Member Bio

Good day to you! Thank you for visiting my page.

I became a licensed Amateur Radio Operator in May of 2023 after almost 30 years worth of half-hearted efforts to accomplish this goal. While I’m not exactly sure why this took me so long, I’m glad to have finally completed the first step in this exciting and fascinating hobby. There are so many wonderful things to learn and so many people to communicate with, and I’m looking forward to many years of enjoyment and interaction.

My wife, Angela, and I have been married since 2014 and we have 8 kids between us in our blended family. As my wife likes to put it, dinnertime at the table is like comedy hour, with each child trying to get everyone to either laugh or just get someone to say, “I can’t believe you just said that!” Most of our children are out on their own now, so things are starting to settle down just a little bit. This ultimately leaves a little more time for personal hobbies.

I am a software and electronics engineer, working primarily in the automotive aftermarket. My wife and I own a company that designs and manufactures performance products for gas and diesel Ford trucks. I’ve been in this industry since 1997, in the automotive industry in general since 1982, and our company has been in business since 2007. We are highly respected members of the diesel truck community and enjoy what we do.

Some of my hobbies include camping (glamping, actually), dirtbiking, motorcycling, SCUBA diving, horseback riding, and now Amateur Radio. My wife and I also like to travel and usually try to take 2-3 trips a year. Our favorite destination to date has been Ireland, which was an amazing journey. To be able to enjoy the cultures of other countries is a tremendous experience, and is a big part of the reason I am excited to have become a HAM. We look forward to more travels over the next few years, but being able to reach out and interact with people around the world right from our home is just as exciting!

For my VHF/UHF rig, I’m currently running a YAESU FT-991A, a Yaesu M-1 Reference mic, and a Comet GP-9 Antenna Dual-Band antenna. With this setup, I’ve actually been able to hit repeaters more than 100 miles away with good weather conditions.

As for my HF rig, I have a Kenwood TS-890 outputting through a Chameleon Antennea MPAS 2.0 temporarily fixed as a vertical using the ground spike. Audio input is handled using an Oktava MK-319 studio mic fed through a Yamaha mixer, and then into the radio. This gives a nice, warm sound to my transmissions, especially since I don’t have one of those “radio” voices and need all the help I can get. LOL

I also have an ICOM 7610, which is a great radio to have and will get it hooked up in the spring once we get the tower installed and can hoist a couple more antennas.

If you’re reading this, I going to assume that we’ve already spoken to each other. Thank you for stopping by to learn a little about me and I look forward to meeting you on the air again soon.

A quick update – As of 08/19/2023, I have now passed my General Class exam and will be well on my way to getting my Extra Class license!

For my second update – As of 08/26/2023, I have now passed my Amateur Extra Class exam! Talk about exciting!

If you’d like to know more about me or my family, please visit our website at http://thecohrons.com and have look.

If you happen to drive a Ford 7.3L Power Stroke, a Ford 6.0L Power Stroke, or an International Medium Duty truck, please visit our company website at https://gopowerhungry.com and see if there’s anything we can help with.

Take care and God bless!

73 – Bill – WD4AMC