KK5R -- Former calls: WB4DPG, WB5QGI

OMISS # 6452

NOTE: For QSL mailings, please use PO Box only as follows:

BOB LUNSFORD — KK5R
PO BOX 606
SALYERSVILLE KY 41465

General Background:

Started studying electronics in 1955
Mayo State Vocational and Technical School (Radio & TV)
Lexington Technical Institute (part of the University of KY)
University of Kentucky in Lexington, KY
Central Texas College in Killeen, TX
FCC Licensed Broadcast Engineer (First Class Radiotelephone,
now General Radiotelephone:PG1023110 date converted 03/04/1987)

Lived in Brazil and Peru (son of a missionary on the Amazon) and also in Panama for about six months. Attended three Morse code schools in Brazil and one in Peru. Returned to USA in December, 1961 and joined US Army in 1962 as an ASA Morse Intercept Operator, attaining 28WPM. However, was soon transferred to a language pool to be a Portuguese and Spanish translator/interpreter for remaining time of 3-year Army tour. Still fluent in Spanish and Portuguese and can get lost and found again in French.

Retired from the US Government after 31 years of service. Last duty was as a Telecommunications Specialist for the Television-Audio Support Activity (T-ASA) in Sacramento but that organization has since relocated to Southern California.

Returned from China in 2007 after living there for over four years. Was an English teacher at a large university for two years and at a private school for remainder of time there. Plan to return someday.

Some Places Worked:

IBM Engineering Development Laboratory, Office Products Division

University of KY Physics Department Electronics Shop

US Government as electronic technician, equipment specialist, telecommunications specialist and telecommunications engineer. Worked in systems and production engineering, engineering prototyping and design, five years CAD experience, procuring and setting up computer systems for other government organizations, programming satellite transponders and installing English Language Laboratories in other countries through US Embassies. Duties took me to over 53 countries.

After retirement, I went to China to teach English for four years and returned to Kentucky in 2007. Will be here at least for a while. Still have hopes of either going back to China to teach or moving to Texas, if that doesn't come about.

Hobbies (including Ham Radio):

Hobbies include photography, flying, writing books and magazine articles and some other hobbies but Amateur Radio remains the most-liked. Antenna experimentation is the main adventure, HF is the name of the game. The present goal is to establish regular skeds with son (N5DIM) in Sacramento. This is why more antenna work is in the forecast.

What's happening today:

Station consists of a Yaesu FT-450AT for home use and an FT-757GXII transceiver mostly for mobile purposes. I also have an FT-2800M on 2M and usually monitor 52S for emergency needs of anyone passing through. I struggle with a low 2M antenna, though, which is inherent with living in one of the lowest places in the area. Being in a hole sorta puts the crimp on VHF activity. In fact, being below average terrain here puts my 2M antenna at the road level. Have to find a way to give my homebrew 2M J-Pole more elevation.

Antennas are a GAP Titan and a B&W folded dipole (TTFD) antenna at 35-ft. The B&W is the most-used and it gives full coverage on all bands from 80M thru 10M resulting in no tune-up when changing bands/frequencies; 160M and 6M are worked through an MFJ-948 transmatch or, more often, the 450AT with its internal matcher. Other bands do not need tuning the antenna if the B&W antenna is used. Sometimes, especially on 20M (maybe 10-percent of the time), the GAP antenna works a wee bit better (on receive) possibly because it is slightly more non-directional when compared to the B&W antenna. However, the B&W antenna usually does not show pronounced directivity on HF and this usually exhibits much better signal-to-noise reception. If I can hear them, the DX can usually hear me unless my meager signal is covered up by "legal" powered hams or those with monster antennas sticking up in the air about a half mile.

Antennas are low. Again, I live in a hole. It's only a few feet above the river bottom water level. Used to flood every year here but no more flooding after the state cleared out the river beds. The only good thing is that the ground system is great due to being so water-saturated. Still wondering how to make the best use of this swamp. Not enough area for a decent set of ground radials for verticals but maybe the waterlogged bottoms will do it for me. Guess more experimentation is in order.

Having a ball but too much DX has already slipped by! Have to get back to the mike and, hopefully soon, back to the key with equal determination. Not too much later, either.