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The Early Years
I was interested in radio at a very early age. When I was six, I tried to build a radio out of wire and cardboard. Even though I knew nothing about technology, it was my idea that if I tried hard enough, I would find the right combination. My second attempt, at around age 9, was to build a telephone system out of haywire and metal spice boxes. I ran the wire through the trees next to my house. Another failure but, still, my interest in electronics and radio remained strong. It wasn't until age 11 that I had the opportunity to start a more serious study of electrical and electronic things. Neighbors and friends would give me obsolete electrical and electronic equipment which I tore apart and examined to see if I could figure out how it worked. We lived at Lochsa Lodge in the remote mountains of north-centrail Idaho and the Lodge had a radio that had stopped working. I took it to the wash house where I could spread out on a folding table and proceeded to take it apart. It was not long before my family discovered my activity and reasoned with me to stop. However, I discovered that if I put my finger on one of the vacuum tube caps, I could get it to receive shortwave radio stations. At age 12, I began constructing my own electrical and electronic equipment and, although primative, it worked enough to keep my interest. By age 14, I was able to replace defective vacuum tubes, repair faulty wiring, and replace burned and defective electrical and electronic components. I became interested in ham radio after visiting a ham who showed me his radio station. I took classes to get a ham license but failed the morse code requirement and put my desires on hold. It was about this time that I was able to buy a transisterized AM radio transmitter and began broadcasting from my home. By coupling the antenna of the transmitter into the telephone wire system, it was able to broadcast about 10 miles. At age 15, I joined the Future Farmers of America (FFA) and chose as my merit project, rural farm electrification (of course). It was successful and I got the merit badge. By age 16, I was working for a local electronics repair shop and building my own two-way radio equipment. The apex of my acheivement was to build two VHF tranceivers from World War II electronics parts. They had a range of a few miles. I took them to Bozeman, Montana for the basketball tournement and used them to communicate across town between two hotels. However, they interferred with the Bozeman police two-way radio communications and I immediately stopped operating. I had a vague idea that unlicensed radio transmission were illegal by Federal law but the urge to experiment was too strong. When I was 17, I coaxed my mom into agreeing that I could buy and operate a Citizens Band (CB) radio. In those days, you had to be at least 21 years old to apply for an FCC license for CB radios. Once again, I coaxed my mom into applying for the license in her name. I still remember her most urgent question: "will I be arrested and go to prision if you do something wrong?" I had lots of fun with the CB radio, did nothing wrong, and she never went to prison. |
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The Transition Years
Radio Station WA7BRY (.-- .- --... -... .-. -.--) In the fall of 1962, I began college at Montana State University, majoring in Electrical Engineering. At the beginning of my sophomore year, I met Ed Lozano, a neighbor, PhD Student and a ham radio operator. Ed became a good friend and ramped up my ham radio interest again. (He also taught me how to drink Taquila, TexMex style) He helped me get a ham license and loaned me radio equipment to begin operating. At the time, I was a full-time student in Electrical Engineering and worked part time, but I began 'haming' many nights, late into the night, and my studies fell dramatically. I wound up on academic probation that school term so I dropped my ham radio activities and went back to studying. In 1966, I graduated and moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa to work for Collins Radio Company. Working for the best radio communication equipment company in the world was my dream job. Because I moved from Montana to Iowa, I was required to change my call to a 'zero-land' call, WAØQMU. My ham operating activities were sporatic for the next few years as I established a career, raised a family, and worked toward MS and PhD degrees in Electrical Engineering. |
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The DX and Contesting Years
Radio Stations WAØQMU, KØNJ (.-- .- ----- --.- -- ..-) (-.- ----- -. .---) In 1980, I started work as a Principal Engineer at King Radio Corporation in Olathe, Kansas. My house lot in west Olathe was large enough to erect a 50-foot tower and operate all the ham bands from 160 to 10 meters. The engineering department had several ham radio operators and I got very active in the local ham club where I became Club President and created ham classes for students to get FCC licenses. During my four years in Olathe Kansas, I became very active in ham radio contesting and working foreign radio stations (DXing). I moved to Ames, Iowa, and a few years later, applied for the "vanity" call sign KØNJ. It was a great morse code call and easy and fast to send. |
| Morse Code Revenge About 1982 or 83, I went to the ARRL National Meeting in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. My contesting experience had improved my morse code to the point where I was well over 20 words per minute and passed the Amateur Extra exam, the highest rank in ham radio. I was feeling pretty good about my code speed so I entered the code championships at the conference. I placed 4th, but was happy to be awarded a certificate for 35 words per minute. |