Member Bio

KC3WCJ

CQ, CQ, CQ,

From a young age (1980’s & 90’s), my family often relied upon me to connect electronics and synchronize gadgets as technology developed.  I had a knack for figuring these things out, I guess.  While I enjoyed lots of time on the ballfields in my youth with my brother and friends, I always was fascinated by preparedness.  The scouts instilled this in me.  On large family vacations, we would take two-way radios and communicate with one another – keeping in contact and on mission of maximizing our fun for the week.  It was fun and practical.  I learned alot about this way of living from my father, who served in the US Army’s 101st Airborne Division.  I was taught that being organized and responsible will enable me to get along well in life.  My mother “held the fort down” at home.  She kept us disciplined and focused on these principles – when many of the neighborhood kids were not.

During my high school years, I started a mobile disc jockey business.  This allowed me the opportunity to make extra money on the weekends.  I liked to work.  It gave me purpose and kept me out of trouble then, for the most part.  I enjoyed the technical aspects of working the radio equipment and the social aspect of providing entertainment for people on their special day(s).  I enjoyed it so much that I earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications.  I thought I wanted Broadcast Radio to be my career after college.  I zigged and zagged and ended up in a profitable sales career which, ultimately, led me to self-employment.  I now work for myself in construction and real estate and have a family.  I love family life.  My wife and kids are God’s greatest grace I’ve experienced so far.

My kids are young and they like to “play walkie-talkie” with Dad.  I also hunt and fish and, roughly 6 months ago, I began thinking about the practicality of obtaining an amateur radio license for both fun and preparedness. I recently passed the general license upgrade test in June of 2023.  What I never expected was how fun and exciting the hobby is.  It can be anything I want it to be.  Public service, emergency comms preparedness and family fun are a few aspects of ham radio that interest me the most.

While my station is small and growing, I’m currently operating a Yaesu FTM 6000 for local 2m and 70cm communications and a Yaesu FT-891 for national and worldwide dx’ing.  My antenna set-ups include several dual-band 2m/70cm verticals and an HF 40/20/15/10 EFHW wire up at 30′.

PLEASE QSL THROUGH DIRECT US POSTAL MAIL….

I look forward to making contact with many of you on the air.

73’s for now and God bless!

Bob

KC3WCJ

Pittsburgh, PA

USA