I started ham radio in high school where I got my novice license (KN5JAJ) in 1961. My Elmer, my shop teacher Mr. Graham, W5VXV, still lives in my home town of Texas City, Texas. That summer, I went to the Houston FCC office before going to the University of Texas and passed my General class license and received K5JAJ. I upgraded to Advanced in 1972 and Extra in 1978 (20 wpm in front of the steely eyes of the FCC examiner!) at the Dallas FCC office.

My interests are primarily HF, SSB and CW. I have an Elecraft K3/KPA500/P3. My HF antennas are a Force12 XR5 at 55 ft, a 40M Delta Loop at 50 ft. and a 30 meter dipole at 35 feet. For 6 meters, I have a M2 6M 5 el. yagi at 60 ft. I also have a 220 MHz repeater (223.82 MHz) at my home qth to play with. I have built a number of 220 MHz repeaters and 900 MHz repeaters in the past, but now in retirement, have only one on the air at my house on 223.820 MHz

My XYL is Mary, WD5IHY, General Class, who was licensed in 1978, also at the same Dallas FCC Office. My brother is also a ham, Dexter, K5WDW, who lives in Houston, Texas.

I worked 41 years as an Electrical Engineer in the Defense Industry in the Dallas area. I started work at LTV Electrosystems in 1967, working on EW and spacecraft vehicles. In 1970, I moved to Texas Instruments in the Defense Systems Group as a Microwave Engineer and worked on many different areas in microwaves: radar, missile, airborne, ship borne and land based.

I retired on Dec. 31, 2007 and have been enjoying retirement with my wife. Now that I am retired, I can operate anytime I want and have rekindled my interest in CW, especially working DX on this mode. This a lot different than my early days in 1961, when my code key was a Vintage US Army Signal Corps J-38, which I still have after all these years! I bought the key at Montgomery Wards in Houston on their surplus table many years ago. It is the only piece of equipment I have from my novice days in 1961………!