As a youngster growing up in New Zealand I had the good fortune to meet a Canadian amateur ex VE7ASB who noted I had a passion for electronics and radio. I spent many hours tuning his HRO set looking for VE calls on 20, making antennas etc. What can I say, bitten by the bug. I trained and worked as a Radio Technician for the NZ post office for 16 years and held the call ZL1TVX since 1976. Moved to California in 1985 working in Mechanical Engineering/ Robotics in Silicon Valley for many years, then moved here to this sub tropical paradise, VK land in 2005. My QTH is now the Sunshine Coast here in Queensland, Australia. After many years off the air with some SWL, I have set up again here and have been on the air since July 08. The main rig is a Yaesu FT-990 (since May 2010), a Yaesu FL-2100B Linear. The main transmitting antenna is a HyGain 4 Band Vertical, elevated to 21 feet at the base with elevated radials. When things get too noisy I use a horizontal wire antenna on receive. 

The QTH is about 100km north of the Queensland capital city Brisbane. We are located about 15 minutes walk down a slope to the beach and we are on top of a ridge so there is nothing between my antennas and the ocean to the East.

My local club, Sunshine coast amateur radio club are a great bunch, well established and working very hard to recruit young members.

Favourite band, 20M, I have been hanging out there picking off the countries slowly. I really enjoy a decent chat, not so excited about just exchanging signal strengths etc. I do work a bit on 40M between 7.147 up to 7.181 there are only a couple of spots on 40 where I can avoid the racket caused by neighbourhood plasma TVs.

I work as an Industrial Designer, currently developing equipment designs for helicopters. It is very rewarding work.

73,s Pete.