MEMBER SPOTLIGHT - K4DZM: Profile of K4DZM
K4DZM first licensed as KN4DZM
in 1955 (that was 45 years ago) took the novice test when I was 14, and
when ticket came I was 15... I have over 125 awards and certificates from
operation over the years, and mostly I have been very active on all bands
and most modes. Now my operating is approx. 95% CW and the other 5% on
Phone on 75 meters, I only operate phone on 75. Served as SCM for
the KY section back in 1979-80 for a two year term, and have been an assistant
director of the Great Lakes Division for 25 years.
My history on
the CW nets goes back to 1962 when I was NCS on KYN and also NCS on 9RN
and on CAN, I was also a member of the TCC corps with a schedule with the
PAN TCC twice a week. This was during the Vietnam War and the radiograms
we passed back then were very important to our people in that country.
Guess I was very active on the CW nets until 1982, that is when I was put
on 2nd shift, which took me out of everything except early morning phone
on 75 and DX. Came back to the day shift about 5 or 6 years ago and started
showing up on some of the old hangouts.
I have
been retired now for 10 months (and its great!), from the G.E. Appliances.
When I retired I was the Senior Electrical Engineer in the Refrigeration
Facilities Department. I worked for G.E. for 16 years and before that I
worked for Anaconda Aluminum, as an Electrician and before that as Maintenance
Electrician for Durkee Famous Foods div. of SCM Corp.
Started in 1968
traveling on vacations by driving to Alaska (road was all gravel back then),
and the traveling bug has never left, I have been in almost all the 50
states, most of Mexico, all of Canada. In the past 12 years we have been
to just about every Island in the Caribbean and some parts of South America
and Central America. This past summer we visited the Dominican Republic
ten years after we visited Haiti, so now we have been all over the island
of Hispaniola. In September we are leaving for New Zealand and Australia,
I will be in Sydney about one week after the 2000 Olympics has finished.
We will be traveling to every Region of Australia even out to Perth in
western part of the continent.
What’s next? Probably China
next year for the big trip and the year after to Africa. Our plans are
to travel as long as health lets us to try and see everything that we can
on Earth. Each year we plan on one large trip and 2 or 3 small trips such
as a cruise or tour of Ireland, things like that... Also still work lots
of DX, and plan on visiting Ham friends everywhere I go...
Now for the
brag tape of the equipment that is in the picture. Starting from the right
of the PIX:
An Icom R-70
receiver with two HT's behind it, both dual banders an Icom Z1A and a Standard
C500, Pwr supply and then Icom SP-21 speaker then the IC-2KL Amplifier
then the Icom IC-756 Transceiver with the screen. Next to that is the AT-500
automatic antenna tuner, then the little Icom 706MKII. Behind my head is
the Ten-Tec Hercules II Amp. that I use with the 706. To the left then
is an Icom 701 and Pwr supply, and out of sight is a Heathkit HA-14Amp.
For the 701 station, and another AT-500 used with the 706 station.
Out of
sight to the right is where the 2 Meter junk is located, a Kenwood TR-7400A
and a KLM 140 watt amplifier, and then the Ten-Tec Mode B Satellite station
with the Mirage 100 watt amp. For 440. In the drawer beneath the desktop
is my CW keyboard and a set of paddles. On top of the desk is 4 different
sets of home made paddles of my design and behind me on the desk is another
6 sets of paddles (I have lots more in display case) along with lots of
bugs and collector keys.
The rest of
the shack is just Computers, to the Right is my old 486 terminal and TV
connected to the local cable. To the left of the operating position is
the secondary position and an old TRS-80 (my original computer from the
70's) that I still use for RTTY. Then down the left wall is a HP plotter
and another computer desk with a 386 notebook then a HP Deskjet-1000 color
printer. Then another computer desk which is behind the main op position
where I usually hang out at when using the terminals... on this desk I
have my Pentium 3 notebook and a 500 Mhz Dell main terminal. All the computers
have either 17" monitors or are using the 15" flat digital screens.
As you can see
this is more like a RTTY brag tape but that is just the main stuff. Sitting
on the floor is a Drake R4 receiver and a TenTec SP-325 Rx and more stuff,
I think after doing this I will sell about 2/3 of all the equipment and
will still have a lot... P.S. in the garage I have 2 386 terminals and
four PLC's that I have programmed to run some programs...
Haven't even
got to the outside yet... so will make it quick. A dipole Inverted V for
80 meters. A TA-36 six element tribander and a Hygain High Tower (full
size vertical for 80 through 10) looks like a tower but is a 57' tall vertical
antenna with 2000 sq. ft. of radials. On 2 and 440 I have two systems one
12 element 2 meter yagi at 50' and my Satellite antenna system 2 &
440 on top of a 24' tower for azimuth and elevation rotations. Do you want
to buy any ham radio junk? This is just too much! Take care and see ya
later.
Joe Miller K4DZM
Published September 25, 2000.
Return to QAN Features.