At a young age I was fascinated by electronics. Most everything we had was tube based, whether the TV, your stereo or even the car radio. Like most people in this era I started with listening to radio, first using a cat's whisker (slang for a crystal detector) and graduated to listening to shortwave radio. I was inspired by my elmer WPI Professor Bill Roadstrum W1FI (SK 1994) who gave me my first license exams in my early teens. My first contacts were made using a Heathkit GR-64 receiver and homebrew crystal controlled 6146 transmitter for 80 and 40 meters that I built from a 1940's Amateur Radio Handbook. The receiver and 6146 tube were funded from my paper route earnings.
I've always been drawn to the hands-on aspects of the hobby and I often spend more time with projects than actually operating. My interests have covered many facets of amateur radio over the years, including weak signal VHF/UHF, DX CW, repeaters and most prominently EME (moon bounce), thanks to Frank NC1I.
US calls I've held and been active with include WN1QHR, KA1KPH, WF1R and W1QA, the latter two are vanity calls. I'm an Amateur Extra class license holder and accredited to administer FCC license exams with two volunteer examiner organizations. In addition I've held numerous calls in other countries including PA3GCQ whilst living in The Netherlands, ZL2GCQ, EI4VFH, VR2/W1QA, HS0ZIF and others. I've also had the privilege of operating from 4U1ITU, 4U1VIC and 4U1UN, including some of the first EME contacts from UN HQ in New York City. I am also trustee of the calls W1KK and AA1KK.
