Member Bio

Born and raised in 1946 in Circleville, Pickaway County (Wayne Township), Ohio. Lived on a farm with my grand parents untill Feb 1963, when I moved to Milford, Ohio to live me my Dad.

First licensed in March 1963 as WN8GMU, joining with my dad who was WN8CXO in Milford (Clarmont County) Ohio. I joined the Navy in 29 Dec 1963 and let the call expire while in boot camp in San Diego, but dad went on to become WA8CXO until his death in 2004. While in the Navy, I worked Navy MARS onboard the USS Ranger CV-61)  (1981) as KN7OOK, but again allowed it to expire.

While in the Navy, served at NTC Treasure Island, USS Estes (AGC-12), NTC San Diego, Dir Strategic Sys Proj Off Wash D.C., NCS Cheltonham (Crystal Plaza), NTC Cheltonham, NCS Keflavik Iceland, NCS Naples Italy, USS Ranger CV-61, NTC San Diego, NTC New London, USS Phoenix SSN-702, USS Hunley AS-31. Finally retired 29 Sep 1989 to Dallas, TX.

Worked in Carrollton, TX as bench tech with company that at the time was a contractor to Delco Electronics, providing warranty repair service for all of Delco products installed in the automotive industry, primarily GM. In 1997 decided to go back to school and use my GI Bill.

I moved to Phoenix in Mar 1997 and started working for QWEST Communications, local Telco company, part time while attending college. Graduated 2000 with BS EET, but continued on for another year and Graduated 2001 with BS IT. I continued to work full time for the telco (Qwest) in Arizona (retireing from Qwest in 2006), I then fully retired in 2008 and moved to Dallas. I regained my interest in radio and got my Technican License as KE5WCT in Aug 2008 and General License in Sept 2008. I am currently working on the Extra Class. My son-in-law, formerly USMC, also got his Tech in Sept 2008, KE5WLT.

I am interested in working the digital modes, and may try my hand at CW if I can get my speed back up to what it was in the Navy.

Clubs: EPC #13556, FT8DMC #18164, Ten-Ten #77918, PODXS 070 #2872, 30MDG 13040, OMISS #15733, 3905 Century Club, YL System, NATA 40M net.

Equipment is currently a Yaesu FT-450AT (with external SCU017 interface) and FT-991A, antenna is a GAP Titan DX with a custom tilting in-ground mount. I have recently added a Cushcraft 6/2/.7 Meter beam at 33 ft (A627013S) on top of a Rohn 40G push-up pole, mounted to a GAP inground tilt base and a custom Poor-Ham Rotor.

Software for digital modes is the HRD/DM780, DX Lab Suite, a SignaLink USB Interface directly into a ACER Aspire PC with twin 27 inch monitors. Also using NetLogger for net logging.

I work local vhf/uhf (area local repeaters) with Yaesu FT-8900 or Kenwood TM-721A at the house, and a Vx-7 HT for walk-about.

My QTH Location’s and dates (CQ 4, ITU 7)

Garland: 8/10/2008 – 7/5/2011: 3006 Flagstone Dr, Garland, Dallas County, TX, 75044: EM12pw.
(32.9557N, -96.6744W) (32 57′ 20″N, 96 40′ 27″W)

Euless: 7/6/2011 – 6/25/2012: 1002 Collin Dr., Euless, Tarrant County, TX, 76039: EM12ku.
(32.8505N, -97.0846W) (32° 51′ 1″N, 97° 5′ 4″W)

Elgin: 6/26/2012 – 6/24/2022: 23011 Beth Dr., Elgin, Bastrop County, TX, 78621: EM10gg.
(30.2807N, -97.4529W) (30° 16′ 50″N, 97° 27′ 10″W)

Daingerfield: 6/25/2022 – 8/21/2028: 99 County Road, Daingerfield, Morris County, TX, 75638: EM23ob.
(33.0459N, -94.7515W) (32 2′ 45″N, 94 45′ 5″W)

18 May 2024: After two years of dealing with the rigors of settleing into a new location, and the interruptions of dealing with periodic illness, I am finally able to work on getting things back on the air. Dealing with crashed PC’s and the inherrent loss of all of my log’s and software, I am now rebuilding my logs, and in the process of trying to eliminate duplicates and remove errors. The recent loss of access to LoTW has put a kink in the process, but I am getting there. In the process of rebuilding my Log files, I find it amazing that so many thousands of operators are members of logging sites, but don’t use them.

Aug 2024, back on the air operating digital with Ham Radio Deluxe, Ham LogBook, WSJT-X, and JTAlert. My method, using as little power as power, the FT-991A starts out at 5 Watts, calling CQ and working the even segments for two minutes (4 fifteen second segments). I stop wait two minutes then switch to the odd segments. Again working for two minutes. That takes 6 minutes. If there are not contacts, I increase power by 10 watts and start the process over (max xmit power is 95 watts). If I am listening and hear a call that is of interest,  I reply. If after 4 attempts there is no contact, I stop and wait a couple of miniutes  and either try again or switch to someone else.

If contact is made, I will make everey resonable attempt to complete the QSO.  That means that I must be resonably sure that a RR73/73 has been passed both ways. Only then will the contact will be logged. If I sent RR73 and get no reply, no log entry. If i send 73 and there is another RR73 or RRR sent back, no log entry and I reply with 73. This is the only way I can be resonably sure that what is logged, is what actually happened.

Other modes, other than those from WSJT-X are pretty much handled the same way.  Right now I am only working WSJT-X digital modes, and some SSB (with OMISS (#15733)).

Online logging is done instantly for QRZ and ClubLog. However since it is difficult to delete an uploaded log to eQSL and LoTW, I wait untill I have had time to review the log for errors before uploading. I do upload at least once a day,  usually several times.

I QSL via eQSL.cc or LoTW, and update daily, if you are a registered member. I also upload to QRZ.com, Club Log, HRDLog as well (when I use it). I do send out cards (SASE) and will return a card if SASE received. Please, use Bureau if outside the US. I have set up OQRS at both HRDLog and ClubLog. NOTE TO eQSL AND LoTW USERS, I ONLY UPLOAD TO ACTIVE MEMBERS. 

The following explanations of HF/VHF/UHF propagation indices was borrowed from the following link: https://www.qsl.net/4x4xm/

This site is a turorial for those interested in Radio Propagation, newbie and grandad’s alike. It probable one of the best I have every seen, and I taught Radio Propagation basis at the old Radioman “A” School at NTC San Diego in the early 1980’s.

                             The solar indices: SSN, SFI

A higher SFI generally indicates better HF propagation conditions. A typical range is 60 to 400. Higher values correlate with improved long-distance HF communication.

Solar X-Ray flares may cause Radio blackout

HF Propagation cond	Best			Average	Poor		BAD
Radio Blackout Scale	R0			R1	R2	R3	R4	R5
Solar  Flare  Class	A	B	C	M

The geomagnetic indices: A, K
Interference due to geomagnetic activity.

A low A-Index (0-7) suggests quiet geomagnetic conditions, which are favorable for HF propagation.

A lower K-Index indicates calmer geomagnetic conditions, which are more favorable for HF propagation. It’s usually calculated from data recorded every 3 hours