I am a life long Ham, licensed in 1972 as WN9JHN, later upgraded to N9AIN. My first rig was a E.F. Johnson Viking II paired with an Allied A-2516 receiver. My favorite rig when I was young was my Collins 32v2 that I purchased from my elmer George Terhune, K9IWN.

In 1980 I joined the United States Air Force to receive formal training as a radio and electronics technician. I enjoyed living in northern Michigan while in the USAF and even did some hamming around up there as I was part of the alternate recovery base team as well as a technician on the SAC command post super low frequency communications system we used to talk to the bombers. I would set up a KWM-2, 30L-1 and wire antennas.

After the military I returned to the Chicago area where I began working for a large two-way radio company performing service on radios and car phones. In 1986 I began working atUnited Airlines and completed my BSEE degree. I took a position as radio engineer for UAL and stayed there until 2006. At UAL I designed and built many land mobile and ground to air radio systems, oversaw the construction of trunked radio systems around the country and even did some work on the 747 used to transport NASA's infrared deep space telescope otherwise know as theSOPIA project http://www.sofia.usra.edu/

I have always enjoyed building antennas and my own gear. I love old tube rigs from the 50's and my most recent creation is an all band CW rig using a pair of 6146's in the final. Today I am proud to work for the Harris corporation as an Engineering Manager in the public safety communications department where I help customers and engineers make decisions on products and systems. We build electronic packages that go into spacecraft, Humvees, Marine Corp backpacks, police cars, fire trucks, you name it. Working with the people at Harris is in itself an honor.

My favorite receiver is a hot Collins 75A-3 that I have made some enhancements to which make it a great CW rig. It is paired up with a newly acquired and updated Collins 32V2 transmitter.My antenna systems are pretty simple using 450 ohm ladder line and a home brew tuner with plug in coils. I do not use more than 100 watts so getting all the power to the antenna is a must. If you have not tried a balanced feedline with a true link coupled tuner youmay not be getting the most out of your antenna system.

I also like to ride motorcycles and have taken many long journeys with my wife on our Harley. I am an avid trap shooter and learning to shoot skeet. I do like to pheasant hunt now and then with my faithful Labradors but mostly stick to clay targets. I love radio, especially on the shortwave bands and am partial to CW on 80 meters when the power line noise isn't deafening.

This is a list of the rigs I have used over the years.

ARC-5 Receiver paired with a Globe Chief Transmitter (found at garage sale when I was 12)

E. F. Johnson Viking II with 122 VFO paired with an Allied A-2516 Receiver (Dad had pity on me and replaced the old WW II era stuff)

Collins 32V2 I bought from my elmer K9IWN

Hallicrafters SX-40 Receiver

Collins 75S-1 paired with a Collins 32S-2

Heathkit SB-104

Drake R4 paired with a Drake T4X

Drale 2B

Heathkit HW-101 transciever

BC-348 receiver

R-390A paired with my Homebrew 80-10 2X 6146 CW transmitter

R-388 paired with a different Viking and homebrew tube type VFO

Homebrew KW amp using 2X 4CX-250B's

Ten Tec Corsair II

Collins 32V2 paired with Collins 75A-3