Biography

A quick note here, on my FCC license my name is listed as John, however I prefer to use Jack. So when I say my name is Jack don't panic! it's okay. It's kinda like using Bob for Robert or Bill for William, you get the picture.

I've only been a HAM since November 2011, original call was KD0QEB. I used that call till I applied for a vanity call and was awarded WJ0TM as my new call in June of 2020. In 2011 I was challenged by co-workers to see if I could pass all three levels of HAM license in one night, I took and passed both the Technician and General tests but missed the Extra by one question (the VE didn't tell me, but I was pretty sure which on I missed). On 9 March 2016 I tested for an Extra class license and passed, effective date of the license is March 16, 2016.

I retired from the US Army as a SFC in 1993 after 22 years of service. The last 8 years I was an instructor at the Patriot Air Defense School at Ft. Bliss Texas and a platoon Sergeant in a Patriot Air Defense Battery (C btry 6th of the 43rd ADA in Ansbauch Ger and C btry 1st of the 43r ADA at Ft. Bliss). Following that I worked for two major defense companies, in both jobs I worked directly with the military. It was almost like I never retired. I did this for a total of 19 years. I retired in April 2012 and moved to my new home in Gravois Mills Missouri. Aside from HAM radio I also enjoy USPSA pistol shooting, trap shooting and photography (mostly wildlife and general outdoor photography).

My HAM hobby has grown over the past few of years. While I consider it a "cold weather" hobby, I enjoy it year round. My shack has one desktop computer, one laptop computer, a Yaesu FT-dx1200 and a Yaesu FT-8800 (don't know for the life of me why they canceled this radio). For antennas I have a SpiRo folded dipole up about 35ft, a home made fan dipole up about 25ft, and a Comet 250B with its base at about twenty feet above the ground (no radials needed). For the FT-8800 I have a Cushcraft Ringo Ranger up about 40ft. I use HRD as my interface for the HF radio to computer (I'm cheap, it's the last free version) so I can access some of the radio's features without having to memorizing all the menu options. I also have an IC-718, LDG IT-100 auto tuner, and a Buddy stick in a go box that I hope to use when I go camping. For mobile ops I have a Yaesu FT 2500 in my Jeep with a Comet CMA-B-10 on a magnamount and in my Chevy 2500HD I have an Anytone 5888UV with a MFJ-1724 antenna. HTs well I have a Alinco DJ-V57 and a Yaesu FT1D and I just recently added an Anytone AT-D878UV.



I use the following logging sites:

LoTW

QRZ

HRDLOG

eQSL

I upload once a week usually on Wednesdays during the winter months. But in the summer months I'm not on the radio much so this can vary.

I am currently the webmaster of the Lake of the Ozarks Amateur Radio Club, located in Camdenton Missouri, webpage (LOARC.COM). Our local repeater is 146.730 and is located on the CO-MO Electric tower in Laurie Mo. If you are visiting the Lake area fell free to give me a call.

Worked DXCCs:

Equipment

FM Radio: Yaesu FTdx1200
FM Antenna: Comet 250B
Spirpro Folded Dipole 160 thru 10
VHF/UHF:
Yaesu FT-880
Yaesu FT1D
Yaesu FT2500