Biography

I have always been interested in radio. Growing up I always ha a cb. I remember parking my truck on a high bridge, take a roll of wire attached to a piece of chain and throwing it into the water. With a 102" steel whip, as my antenna, talk out of state. I lived in Swansboro, NC. As a truck driver, after getting out of the Navy, I ran a Galaxy II with a 102 whip, 3"above my trailer, paired with a Grey 300. I could be mobile in the mid west and chat with southern FL.

I lost interest for a while, that was when I met KD4IAL, Harold Fisher. He is the one that got me interested in radio again. I told him that the CW thing I cannot pass. That's when I found out it was no longer mandatory. Yee Ha !! He told me where and how to study, got me a book, and now I am on the air again!!

Radios have been given to me as I grew and other things as well. I mentor new Hams, and give them things to help them as others have helped me. My greatest student, a grandson, one of 15 grand kids, was down here on a visit with the family from NY for a wedding. I heard one of my radios going off, and found him playing with the 897. to make a long story short, he helped me make several contacts with the TX QSO party not to long ago. he is REALLY interested. He now has the Gordon West study guide, I have on a well,just in case he has questions...he's 11.

Equipment

Base radios are Yaesu FT-897,FT-102 paired to a MFJ Versa Tuner III to a G5RV Dipole, about 28'off of the ground at the peak, and about 12' at either end, pointing some what to North and South.

I also have a President HR2510, paired to eiither an Elkin 4 tube amp or a Silver Eagle 200 to a home brew 2 element beam or a 18 ft vertical I bought from England, Can't remember the name of it to save my life. The beam is about 20'above the ground. the vertical is sitting about 16'up off the ground.

2 meter Icom IC-28A is fed to a 3 element dual band J pole I purchased in Nashville during Hamfest before moving to VA. It is a dual band antenna. At about 10' up.

Mobile radio is an FT-7900R matched to a Browning dual band hood mount.

Portable radios, too many to mention, but my favorite is the IC-V80.

I have 40' of tower, but since I live in a trailer park, I can't really put it up, unless I clear a path in the woods that surround me. Too many power lines and neighbors, although I do have a dead end lot.