I am a CW operator first licensed in 1965 in Houston, TX as WN5NQN / WA5NQN thanks to the efforts of my Elmer, W5MRX. This hobby sparked an interest that lead to a BSEE and MEEE from Texas A&M University. I was commissioned in the U. S. Navy and spent 13 months in Viet Nam. A young Lt(jg) should not get caught reading light faster than the leading signalman.

I operated from KH6SP at NAVSTA Pearl Harbor in the mid 70s and later used secondary call WA1UGN while in New England. My high school buddy, WA5OCN (now N5EA), introduced me to my future XYL during one of our weekly skeds from KH6SP.

I changed to N5IR in 1976 while at Ft. Devens, MA.

I have worked for General Electric, Arthur A. Collins, Inc., and Raytheon (who subsumed E-Systems, who subsumed Electrospace Systems) since my active military service. I retired from Raytheon in 2010.

I had the privilege of setting up Art Collins, W0CXX’s, last ham radio station after ICOM gave him IC-701 s/n 0001. Besides Art Collins, the following hams have influenced me through out my career: Dr. John Painter, W5LQS; Dick Fenwick, K5RR; Dr. Tim Bratton, K5RA; Dr. Joel Holyoak, KG5YN; Dr. Tim Holzheimer, N6DIY; and Ed (TFER) Ray, W4NEZ. Thanks guys.

Member: ARRL, LSDXA, CWops (#799)

Best QSO - I came home for a weekend visit during my freshman year at Texas A&M. I could not get to sleep that Saturday night so I called CQ on 20 SSB. An older K7 answered me and we spoke for an hour. He asked me about my major in school and my dreams to fly for the Navy. He told me about his early stations. He was quite a gentleman and very patient with a young ham. About 10 days later, my father called me at school to let me know that I had received a QSL from Senator Barry Goldwater, K7UGA.