will start doing activation's shortly by getting back into shape with a few smaller elevations/distances to walk/hike, then on to the higher elevations/distances.

Started up working POTA (Parks On The Air) and have been "hunting," but will start doing activation's from local parks in the near future, then branch out to other areas.I will also be looking for "co-located" SOTA and POTA locations ... as well as working the birds (satellites) from those same locations. (A little something for everyone: hunters, chasers and SWL's alike). The first co-located activation's will more than likely be Inspiration Benchmark (SOTA: W6/SD-037) located inside the Joshua Tree National Park (POTA: K-0041) since that is located 14.9 miles north of my house. I can see it from the backyard.

With the band conditions the way they have been the last few years ... I decided to get out of the shack(s) and get back out in the outdoors and combine that with ham radio. SOTA and POTA fit that bill nicely, for me. https://www.sota.org.uk/ https://parksontheair.com/

ECRA - East County Repeater Association (Member). http://ecra-sd.com/
Monitor/use the 147.240 Monument Peak KA6DAC linked repeater system. (Linked into Arizona).

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).

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 Radio Repair).

(Yeah, they are coming for me soon ... to put "me" in a museum ... along with the equipment I operated).

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





@AC7AP








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

Worked DXCCs:

Equipment

Not going to list each and every item/radio ... Suffice it to say I own Yaesu, Icom, Alinco and Kenwood equipment. The "vast majority" of the equipment is Yaesu. (HF/VHF/UHF)