Thanks for visiting my website.

I have recently (2008) become an amateur radio operator again after about 40 years off the air. I received my Novice ticket in 1954 and was assigned the call KN1AWO. After I received my Conditional license (that was the same as a General, but proctored by another ham when you were too far from an FCC testing center to be able to conveniently travel to take your test) and the call was changed to K1AWO. I held that call until moving to Virgina to attend college in 1961. At that time I was assigned the call WA4IDN.

I remained active for several years, but then lost interest in about 1970 and let my license expire.

In 2008 I had a heart attack and quadruple bypass surgery. That incident caused me to think about things I had done when I was younger that I wanted to do again. Tops on the list was to get back on the air! I was amazed to learn that I could get a license now without a code test. Even so, I purchased a rig and started boning up on the code. I enjoyed CW when I was a kid and wanted to use it again. It turned out that copying code was kind of like riding a bike. Once learned it apparently stays with you. I was happy to see that I could still pretty much copy at about 7 wpm.

I took the Tehcnician and General test on the same day and received the call KI6SYO. About two months later I went back and passed the "nocode" extra exam. Times sure have changed!

Since being back on the air equipment in the shack has come and gone at a rapid rate. Remember, it was a shock to me to learn that one no longer needed to "tune up" a transmitter when I got back on the air. I had purchased an Icom 706 used and couldn't find the "plate" and "load" controls!

What I am finding is that I am leaning toward the older gear. Although I must admit that the newer solid state rigs are convenient, there is still something about a vacuum tube that brings back fond memories. Currently I lean toward hybrid rigs such as the Kenwood TS-520, 530, etc and the Yaesu FT-101.