Welcome to the W3FA web page. My name is Jim Bruce and I live in Greensboro, Md., in Caroline County on the Eastern Shore. I have been an Amateur Radio operator since 1986, first licensed as KA3PRC, then when I achieved Extra I requested a new call and was licensed as NV3V. After 10 years I applied for the vanity call W3FA. I requested this call as it stuck to me since I was very young and I had passed this house all the time on my way to my grandfather's in Davidsonville, Md. This house had a mailbox with Medrow and W3FA on it and behind the house were several antenna towers, and it intrigued me for a very long time. Some may remember this call belonging to Karl Medrow (SK). Karl was involved with various things with ARRL and was also a member of the Potomac Valley Radio Club (PVRC). Later I learned that Karl's place was a multi-operator contest station. The Potomac Valley Radio Club is one of a few premier radio contesting clubs in the world. Another aspect of my life that brought me to Amateur Radio was that as a Radio Repairman in the US Air Force I was working on the MARS and SICOFAA radio equipment along with worldwide communications for Air Force One. The System of Cooperation Among the American Air Forces (Spanish: Sistema de Cooperación entre las Fuerzas Aéreas Americanas, SICOFAA) is an apolitical voluntary international organization among the North and South American air forces.
Most of my Amateur Radio activities are
basically within 3 general areas, DXing, Contesting and RACES. I am now a Scouting BSA Merit Badge counsellor promoting Amateur
Radio.