Also

My radio career began like most young people of the day. I became interested in the Citizens Band craze of the early 1970's. Experimentation with various radio/antenna configurations to squeeze that extra kilometer out of the 4 watt maximum output power we are allowed to generate took most of my spare time. When I witnessed an all out physical confrontation between two individuals for control of a particular channel, the realization occurred to me that there must be something better.

My father (WD5BJS), heard about a group of radio operators who used many more "channels" and greater power to communicate around the world. So for the next 3 months we spent three hours two times a week in a 1950's era underground atom bomb proof command center studying radio theory , practices, rules, and International Morse Code. Thanks to the members of the Metropolitan Target Area Amateur Radio Club (MTA), and the local FCC office, two new Technician class ham radio operators were born.

I had been an enlisted man in the United States Coast Guard for about a year by this time. I wanted to know more about radio so I applied for and received radio operator training for 20 weeks at the Coast Guard's radio operator training facility at Petaluma, California USA. I graduated with a basic understanding of military communications and a Morse code speed of 22 words per minute. I returned to the FCC office in New Orleans, Louisiana USA and passed the 13 word per minute Morse code exam. I was now a General class Amateur Radio Operator.

The Coast Guard transferred me to Galveston, Texas USA for a nine month tour. While there I learned Medium Frequency and Very High Frequency communications techniques. My next assignment was to Grand Isle, Louisiana USA. That assignment lasted for a year and a half. I was exposed to the famous Gulf Coast ducting propagation effects on the 2 meter band. I worked stations from Texas to Florida using a 25 watt FM radio and a vertical antenna on the roof of the building.

My next tour of duty saw me doing radio operator duty aboard Coast Guard helicopters. What a blast! I was able to explore Aeronautical Mobile on the High Frequency, Very High Frequency, and Ultra High Frequency bands. Talk about antenna height! Calling CQ DOG-X-RAY when your antenna is above 900 meters really gives you an advantage in the pile-ups.

What would a Coast Guardsman be if he did not go to sea? Well, I was sent to the Coast Guard Cutter Basswood (WLB-388), call sign NODG, as Chief Radio Officer. Boy did I learn very quickly how things worked aboard ship. I learned about many emission types on frequencies ranging from Medium Frequency to Ultra High Frequency. When not at the ship's home port of Guam Island (/KH2), we visited Hawaii (/KH6) USA, Majuro Atoll (/KX6), The Eastern and Western Caroline Islands (KC6CO), Saipan Island (/KHØS), Tinian Island (/KHØT), and The Philippine Islands (/DU2).

I have also served on two other Coast Guard Cutters. I was Chief Radio Officer aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Acushnet (WMEC-67), call sign NNHA, home ported at Gulfport, Mississippi USA, and Chief Radio Officer aboard the Cutter Jarvis (WHEC-726), call sign NAQD, home ported in Honolulu, Hawaii USA.

The Coast Guard sent me to their radio station, call sign NMR, in Puerto Rico (/KP4), for 7 months. While there, I operated High Frequency Morse code with the "Big Boys" on the merchant ships. Those professional radio operators helped me get my Morse code speed up to over 35 words per minute (THANKS GUYS!). In my off duty hours I did mini-DXpeditions to Desecheo Island (/KP5), Saint Thomas & Saint John Islands (/KP2) USVI. I was also fortunate to be assigned to the Coast Guard's radio station, call sign NMG, in New Orleans, Louisiana USA. My last tour of duty saw me back in Hawaii USA at the Coast Guard radio station, call sign NMO. Lets talk about QRO rigs and antennas!

Vacations have seen me visit and operate from Canada (/VE7), and Mexico (/XE). Who knows from what country this wandering ham radio operator may operate next? Only time and money will tell. I work for the Bay St. Louis, MS Police Department. I do keep a 10 meter radio, and a dual band 2 meter/70 centimeter radio in my truck as a mobile ham shack. I am most active on the 160Meter band, and the 75Meter GERATOL Net.