Biography

Began ham radio as
WN4ycs. Lived in Lake Wales, FL at the time. My first rig was a home built CW transmitter using a 6L6 and an 807 final. My receiver was a surplus BC-348.
My first contact was May 5, 1953. I was 13 years old. My older brother and I took the novice and later the general class tests together. I think we had to drive to Tampa to take the tests.

After I got my general class license I built a larger rig with push pull 6146 finel. I think i ran about 60 watts. This included a home built modulator for voice transmission. I used wire antennas at first but buildt a two element 15 meter beam on a crank up tower. So I operated a lot of 15 meters. A bit later I bought a Viking Ranger kit and worked it along with an RME 45 receiver.
Then came college at the U. of Florida. I eventually sold or gave away all of my ham gear as I was fully immersed in getting an EE degree. Graduated with the EE in 1962 and worked as an EE in S. California and Melbourne, FL for over 40 years. Most of this was spent designing, building and selling supervisory control systems and Energy management systems for the electric utility industry. Retired initially in 2000. Fully retired in 2007.
In 2024, I regained my general class license and began hamming again as W4YCQ Rig now is an Icom I-7200. When I lived in Palm Bay, FL I used an off center fed wire antenna. After moving into a development in West Melbourne I had to go to a vertical antenna. I work mostly 20 meters usually looking for DX.

Enjoying the hobby again.

Equipment

#com 7200 and a vertical antenna.