My first "contact" was: July 20, 2009. I'll soon have my own IRLP node. In addition to enjoying amateur radio, I've also enjoyed being a Boy Scoutmaster, American Red Cross first aid instructor, and Civil Air Patrol communications officer. Designing and building radio equipment for fun and to earn a living is something I've always really enjoyed doing.

Becoming a Ham: When a "botched" hernia operation side-lined me with a lot of pain, I decided to get a "Technician" Ham license so I could chat with local Hams. I passed the "Technician" exam and the VE told me I should go for the "General" class license. I declined, because I live in an apartment (no outside antennas allowed), but changed my mine while driving home. So, the next month I took and passed my "General." Based on my score, the VE said I really should go for the "Extra." I thanked him for his kind words, but declined. Since I had no prior amateur radio experience and none of my friends are Ham's, I didn't think I would be able to pass the "Extra" class exam - but I couldn't help but wonder. Sooo, the next month I took the "Extra" class exam - and passed it. You never know what you can do if you don't try!

Technical Bio: My interest in radio and electronics started as a young kid. I mowed a lot of lawns to get my first "all-band" receiver. Unfortunately, my "code" wasn't good enough to pass the Novice exam. However, I continued to read electronic books, and studied electronics in high school and college. When the Civil Air Patrol squadron I was in needed help with their radios I got a "1st Class Radio Telephone License," so I could work on the aircraft radios. My first two-way radios, for my jeep and home, were built from military surplus radios; using new solid-state components. While in college I worked as a radio station engineer. To improve audio quality I designed new solid-state recording studio control boards, amplifiers, and other audio processing equipment; from scratch. Favorable results got me promoted to "chief engineer" and eventually "director of engineering" for a coast-to-coast chain of nine radio and TV stations. I've also had the pleasure of working in the Research & Development department of Motorola.

Personal info: Single male, born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona - currently living in beautiful Beaverton, Oregon - with my "virtual" dog: Sky Pup. We both enjoy amateur radio and flying. Sky Pup feels we need more "YL contacts" - to help improve our level of "civility." Unfortunately, I'm a better listener than talker on the radio. Moving on . . . in spite of early "fame," as a Duncan Yo-Yo champion in fourth grade, I wasn't detoured from my interest in radio. By the fifth grade I had mastered the art of reading radio magazines hidden inside school books. A lack of funds (no allowance) limited my radio inventions, but I was able to scrounge some electronic parts from "working radios" - much to the displeasure of my parents. In "high school" I built a transistor radio, disguised as a hearing aid (no joke), that allowed me to listen to music during all of my classes. STUDENTS, radio is great, but I know if I'd been a "better student in ALL subjects" I could have achieved a lot more!

"Long-term" project: Design and build a personal RC-UAV airplane (radio controlled unmanned aerial vehicle), to be flown in FPV (first person video) mode. I'd like to hear from other pilots and Hams interested in "radio controlled" UAV airplanes.

Miscellaneous