Biography

Greetings all !! Thanks for checking my page out. I was on QRZ many years and had a nice page with lot's of history, but became in active, and I guess they took it down.

First got my novice ticket in mid to late 80's and have kept my one and only call. Back then before the internet and the system the FCC was using I had to wait until you received the paper ticket in the mail, waited 12 weeks !!!! I had a HW 101 all set up and ready, my first contact was my brother in Birmingham Al on 80 meters CW .

I have enjoyed helping the Red Cross, and net control work on a few traffic nets, over the years, I was able to be one of the very first HF ops on site after Andrew hit south Florida, I and one other were sent down by the officials here in Jacksonville.

Have been involved with a lost and out of fuel boat near the Bahamas, on 40 meters, I had two other stations on freq with me as the band was coming and going at night fall. Guy had a HF radio and a VHF marine rig and his battery was going. After about 6 hours we were able to get a Coast Guard helicopter in contact with him on the VHF rig, the Coast Guard even came on the air with me until he could copy VHF.

Ham radio is still a lot of fun, but like this world, it's not what it was in the past, and I'm afraid that as the government keeps dumming it down, we will lose the hobby !

Again thanks for looking me up, hope to chat soon,
73's
bob

Equipment

From old to new: DX 40 , Ten Tec Omni "C" , Kenwood 140 , Ten Tec Scout 555 , Kenwood 450sat , MFJ 9440 , and last a Icom 703.

antennas are all home made, 80 meter full wave loop with Johnson match box, and a 20 meter thru 10 vertical .

I had a 811 three tube HF amp, never used it after I quit calling a traffic net, and I just gave it to a long time friend. I try to put my time and few dollars into a feed line, and antenna.

Again thanks for looking me up, hope to chat soon,
73's
bob