I started my radio career with a pair of RCA walkie talkies. My dad showed me how to change the 9v battery, that is all it took...used walkie talkies until the mid 70's, when i moved up to "11 meter band" learned all about antenna... verticals, Yagies, quads too. Then in the '80s N4PGE gave me a 2 meter radio, and said "if you can fix it, you can have it..." Well that didn't take long so i had to graduate from "11 meters" to 10 meters". 5wpm code was not hard, 13wpm was... but finally got it, moved from tech to advanced...then the FCC dropped the 13 and 20 wpm requirements. So i found a VEC and quickly took the extra, and hoped they would not resend the dropped code test... whessew...

Operate mostly on the AM windows on 160, 80, but mostly on 40 meters... (7290/95) except on Thursday where you'll find me helping Ken with his net...

Radios: National NCX-3 (temp out of service), Collins KWM-2 (temp out of service), Kenwood TS-530S, Kenwood TS-440S, new addition Hallicrafters SX-111/HT-37

AM transmitter, plate modulated Termed 21V1(TS-50 / TS-440 exciter) 4-400 modulated by a pair of 813s homemade ant. tuner

Amp: NCL-2000

Tuner: Johnson Matchbox or Home made Ant Tuner 0(from there, all the way to the loop with ladder line) replaced "saxton line" with home made ladder line

Antennas: 160M full wave loop, now somewhat steerable ... GAP CHALLENGER DX-VIII, 2 Beverage ant.s E/W - 250' and N/S - 270' long, non terminated (2019)

My other passions are Scouts, been in for 55 years now. Also like grinding corn at Gunter's Whitewater Mill near Byron GA.

Retired, y'all come join me...

l8r

Joe B.