First Licensed: 1976
Callsigns Held:
Current interests:
Callsigns Held:
- WB7CJA (1976-1977)
- AE7I (1977 to present)
Current interests:
- Learning how to use my Flex-5000a with various applications (a moving target)
- Digital modes
- Playing with website
- Mountain biking
- Skiing
- Hiking
- Woodworking
My Amateur Radio Story
The seed was planted when my father bought me a Heathkit receiver and VOM when I was about 11-12 years old. I was intrigued by my new found ability to pluck signals out of the "ether" with my home made receiver! It was my own special niche, as none of my other five siblings had any interest in electronics or radio communication.
One day, returning from a track team workout, I was mesmorized by a huge tower and antenna array owned by a friend's father. It turned out that he was actually operating a CB radio (with a high gain antenna and "boots on" as they used to call it). He sold me a crystal controlled citizens band radio and suddenly my friends and I were communicating with each other every night after homework was done. However, I soon learned that skip communication and power exceeding 5 watts was prohibited, but that amateur radio operators routinely used skip wave communication and high power stations routinely. I searched around and met Mike Anagnosti, my first "Elmer."
Mike, W7LX (sk), was a retired Navy radioman and impressed me with his operating skills, especially high speed code reception. He loaned me an HF receiver, hand key, and sounder to practice cw. Soon I took and passed the novice class test. Before the ticket arrived in the mail, I had passed the general class test and shortly thereafter my advance class test. Per the rules and regs I had to wait a full year before taking and passing the extra class test. I can still picture the official FCC test setup. Back then we had to copy at least 1 minute of error-free code out of a 5 minute transmission at 20 wpm. I sweated bullets, but passed the test.
With the extra class license, I was able to dump the long (in Morse code) call sign of WB7CJA for the assigned short and snappy AE7I. I enjoy this call sign and have no plans to change.
At this time most of my activitty is on the cw bands. It is hard to find time to do much operating,due to work demands of being a gastroenterologist, however, I find a good cw contact very relaxing at the end of a tough day.
My current QTH turns out to be the one where I first cut my teeth on amateur radio. I purchased the home from my parents when they made the decision to downsize. My tower presently rises from the same location where I had a 20' push-up steel mast to support wire antennas in the 70's. It is both nostalgic and exciting to be back in the old (but remodeled) homestead!
73, Craig
The seed was planted when my father bought me a Heathkit receiver and VOM when I was about 11-12 years old. I was intrigued by my new found ability to pluck signals out of the "ether" with my home made receiver! It was my own special niche, as none of my other five siblings had any interest in electronics or radio communication.
One day, returning from a track team workout, I was mesmorized by a huge tower and antenna array owned by a friend's father. It turned out that he was actually operating a CB radio (with a high gain antenna and "boots on" as they used to call it). He sold me a crystal controlled citizens band radio and suddenly my friends and I were communicating with each other every night after homework was done. However, I soon learned that skip communication and power exceeding 5 watts was prohibited, but that amateur radio operators routinely used skip wave communication and high power stations routinely. I searched around and met Mike Anagnosti, my first "Elmer."
Mike, W7LX (sk), was a retired Navy radioman and impressed me with his operating skills, especially high speed code reception. He loaned me an HF receiver, hand key, and sounder to practice cw. Soon I took and passed the novice class test. Before the ticket arrived in the mail, I had passed the general class test and shortly thereafter my advance class test. Per the rules and regs I had to wait a full year before taking and passing the extra class test. I can still picture the official FCC test setup. Back then we had to copy at least 1 minute of error-free code out of a 5 minute transmission at 20 wpm. I sweated bullets, but passed the test.
With the extra class license, I was able to dump the long (in Morse code) call sign of WB7CJA for the assigned short and snappy AE7I. I enjoy this call sign and have no plans to change.
At this time most of my activitty is on the cw bands. It is hard to find time to do much operating,due to work demands of being a gastroenterologist, however, I find a good cw contact very relaxing at the end of a tough day.
My current QTH turns out to be the one where I first cut my teeth on amateur radio. I purchased the home from my parents when they made the decision to downsize. My tower presently rises from the same location where I had a 20' push-up steel mast to support wire antennas in the 70's. It is both nostalgic and exciting to be back in the old (but remodeled) homestead!
73, Craig
