Hello. My name is Mike...
My first job making money was taking vegetables around the neighborhood that my mother and grand mother grew in the garden and selling them. I did pretty good.
That led me to know some of the neighbors at the age of about 10. Then I started mowing grass with a craftsman 2 cycle 18 inch mower, that my uncle gave me, and the biggest yard I had took me about 5 hours to cut for a whopping $5.00.
I bought my first two motorcycles like that and then I bought my first car. A 1960 Studebaker Lark. I had to put it together from a big box, the motor that is, for the sum of 50 dollars. So what I'm trying to say is I appreciate having nice stuff even if it is just nice to me. I have been blessed and I know it.
I have been interested in Amateur Radio for years. I had the common thought that Amateur Radio "Ham" was too complicated for me, but now that I have found that the challenge is worth the effort, I am having a blast.
My equipment is as follows: Icom IC-746 HF rig. Heil Gold Line microphone. Tru-Lite 35 Amp power supply. Vibroplex Standard Iambic Paddles. Lionel J-45 Straight Key with leg clamp. Mosley TA-33 Triband 10/15/20 beam at 10 feet, (Tower not complete). Dipole for 40 at 20 feet. Dipole for 75 @ 30 feet. A homebrew 6 meter Aluminum Loop at 15 feet, and still building, HI.
I am a fire fighter and a paramedic. I work for two separate fire departments in Alabama. The Blount County Amateur Radio Club of which I am a board member is up-grading their web page Click here. My equipment at the Fire Station: Kenwood TS-430 HF rig. Kenwood AT-250 Auto Tuner. MFJ Manual Tuner. Astatic D-104 Amplified-Modified microphone. MFJ-546 Iambic Paddles. MFJ Slim Line Keyer, and a 75 meter wire antenna at 20 feet that is hidden.

I am married and have two daughters and one son. The youngest is 25 years old and the oldest is 30 years old. I am 50 years old. I have a Grand little "Izzy", a friend's 20 month old that has lived with us since she was 2 weeks old. She thinks that she can do "CW", and can about as well as I. If you hear us on the air, please QSK. We like to try, anyway.  "Accuracy Transcends Speed".  Morse Code: The Original Digital.
        ....73 de Mike and Izzy.