Biography

My father was a CW radio operator in the armed forces and was interested in electronics, both of which sparked my interest too in these subjects. I had an opportunity to learn ham radio when I was 17-18 years old but passed it up for other things. I regretted it since then. Life then intervened and I never had a chance to pick it up.

In “preparation” for retirement, I took stock of all my interests and jumped on ham radio. In 2017-2018, while still working, I obtained my Technician and General license. I still did not have a radio. In 2018, I retired and moved to a retirement community in Oracle, Arizona. I immediately joined the Oro Valley Amateur Radio Club. With the help of elmer friends and borrowed equipment, I started operating. Later, I bought my modest rig and started on my own. In 2019, I obtained my Amateur Extra license.

I live in an HOA community where antennas are not just restricted but completely outlawed. Accordingly, I do not have a permanent station and set up. I have a small Yaesu FT-991A radio with a manual antenna tuner that I set up time to time on my back patio. I have two “stealth antennas”: now you see it no you don’t. I set them up and take them down as needed. I have a G5RV Junior dipole set up in an inverted V position along my back fence and a portable Super Antenna, a loaded coil vertical. Not having a strong radio and good antennas, it is hard for me to get voice contacts. I prefer digital modes operating with low power.

I am still a rookie in my late sixties, not the usual operator that started as a teenager. I am also lacking the ncessary technical knowledge but learning fast through getting into troubles and then trying to get out of them. Forgive me if I fail your expectations.

Worked DXCCs:

Equipment

Yaesu FT-991A base radio; HF/VHF/UHF 100 Watt.
G5RV Junior dipole antenna on a 16" high center boom in an inverted V configuration.
Super Antenna; small portable vertical antenna with a loading coil.
MFJ portable antenna tuner.
Thinkpad X1 Carbon laptop.
Ham Radio Deluxe software for digital modes.