Biography

Retired Military, when I got into ham radio in the 90`s a group of us where all into CB radio. we decided to take the plunge. well some of the people on ham where jerks and idiots but we where lucky enough to have some good Elmer's locally in Thomasville, Ga.Now we have all gone our separate ways.

while in the military meet a bunch of good ham operators down in Hinesville, Ga. (FT Stewart) and this is where I upgraded to General with the nagging of my roommate's KC4WHR Pat and KD4LLA Mike. We had 3 hams in one small (ROUND) cabin with 3 full HF,VHF,UHF stations. those where the day.

After the military I ended up contracting over in the sand box. I did this from 2004/2012. with a few breaks I between. While in Kuwait I got my 9K2 thanks to Hamad 9k2hn and the Kuwait radio club president at the time, I forgot his call. This is when me and 2 other Americans (we where VE`s) gave the first American Amateur license test in Kuwait that I know of.I made several contacts with my little station in my apartment in down town Kuwait running a TS-480 SAT, G5RV,and 5BTV at 13 stories. After a few years in Kuwait I decided to go to Iraq, in Iraq my station was limited to my TS-480 and various home brew antennas made from scrap commo wire found in junk yards on base (Camp Liberty)this is where I got my YI9WP call thanks to the newly formed Iraq Amateur radio club. After ii got bored with a few tours in Iraq I went to Afghanistan and the license was $650 us dollars well needless to say I didn't do ham radio in Afghanistan but I did allot of shortwave listening with my portable Sony shortwave radio.

Now back home I am trying to retire but seems that's not happening yet but I still get on HF and working on 100 IOTAs award.

I have my DXCC(ALL PHONE), CQ/DX, Dynasty Award, WAC(PHONE),TEN TEN and others I have in a folder in my file cabinet. Working on my 100 IOTA now.

Well that's a tiny history of my radio life not to mention 50+ years in CB radio.

Lessons learned in hobby. 1.don't listen to the some of the idiots on 80 meters radio. 2.help new hams all you can. 3.promote ham radio to good people. 4.CB radio today is far more active than most think and many good people on that never harass others like on 80mtrs

Equipment

TS-440 and TS-430
TS-480
2 G5RV`s
5BTV with 12/17 addons
3el ts-33-jr