Grace, N3ZPD

How Grace became interested in Amateur Radio is a very interesting story.  In March of 1997, I attended a Hamfest in Timonium, MD.  I was browsing through the books at the ARRL table when I came across a set of adventure books for young readers.  Always on the lookout for good reading material, I naturally began to look over the books to see if they would be something my children might enjoy.  I looked down to see if there was a sign advertising the price when I saw a sign that read “The Author is In.”  My eyes traveled just above the sign to Cynthia Wall, KA7ITT, the author of the books.  We had a nice conversation for about 20 minutes as she told me that her books had been used in many schools in the western part of the U.S. as part of the required reading for elementary school students.  When I went to purchase her books, she offered to autograph each copy and write each child’s name in Morse code.  When I arrived home that evening after the Hamfest and told the children what I had for them, they all asked me to P-L-E-A-S-E read one of the books to them.  So, over the next several nights we read the first book together.  All three children (as well as Daddy) were so excited about Amateur Radio and said that they would like to have their licenses someday.  Grace has always had a good mind for math and science so she began to study for her Amateur Radio exam.  At the time, Grace was planning on becoming a foreign missionary who, many times, have to live in remote parts of the world where Amateur Radio may be their only means of communication.  The whole family was very proud of her to have earned her Amateur Radio license as one small step toward her life goal.

It wasn't long after Grace and I were licensed that we participated in our first contest, the MD/DC QSO Party sponsored by the Antietam Radio Association in Hagerstown, MD.  We were thrilled that year when Grace won first place in the YL Category!

Page Pyne, WA3EOP, presents Grace with her MD/DC QSO Party Award

Grace, N3ZPD helping her Dad, N3ZPC, make some contacts at Field Day 2002