Licensed in 1976 as WN4GNE, Novice, I was introduced to the hobby by Richard Weisshaut, WA4MKN in Miami Beach where I was raised. Living in a highrise apartment building right on the Atlantic Ocean, I had Europe at my fingertips but, alas, a missed opportunity! WN4GNE became WA4GNE and eventually my license lapsed without much activity. Moving and then college and Navy served as a distraction from radio exploits.

In 1989, I was a Nuclear Machinist's Mate in the US Navy, stationed in Charleston, SC. I had recently reported to USS Sam Rayburn(SSBN-635) after 5 years onboard USS Henry M. Jackson(SSBN-730) and we had just completed its conversion from a Fleet Ballistic Missle Submarine to the Navy's first Moored Training Ship(MTS-635) at Nuclear Power Training Unit (NPTU) Charleston, SC. We were at our new home at the Naval Weapons Station and I was enjoying a bagged lunch in the breakroom where I heard Danny Groover and Scott Chippendale chatting about Ham Radio - soon after that I had my Novice licence as KC4OOQ and upgraded to Technician as N4YJX. Next, I upgraded to Advanced as KO4GS. One of these years I will have to upgrade to Extra. - Well, I finally did on 8 JAN 2011! Now what?

KO4GS Station

Yaesu FT-950 powered from an Alinco DM-340MV power supply. An 8-position antenna switch connects an inverted G5RV to either HF rig. The FT-950 listens and transmits through an LDG AT-100PRO external tuner. The FT-950 is connected to a SingaLink USB and an AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core 6400+ Processor running at 3.21 GHz with 4 GB RAM and running Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit. I chat through a Heil PR781 station microphone mounted on the Heil Boom. I also have a Kenwood TS440SAT with a matching PS-50 20 Amp power supply - still works extremely well after over 20 years in service, both mobile and fixed station!

Ham Radio Deluxe 5.0 suite including the logging and DM-780 modules provide integrated rig CAT control and digital mode support as well as contact logging and awards tracking. Additionally, HRD serves as the DX Spotting tool by connecting to one of many DX Clusters. HRD Remote is working and it's cool to connect to the radio via the internet and control it...audio compliments of Skype!

On the wall is the Worked All States with 10 meters and SSB endorsements. Also, hanging is the IARU Worked All Continents with Phone endorsement. DXCC with phone endorsement...finally! Also displayed is the IARU Region 2 Award - a nice certificate for 20 countries confirmed in - you guessed it - Region 2!

Also in the Shack is a Yaesu FT-7900R and an oldy: a Kenwood TR-7950 VHF radio with a tone board. The 7900R is connected to a Cushcraft Ringo Ranger II or to a Diamond X-200 Dualband antenna. A Yaesu FT-470 handheld dualbander and a Yaesu VX-8DR Handheld with GPS are available for handheld ops. I'm trying to get the TR-7950 on line for packet via a PK-232 MBX - worked 20 years ago on a MAC but no joy on my WIN7 Machine - yet - stand by!

A Yaesu FTM-350R multiband radio is mounted in the F150 SVT Raptor listening and transmitting through a Diamond SG7900 dualbander.

On the short list is a new HF antenna - possibly the DX Engineering 43 ft Vertical or, perhaps, the HEXX - I like the HEXX and that may be the next acquisition....or, perhaps an amplifier...hmmmm

WN4GNE, WA4GNE, N4YJX

Howard

-5

37.093276

-76.537199

QRP? ;-)

QCWA

WAS w/Phone-10 Meters; WAC; IARU Region 2

Inverted G5RV; Ringo Ranger II, Diamond X200

Negatori Good Buddy!

A bunch!

HRD, N1MM, UI-View32