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I was first licensed in 2003 and was active the first couple years on 2m and 440.

Life got busy and I stepped away from the hobby. I didn't have a lot of room in my vehicle to install a radio and I joined the hobby of touring on a motorcycle during the little free time I had.

In 2016 I bought a vehicle that would accept the installation of a radio. My Icom IC-706MKIIG was pretty large for the newer vehicles so I picked up a Yaesu FT-8900R. I slowly started getting back on the local repeaters and nets. I reconnected with some old friends and made some new ones.

I started using my FT-8900R and the FT60R pretty regularly. I started watching a few YouTube channels about HAM Radio. Josh (KI6NAZ) and HRCC got me wanting to do more in amateur radio. I upgraded my mobile radio to the Yaesu FTM-300DR and my HT to the Yaesu FT5DR. Now I was using my radios all the time and had a set schedule of nets that I entered into my iPhones calendar with alerts to notify just prior to the start of the nets. Years ago I wanted to upgrade to General and now I finally had the time. I found a General Class and signed up. Two weeks into the class the pandemic hit. Classes were moved to Zoom. Finished the class but no one was testing.

With the pandemic, work got very busy. I worked for the local Sheriff's Department. I was a Lieutenant and worked 16 hours a day 7 days a week during the crisis. I was still able to keep in touch on the radio and not drop from the hobby. In 2021 I retired after 30 years from Sheriff's Department. I was lucky to retire at a relatively young age. I also teach concealed carry as a part time instructor. That being said, I had some free time on my hands, and I returned to the hobby a little more enthusiastically. I even started to attend Field Days and other functions again. I met a guy, Josh, in one of my classes whose father was a ham, Dan W8FFF. Josh was too busy and never got his license. I talked with Dan and made him my unofficial Elmer. I got a lot of information from him and still do.

I attended a Field Day and was pushed by some friends to start studying again. I upgraded to General on 30 April 2023 and it was Granted 01 May 2023. I talked my XYL into taking the Technician test on the same day and she passed (KD9YDT) and joined us in the hobby. I guess I'll have to loan her some radios. I also talked Josh into taking the test the same day. He joined us as KD9YFD.

On 15 July 2023 I upgraded to Amateur Extra. It was Granted 17 July 2023.

I am an ARRL, W5YI and Laurel certified VE. I like participating in ARES and SKYWARN. I am advanced trained in SKYWARN.

Now it's time to start learning morse code.

Recently I bought a few radios, I like my Yaesus. I bought a FTM500DR to add to my FTM300DR, FT5DR and FT-8900R. I moved my Yaesus FTM300DR, FT8900R and Icom IC-706MKIIG to a desk and made a ham shack. I have a few Yaesu FT-60R. I also have a Kenwood TH-F6A. Since I upgraded to General I needed a HF radio so I added a Yaesu FT-710 AESS with a Chameleon CHE EMCOMM II V2 antenna.