Tom - W4BQF
(eastern surburbs of greater downtown Cecil, Ga., population 373)
1. What got you interested in ham Radio?
My Dad, W4BVK (sk). He ran a Viking II and a homebrew 813 amp with those
beautiful glowing mercury vapor rectifier tubes, which I used to love to
watch while he was on the traffic nets. He carried the mail, then for
relaxation, he would operate in the traffic nets just about ever night
2. What is your favorite mode and why?
CW...I have been doing it for 53 years and still love it. Before I left
Valdosta to go into the Navy, used to NCS the GSSN, GSO, 4RN, and EAN, where
I really learned to operate. About 1970 I got interested in high speed CW.
Before my two strokes I could copy in excess of 100 wpm durning a normal
conversation, can still copy around 90 wpm, but my right hand keeps me from
sending much over 70 wpm. Also found that being able to copy QRQ was a big
help in running during contest. Enjoy DX'ing on the low bands, especially
80m, that is, until I moved back down here where the QRN is substantially
higher than in northern Virginia.
3. What got you interested in contesting?
I'm just competative by nature, and not large enough to get into competative
physical sports. Have never even come close to winning any major contest,
but six or seven first place finished for Virginia in the SS and ARRL DX
test and others. Won 1st Place for North America on 15m in the All Asian
contest, mainly because of lack of other US competition on 15m plus my 80m
sloper put a wicked lobe into Japan on 15m. Operated the 80 m position at
W3LPL during CQ WW CW test with KE3Q/Rich and we set the still standing 80m
record score at LPL's. Not too difficult when you have four 2-el 80m quads
hanging from four 200' towers!
4. What is your favorite contest and why?
I enjoy about any contest, but probably the SS and CQ WW CW contest. Mainly
because there is plenty of activity, and when you have a decent signal, you
can sit and 'run' for hours on end, which I also enjoy. It doesn't bother me
too much to know that I am not going to win (with antenna limitations), but
when I get in a contest, I act like I am gonna win. The 'let down' comes
later when I see other scores and realize I'm still a little pistol.
5. What is your current station line up? Rigs, antennas, etc.
Currently I have two Ten Tec Orion's, an excellent Omni 6, a Titan 425 and a
Titan 3 amp. The jury is still out on the Orion's, but the Omni 6 is just a
screaming CW contest radio. Presently (before hurricane winds!) I just have
an 80m dipole at 70', fed with some 600' of home brew open wire feeders into
a Johnson KW Matchbox. Have a 20m EDZ cut and ready to go up if I have any
trees left when Frances finishes blowing. Shakey plans to put up a 90' tower
with 3-el 20/15/10 quad plus a 3 or 4-el 40m yagi....'shackey plans' because
these lightning storm here in Cook county scare the heck outta me!
6. Besides radio, what do you do for fun?
Flying radio controlled helicopters, bass fishing, listening to jazz, taking
care of my 15 acre retirement QTH, and helping take care of my soon to be 95
year old Mother.
7. What do you do for a living?
Nap a lot! Was in the Navy for 11 years doing electronic countermeasures
work, about 20 years as a microwave circuit/system design engineer, 5 years
as a director of engineering, and 15 years as a computer network specialist
for the Food & Drug Administration it Wash, DC. Now, very happily retired
and working harder than when I was working! But love it.
8. What improvements do you plan to make to your station before the CQ WW
SSB contest in Oct 2004?
None. But before the CQ WW CW contest, I plan to have a 3-el 20m quad strung
in the trees. Also am going to try and get my present 2-el 40m to perform
better than the dummy load it is at the present. Decide whether to use the
Orion or the Omni 6 for contesting.
9. How long have you been licensed?
53 active years.
10. What part of the hobby do you like the least?
The thing I do like about this hobby is that there are so many things one
can choose to do in it. I don't begrudge anyone for liking a part of the
hobby that I don't enjoy--for that is what this is, a hobby. I don't enjoy
'closed minded attitudes' that prevail in the hobby, such as the ARRL, and
'this is the way it's been done for years and we are not going to change'. I
don't particularly enjoy talking with non-QSK hams who love to hear
themselves send sloppy bug CW, rather than enjoy having a conversation. When
it gets to the point that I don't like or enjoy the hobby anymore, then it's
time for me to move on.
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