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TA33 @ 66' 40 MTR BEAM @ 40' 17 & 12 MTR DIPOLES ME ON TOWER MY SHACK

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Hello my name is Jess Colvin. I was born November 20th 1940. I joined the Army in 1957 and was discharged in 1960. In 1962 I married a girl(Patti) I had known since we were kids. I started getting interested in radio in the early seventies via CB. Then the CB bands started changing. To much profanity and arguing. About this time a guy from work was talking about ham radio and told me that another guy I knew from work (Barry Booth W9UCW) was teaching a novice class through the local ham club. I decided to enroll in the class so that I could get on the ham bands and talk. I really had no interest in CW at all but I had to learn it to get a ticket. I asked my XYL if she would help me with CW practice if I took the class she said that since she also liked talking on the radio she would take the class the class with me. We finished the class and received our novice tickets June of 1977. Her call was WD9FGE mine was WD9FGF of course the only mode we were allowed to use was CW so I started using it just so I could talk to people on the ham bands. I still didn't care much for CW but needed to learn 13 wpm so I could get voice privileges on the HF bands. Some where between 5 wpm and 13 wpm I started thinking that CW was great. And I didn't much care if I ever worked SSB. But soon found that when I was trying to work DX I could not copy fast enough so decided that SSB would be ok for DX. I really enjoyed meeting the new people , attending ham fests and joined two local amateur radio clubs. We had continued to study for our upgrades The XYL made extra in November of 1978 and applied for a new call she received (AF9H ) soon after. I did not up grade to extra class until December 1978 and did not apply for call change until early 1979 I received (AI9L). I discovered that I liked both CW and SSB although I still use CW more often than SSB. I have enjoyed this hobby for many years. I am still making new friend enjoying ham fests. WANTING NEW GEAR. I like to work for awards. I anxiously check my mail daily hoping for new qsl cards. I am a member of the FISTS CW club my number fists is 1772. My XYL, KB9SRI, and I started the Fists of Illinois club (KB9VOY)now (W9FFF) in December of 1999. I am the qsl manager for W9FFF. I am also a member of the GERATOL net I am the awards manger for GERATOL. I am also a card checker for CQ magazine. I have a son (N9ARK) a daughter ( ex KA9GAC).she let her ticket lapse. I am retired from Caterpillar after thirty years. I now spend my time playing on the radio and enjoying my grand kids (potential hams )