Member Bio

Like many US operators of the era, I began my love affair with radio in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, initially on CB radio with my friends. Local hams took me and several others under their collective wings and helped us get our Novice licenses in 1974. I remained a Novice until 1979, just prior to High School graduation, when I tested for Technician. In 1983 I joined the US Navy and became a Gun/Missile Fire Controlman. Once assigned to my first ship, I converted an unused, former ventilation room into a MARS Radio station.

The space renovation required the installation of; lighting and electric, tile flooring on the deck, insulation lagging on the bulkheads, a good paint job all around, and furnishings for the radios and equipment. Once the space was completed, and all of the equipment installed and tuned, I began operations in my off-duty hours as the shipboard MARS Station operator conducting ship-to-shore communications for the ships crew. These operations allowed me to keep the radio flame alive, even during my military service, and perform a much needed morale service for the crew.

I ended my military service in April of 1989 as a 1^st Class Petty Officer, and moved from Virginia to Pennsylvania with my wife and children. There, life got in the way and amateur radio went by the wayside out of necessity. Now that I am older and our children are grown, I have the time (… and the money) to re-kindle the radio flames. I am in the process of building my “ham shack” and have been steadily progressing through the re-licensing process.

On November 4^th, 2023 I tested and passed (33/35) the Technician Class license in Claymont, Deleware. Was issued my FCC Amateur Radio License on Nov 7, 2023 as KC3WZA. I then tested and passed (33/35) the General Class license in Rising Sun, Maryland on Nov 18th, 2023, and received my upgrade on Nov. 27th, 2023. On the same day my license upgrade was issued, I submitted my application for a Vanity Callsign. My first choice of callsigns, K3SNO, was granted on December 15th, 2023. This callsign was chosen because my wife and I are Alaskan Malamute breeders, so it is a nod to our Snow Dogs.

I took my final FCC license exam for Amateur Extra Class License on January 6th, 2023, and passed (49/50). The FCC ULS Database updated on January 8th, making my upgrade official. I’ll remain K3SNO, vs. changing to a 2×1, 1×2, or 2×2 “A Class” callsign, as I have become rather fond of this callsign. It has a rather pleasant rign to it when I say “K 3 SNOW”. LOL

My shack currently consists of an ICOM IC-7300, ICOM IC-821H, and an ICOM IC-551D, an ICOM IC-R7000, and a Yaesu FL-2100B Linear amplifier. The current antenna system is a Sirio 827 5/8 λ ground plane, which is tuned to the middle of 10/12m bands. I am waiting on the arrival of a Hy-Gain AV-680, 9-band HF vertical antenna, which will be installed with an MFJ Enterprises MFJ-998RT Remote Auto Tuner mounted immediately below the antenna on a 12 foot tilt-base mast. I will also be installing a G5RV antenna for 160 meters in the near future.

For mobile operations I use a Yaesu FT-65R handheld and an FTM-200DR Mobile.

73’s, and please sign the Guestbook,

K   3     S   N  O
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Mike in Pennsylvania, USA