Biography

My journey into amateur radio began in childhood, sparked by my older brother’s fascination with radio technology. I was barely ten when I built my first crystal radio — a simple device, yet magical in the way it brought distant voices and music to life.

In 1959, I began studying radio technology at the Tallinn Polytechnic, and before long I found myself in the UR2KAB radio club. Between 1961 and 1963, I took part in some of Estonia’s very first UHF field day competitions — exciting days spent outdoors, experimenting, learning, and connecting over the airwaves.

After graduating in 1964, I continued my studies in the evening program at the Tallinn Polytechnic Institute. But three years of compulsory military service interrupted those plans, and with it, my connection to amateur radio faded. What I thought would be a short break stretched into fifty years.

Then, in 2013, a dear friend, former course mate, and namesake — ES2DW, now sadly a silent key — encouraged me to return to the hobby I had once loved so much. His words rekindled the spark, and I’ve been active ever since.

Today, in my retirement, amateur radio is more than just a pastime — it’s a source of joy, curiosity, and connection, just as it was all those years ago when I first tuned in to the world.

Worked DXCCs:

Equipment

Transceiver Yaesu FT-897
Antenna 80 m Delta Loop and 6 band Broadband Hex-Beam