Note I was born here in Billings, Montana and have lived most of my life in the area. This is how I got interested in Electronics as well as Shortwave and Amateur (Ham) Radio. We were living on a Farm North East of Billings, Montana (Shepherd, Mt.) And at an early age my father gave me my first Crystal Radio set. It was in the form of a large Writing Pen and it had a Wire Antenna coming out of the top of the Pen Radio. At that time (mid 1940’s) there was only one local radio station, which was KGHL. Also some time later we had a Shortwave Radio as that what one did was listen to the evening Radio programs. And I was fond of many Radio programs like Amos’N Andy, Burns and Allan shows. But what caught my interest was the international shortwave broadcast. Later years I built all types of outside antennas for the Shortwave Radio and would scramble around the rooftops putting these Antennas up. When I was in grade school I purchased an Allied Knight-Kit Star Roamer Shortwave Receiver Kit. And my father did help me with building of that kit. And we enjoyed that time together working on my first kit project. But unknown to me I would go on to an Electronic career.

My cousin (Ted Welch W7LND) who was a Ham Radio Operator as well as an Electronic Guru was an influence on me to a large extent. But as his Electronic career took him away from home most of the time. He always supported my choice to go into Electronics and gave me help along my way. But he always promised me when and if I received my Ham license he would provide a Ham Radio for me to have and use. He did lend me a Heath-kit Transceiver Radio and Vertical Antenna. This was many years before I really got the bug to be a Ham. And he did fulfill his promise of a radio. As he gave me a Swan 500 CX Transceiver. I spend many hours working CW on the Swan.

Now back in the early 60`s I attended an Electronic School (National Electronics Institute) in Denver Co. for approximately 11 months. Then after many years of working in the community. I decided to continued my education so I attended Industrial Electronics’ at University of Montana ~ Helena College Of Technology, Helena Montana. Note I attended for a two-year term. After graduating I worked for several years in the Automotive Electronic Repair Servicing area.

During that time of working my health started to deteriorate, which caused me retire. Now I can enjoy some time to spend on Hobbies and Fishing, which I try to enjoy to the fullest.

At present I had been taking care of my very ill 97-year-old Mother who did require most of my time. But on Dec. 12, 2012 she passed away and is in Jesus loving Arms. She Irma was 2 months shy of her 98th birthday.

Note when I do make some time for my hobbies I try to enjoy every moment because that this time is very important to me. I am active in Church and have in the past been volunteering my time there doing different types of tasks and duties but now that active is in the past. Unless they might call on to help them in some way.

Note some of my other hobbies are: Reading, Building Projects, Computing and online Gaming, making time for friends.

Note since I was classified 4F and couldn’t get into the Armed Service. I then volunteered as an Amateur Radio Operator in the Navy-Marine Corps MARS program and held several Admin. positions. And I served with them for 10 years and have several US Military Awards (for Civilian people) that I was honored with for my service to our country. (http://www.navymars.org/, http://www.marinecorpsmars.com/usn-mc_house/nmc_home.htm)

Note I had been an avid Gardener for a very long time. I will not be able to do anymore gardening due to my bad knees, and health problems but I do miss gardening very much.

I really enjoy Ragchewing, DXing, & QSLing. Awards: Worked All States, & I am still working for DXCC. And as of January 2014 I will be starting my 33rd year in Amateur Radio what fun!

Favorite Band/Modes: 40M, 20M, 17M, 15M, 12M, 10M (Note not in this order and I am not on 60 Meters), SSB & FM, and 2M FM / 440Mhz. FM and 2 Meter SSB.

Equipment: (Kenwood TS-2000 currently in the shack) (Note my TS-2000 is non working and could not be repaired as its been sent back to Kenwood Service Center several times at my expense without resolving the issue (interment TX / RX on all Bands and on both Main & Sub Band.)Note as of October of 2012 I repaired the TS-2000. It was a Voltage Regulator (IC-202) which had a cold solder joint and was not soldered to the PC Board. It look soldered, but under closer inspection it was loose. And so it's been my operating rig since then. And so it's been my operating rig since then. Click the link here for more info on repairing the TS-2000: http://www.eham.net/articles/29121

Additional Equipment: A Kenwood TS-570SG, & a Kenwood TS-430S (Note in the summer of 2007 I had a repair tech do a complete realignment and repair job done on the TS-430S, as there was a problem in the RF deck regarding connecter blocks, which went bad, and I could not remedy that problem myself. And now it’s back in top-notch condition).

The only other new item in the shack is a new Heil Goldline Elite or Gold Elite Microphone with the HC-5.1 dynamic element. (http://www.heilsound.com/amateur/products/goldelite/)

Other Equipment: Heath-Kit SB-200 HF Amplifier, which is the second SB-200, I have owned. Note my station now has back up power with a new Harbor Freight 800 Watt Portable Generator which powers my VHF equipment and my HF rig.

HF Antenna’s: A Home brew G5RV sloper @ 45ft. to 20ft., then a Butternut Vertical HF6V, 17 Meter Dipole, & Ten Meter 5/8 Vertical.

VHF/UHF Equipment: Now in the mobile is the Kenwood TMV71A, which I bought in 2007.

And the rest is of my equipment: Kenwood TM-255A Multimode 2 Meter Rig, A Kenwood TM-V71A dual band mobile, and a Kenwood TM-V7A dual band mobile.

Also have the following handhelds: Yaesu FT-530 & a FT-470 dual band handhelds, and an old broken Icon 2AT which works fine after repairing the handheld myself.

VHF/UHF Antenna’s: A Two Meter 11 Element Beam @ 45ft. And a home brew 440Mhz. Fiber Glass Quad @ 35ft. An a Cushcraft AR6 6 Meter Vertical. Also for the VHF station I have a Two-Meter Mirage B2516G Amplifier.

My Yahoo Groups: Heath-Kit Amplifier Group

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HeathKit_HFAmps.

Kenwood TM-V71A Group http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Kenwood_TMV-71A

Life Time Ragchewer Member. (Loves to Communicate)

I try to enjoy life and all my hobbies but Ham Radio gives the most fun next to Fly Fishing.

Note I enjoy visiting with friends as well as making new ones, whether directly over the Internet.

Hope to catch you on HF or Echolink (my Echolink Node # is 19197) and enjoy a QSO together.