My ham radio story started back in 1969 when I joined the local Radio Club YU5CEF in my birth place Bitola, Yugoslavia as a radio amateur operator holding a Class III License. Shortly after, I received a personal callsign YU5XDM and continued as an operator holding a Class II License. On the photo below with my friend Ted/Z31RM (on the left) some 50 years ago.

After Yugoslavia disintegrated into 6 new countries, by living in Macedonia, the callsign was changed to Z32DM but wasn't much active on the radio waves, pursuing the professional career and caring for the family. Furthermore, searching for a better life I and my family moved to the United States. Being always too busy to dedicate time to myself things haven't changed much here in the US until I decided to retire in January 2021 when I definitely decided to scratch my old itch to get back on the radio waves. During my business carrier in 2015 i took the required elements exams and was granted the commercial General Radio Operators License with a Radar Endorsement. Even though such a license is granted for life and majority technical questions are the same for ham radio operations one must take separate exams. So in March 2021 I took the hamradio exam elements and was granted a General Amateur Radio License. I started with listening on my home made SDR Receiver on 3.5 - 7 & 14MHz and my portable Dual-Bander on 144 MHz and 430 MHz until I purchase some better equipment. 
Further more from a dear friend of mine, W0VG-John, I got a Vertex VX1700 to try my luck. Living in a covenant HOA is difficult for Hams. I have currently three antennas in my attic, a dipole, an Inverted Vee and a DeltaLoop (working well for 7, 14. 21 and 28 MHz). 
I prefer CW but it turns out that CW is rarely been used on most bands. Well, FT8 is now the main tool to make DX-s so why not. I finally got my interface done so I am already making a lot of digital contacts. All QSOs will be confirmed on QRZ.com and LOTW (weekly), preferred are eQSL cards (by email or www.hrdlog.net) or direct (no QSL via bureau).

Update Nov 2021: My modest radioshack was upgraded with a new IC-7300, and a home made 4-way electronic antenna switch.

By the way my amateur nickname is Jean (pronounced in French but not in English) 

If you like one of my QSL's cards posted below to confirm the QSO, shoot me an email and I will send it to you.

Otherwise all the QSOs will be confirmed electronically on QRZ and LOTW.

My Rig: Vertex-1700 (100W), Icom IC-7300 (100W), Dipole for 7&21MHz, Inverted Vee for 14MHz and DeltaLoop for 28MHz