I was born on April 26 1943 and was raised in the copper mining region of Michigan's upper peninsula. I graduated from the Michigan School for the Blind in June of 1961 and enrolled at Northern Michigan University and earned a BA in Social Services and Secondary Education in 1965. I received the MA degree in Social Work from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1967.

For 37 years I did social work in mental health clinics in Saginaw, Sault Sainte Marie and Reed City, Michigan where I retired in 2003. My spouse of 45 years, Sandy, is now a retired elementary school teacher and is an artist. We have a son, Mark, who works as a computer analyst in the Kalamazoo area.

While I was in college, I tuned pianos for the Storey & Clarke Piano Company of Grand Haven, Michigan during the summer vacations. I also tuned pianos for various music stores throughout my working years and this gave me a little cash for ham gear. I enjoyed fishing and woodworking for many years, but ham radio has always been my favorite hobby. I am primarily a cw operator and I like to rag chew.

I also listen to music of most types and I read a lot of fiction. So give me a call and we can discuss your hobbies and mine. Here are pictures of my wife, Sandy, and I with our side by side recumbent Sun bikes. We enjoy pedaling them along our miles of bike trails in west central Michigan.

Below is my old-time station equipment ~ some of the time on CW I like to go and enjoy a few contacts;   as I recall of how it was in my younger ham days

But I also have been using equipment of a more modern vintage ~ so you'll hear me on SSB with that shown below.   As you can see ~ I do like to operate from the easy chair ~ but for CW I have to sit at the desk ~ as in the cover photo. 

73, Bob K8MXC {February, 2012}