K4DGW - Ham Radio

I was originally licensed as KG4PMN, technician class, on Oct. 1, 2001. I never was particularly crazy about the call sign, and after some comments about "PMS", I decided to get a new call sign when I upgraded to general. What I didn't know at the time was that the general license pulled from the same call sign pool. So it was, that I was licensed KG4SSO, general class, on Apr. 11, 2002. Now this was a good call, and had a pleasant sound in CW mode. I had contemplated a vanity call sign for sometime, and after some ancillary issues, decided to get a vanity after I upgraded to extra. Effective Oct. 22, 2002 I upgraded to amateur extra class, and received the vanity call sign K4DGW.

ARES / RACES

What a concept! Take a bunch of motivated folks, and let them work together providing communications for events and during times of emergencies. This was much better put by "Earl the Gray" KE4NBX during a very enjoyable field day operation (my first), but I am trying to keep it simple here. Those folks in Virginia's District 7 Advisory Council is just such a group. I have had the privilege of working with them on numerous occasions, and it is always great.

Chris Courson (KC4CMR) is the local EC and he is the operation force that keeps the local repeaters in action. I had a chance to spend some time with Chris at the James City County EOC during Hurricane Isabelle. Just a note for you folks out there. When you go out to help during times like that. . . always take a chainsaw with you so you can "cut" your way back home.

Due to work, I have had to take a break from the local public service activities, but I hope to change that in the very near future.

Modes

I initially enjoyed the local VHF repeaters as a technician. With the lots of help from "Earl the Red" KR4MA, I learned to move around and operate on the VDEN network here in Virginia. Earl and Tom, N4NSP, keep this network operational. It is a great network that had amazing capabilities before, but has grown during my inactivity. I am hoping to become active on it once again in the near future.

After receiving my general license, I got started in the HF bands with much great advice from W3WFF and W3MGL. The geek in my still pulled me towards the digital modes, and after some SSB work, I got setup for PSK31 and I enjoyed this greatly. It is still one of my favorite modes, and I look forward to getting activie in it again in the future.

During this time, I got to know a very interesting ham, KD4UZH. Tom is a knowledgable ham, an impressive homebrewer, and the possesor of some quite interesting and entertaining opinions. Not to mention his extensive use of the word "moron". Tom and I can be found most nights, hanging out on 10 meters, 28.325, chatting and when properly motiviated, practicing code. What a useful segway.

After going about learning the code, to upgrade to general, and going about it the absolutely worst possible way. Much bitching and griping. Then after more attempts than I like to admit . . . actually passing the test, and then becoming operational, I ditched code and stuck with the activities mentioned above. But upon upgrading to amature extra, I found I could not use half my authorized spectrum, because I didn't "speak" the language. So I attacked the code. I worked on it extensivly and eventually became somewhat conversant in the mode. I am no where near as comfortable as I want to be at it yet, but it has become my favorite mode. I am continuing to work on it, listening on the air, and chatting with Tom. I hope to be doing more with it in the coming year.

Antennas / Shack

Currently I have just a small radio setup in the kitchen. Just HF/VHF/UHF voice and CW, but more on this in the coming months as I get my shack setup. Current rigs in use are ICOM 2100 (VHF), ICOM 706MKIIG (HF, VHF, UHF) and on occasion, Kenwood TS-570D(G). Antenna at the moment is a 40 meter dublet, fed by ladder line, to a balun, and then coax coming into the house.

Mobile Operations

Hope to get this setup again soon. ICOM 706-MKIIG and a Tarheel screwdrive antenna.