I was born in 1944 in Lubbock, Texas. Grew up in Tulia, Texas as an only child to the parents of Lloyd and Teenie Whitfill. Worked on a farm and drove a tractor and combine, picked and howed cotton, and set irrigation tubes on the farm during high school. My dad sold tractor equipment also, and one day he took me to a farmer friend’s house and we went into his ham shack. The guy, Claude Stanland, was talking to a ham in Australia, and to my surprise it was the next day and the opposite season. For a 14 year old farm boy in Tulia, Texas, this was pretty amazing and so I had to have one of those things. I thus got my novice license when I was 14 in 1958 and then my General license later that same year.

My first equipment was a HQ 110 and a DX40 and I worked 40 meters and 15 meters everyday after school. Worked all CW and AM of course. Later I used a HQ 170 and a Globe Champion. Wish I still had the Champion. Because of the ham radio, I became a radio DJ at KTUE, 1260 on your dial, in 1958, when I was 14. Worked as a DJ all through grade school and high school. Got to know Buddy Holly as a result of dances in Amarillo, Texas. One day I looked up and there was Buddy and the Crickets in the newsroom. I turned the mic over to him and he sang Peggy Sue, Raining in my heart and That’ll be the day with the crickets. I recorded it to a 1 7/8 inch reel to reel and still have it today. He died one year later I believe. I played rock and roll, country and semi-classical music for 3 hours each day from 1958 to 1963, when I graduated from high school.

I had a ham tower there at my shack in Tulia, Texas, but not the usual. My dad welded it himself, every piece, it was 50 feet tall. He took a tractor wheel, attached it to a rod with a worm gear from inside the shack. It went through the wall with brackets and bearings to another worm gear at the tower, which he welded to the shaft that ran up to the beam. When I turned the tractor steering wheel inside the shack, it turned the rod that ran to the gear on the tower that in turn would rotate the beam. Tower and all was hand made by my dad. Truly a ham shack, as it was in the end of the garage, a room all to my self.

My parents always enjoyed the ham radio as I was at home, and as most of you know, Miss Tennie, my Mother, is all our’s 88 year old SWL mom that lives only minutes from me today. She listens to us everyday on 3938. She has always had a radio to listen to me ham over the years, regardless of where we both lived. This is the greatest hobby to both me and my mom. I have had the ham radio set up in every home I have live in since 1958. I took the ham radio from Tulia, to San Antonio, to Austin, to Tucson, to Fayetteville Arkansas, to Apex.

I obtained my extra class license a few years ago, while I was still able to learn something. Operate all bands, use a Mark V and Henry Amp. Guess I have been a net controller now for only 12 years and sure enjoy running the net on Monday night, took Glen Summerville’s place years ago. Certainly am thankful to all those who have been controllers and backups, then and now, as you folks keep the net going for all to enjoy.

Professionally, I begged a Ph.D. in biochemistry in 1973, did a post doctoral fellowship in Switzerland, was on the faculty of University of Arkansas and now North Carolina State University. Presently am President and CEO of ImmunoBiosciences, Inc., a vaccine company located on NCSU Centennial Campus. We develop vaccines for animals and humans, or hope so anyway.

Alecia and I have two children, Josh and Robin, each with families and now 3 grand children. They all live within 15 miles of us. We are mighty lucky folks.

Life is certainly exciting, as you all now, after all the false stories you have heard about me on the radio, especially those told by my wife, Alecia. The one woman I could not live without. The ham radio has always been in the bedroom, for the 35 years we have been together, and it helps her sleep of course. I buy her a piece of ham equipment each year just to show my appreciation. Unfortunately she finds all the things I destroy and hangs them up for all to see.

Life is good because of family and ham radio and all our ham friends.

Doctor Cluck