MY STORY

NAVIGATION

KA4JQZ HOME

Fountain CO

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IN THE BEGINING


I was first licensed in 1979 as a Novice in Jacksonville, NC. I, like many others, started by listening to shortwave broadcast on an old shortwave receiver, and talking on the CB. Those far away broadcast fascinated me. My friend Buzz (KA4LPH) and I were soon reading everything we good, (we actually had to go to the library in the days before the Internet). This eventually led me to Ben Rhodes (W4RKW) who was kind enough to show me what a real Ham Station looked like and gave me my first 5 wpm code and written test. In June of 1979 I was on the air with the callsign KA4JQZ and a Heath Kit HW-16, (code only, three band transceiver). Ben was my first contact and his picture and QSL card are pictured below. Those first few years were some of the best. When I entered the Air Force in 1981 my Ham Radio days were few and far between but I did get a chance to operate from the Philippines, The United Kingdom and Japan. After I retired from the Air Force in 2003, with the help of Buzz now AC7RG, I picked up the hobby again and have enjoyed every minute of it.

Here is the history of my license issue by class of license:
  • Novice 6/12/79
  • General 9/26/80
  • Advanced 5/19/87
  • Extra 9/22/87


I enjoy CW, QSLs, DX and Ragchewing. I have also been active in the FISTS Club and have been working towards some of the fISTS awards.

Organizations/Awards:

  • ARRL
  • RCC
  • W.A.S. (CW)
  • Friendship Award
  • Old Timers Club
  • QCWA #32618
  • FISTS #10644
  • CC #1690
  • SILVER #449
  • PLATINUM #439
  • GOLD #283
  • PLATINUM 250 #140
  • FISTS W.A.S. #184
  • Millionaire Award #29
  • NAQCC 141
  • SKCC 333C
  • QRP-ARCI 12467

My time in The United States Air Force sent me all over the world and I really had a good time overseas. I was initially a non-morse operator which is misleading because the first part of technical training was morse code which I already had a handle on, thanks to ham radio. I retired in November of 2003 as a Master Sergeant, with 22 years as a Signals Analyst with Electronic Security Command, Air Force Space Command and Air Intelligence Agency. Here is a list of my assignments:

  1. 3704 BMTS, Lackland AFB, TX (Mar 1981 - Apr 1981)

  2. 3482 SS, Pensacola, FL (Apr 1981 - Nov 1981)

  3. 6922 ESS, Clark AB, Philippines (1981 - 1983)

  4. 6950 ESG, RAF Chicksands, United Kingdom (1983 - 1985)

  5. 91 CSG, Minot AFB, ND (1985 - 1988)

  6. 6920 ESG, Misawa AB, Japan (1988 - 1992)

  7. Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, CO (1992 - 1995)

  8. Detachment 1, 692 IG, Anderson AFB, Guam (1995 - 1996)

  9. Detachment 1, HQ AIA, Fort Meade, MD (1996 - 1999)

  10. Detachment 3, 544 IOG, Sugar Grove, WV (1999 - 2000)

  11. 303 IS, - Skivvy Nine - Osan AB, Korea (2000 - 2001)

  12. 544 IOG, Peterson AFB, CO (2001 - 2003)

I am now a government defense contractor supporting Headquarters United States Northern Command (HQ USNORTHCOM) at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs CO.

EDUCATION: