I first became interested in the radio hobby
at the age 8. I built my first crystal set, a code practice "buzzer"
and finally graduated to my first serious project, a one transistor
radio (a CK-722 , the first commercially available transistor) only
to be heart broken when the collector lead broke off!
I first
got on the air at age 12, received my first FCC citation at age 13
and was then licensed at age 15. I was KN9UMD! That was in Lombard,
Illinois back in 1959. I upgraded to Technician and later to General
& Advanced. Though I've had a commercial First Class ticket since
the late 60s, I finally "caved in" and took my KNOW CODE
Extra exam in 2000, (and passed) just weeks before it became a NO
CODE test!
As a youngster, I was a real VHF fanatic and as my
dad once said, "our house looks like a battleship!" In the
early 70s I became a television engineer, working for KHOF-TV in LA
and later for ABC then NBC on Mt. Wilson. There I had my experience
with "California Kilowatts and monster antennas" (another
story)
In LosAngeles, my call was W6SFG, with additional
station licenses for WA6YLT and WB6NHZ.
While in London in 1985
directing a worldwide satellite teleconference for (CCC) Campus
Crusade for Christ England I operated as G5DBM and in 1977, after
moving to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, I was assigned the call W4OSH. In
July of 1996, I recovered my favorite Los Angeles call sign, W6SFG
and used it Maritime mobile while directing televieion broadcast
operations for the Titanic expedition.
For nearly 25 years I
was president of my own Video Production company, writing, producing,
directing, and editing TV shows or doing custom 3D computer
animation. In 2008 I became the VP of New Media Communication and
Land Mobile Radio manager and recently the Exec. Director of
Technical Operations at Liberty University.
In February of 2014 I
retired from 50 years of working in the fields of entertainment,
broadcasting and audio consulting.
Much of my ham activity
has been done from my mobile. I've worked over 300 countries with my
100 watt rig and Outbacker mobile antenna!
I am also accused of
mixing business with pleasure by producing promotional, training and
sales videos for some of the major Amateur radio companies such as
Yaesu, Standard, and Outbacker. This gives me a chance to at least
see and play with some of the newest products in the course of my
"business".
That's it for now. . .
For any
interested - some EYE CANDY
Here
are some of my favorite ham radio related LINKS
THANKS
FOR VISITING!
For any interested - some EYE
CANDY
