Biography

Originally licensed as a Novice in 1979 with the call KA0DYU. In the next year I upgraded to General class. In 1981 I received my Advanced class license and my current call of KB0XZ.
Since starting as a ham I have had to deal with limited funds and locations for an antenna. My initial operating location was in a two story apartment on the second floor. I had access to the attic and permission from my landlord to put antennas in the attic. I started with dipoles then constructed a 2 element W8JK beam for 20-15-10. That antenna performed well and I worked a good amount of DX on 100 watts in the early’80’s.
When I bought a home I was hampered by antenna restrictions and power lines. A large tree in the yard provided support for an 80 through 10 meter MorGain fan dipole. This was sufficient for rag chewing on the low bands and DX on the higher bands during the sunspot peak in the 80’s. In the early 90’s, high winds tore down the antenna and I was off the HF bands until October 2021.
I got back on HF with an Alpha Delta DX-EE fan dipole, oriented vertically, high end up 45 feet. My radio is an Icom IC-718 running 100 watts. This has been sufficient to allow me to work 44 states and 29 countries on 100 watts ssb in my first two months back on the HF bands. I’m glad to be enjoying this hobby again.
I’m retired so I have a good deal of time for ham radio and also my other hobby. I’m currently in three bands that play blues and folk rock. I have been playing harmonica for over 50 years and gig several times a week during the busy winery season here.
Hope to put you in the log. 73

Worked DXCCs: