For my bio at my other blog, which tells more about me, Click here
Please note: When I work CW, I usually send my name as Pat as in Patrick my middle name. It’s easier to send than Chuck. If you know CW, you know I am right. 🙂
Licensed since March 1989. Writer/blogger by trade. Opinionated old fogie.
I was supposed to be a truck driver. But, that did not pan out. See here for details. I don’t want pity, I’d like a job, locally around here. It’s gotten so rough for me, that I am now on state-paid Medicaid, Thank You Governor Snyder for helping people like me with ADHD, Diabetes and High Blood Pressure. I’d prefer to get insurance through a job; but you take what you can get.
I also run a very political blog. It is located at thoughtsandrantings.com. It’s a slightly right of center blog.
I was born and raised in southwest Detroit. I lived there from birth till October of 1989.
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My Amateur Radio history is as follows:
Back when I was 9 years old; my family, which consisted my Father, Mother, grandmother, aunt and myself; went on vacation. Normally, we would go to Dalton, Georgia every year.
Well, this particular year, we went to Little Rock, Arkansas . My Grandfather’s sister and her husband, on my Mother’s side, were Amateur Radio Operators. They were Elizabeth KA5RYY and her husband James Mahan KA5LAB. James is now a Silent key and Elizabeth Mahan became a silent key on May 9, 2014.
To say that James had an awesome station was the understatement of the century. James had a complete station in a spare bedroom. He also had 2 or 3 outbuildings with equipment in them. He also had a building that he used for teaching Amateur Radio license classes in as well.
Needless to say, my little 9 year old imagination was set on FIRE! 😀
All I talked about that summer was getting my ham license. I drove my poor mother crazy! (Still do, truth be told.. 😉 ) Anyhow, after a while and after getting a “Tune the world with Amateur Radio” from the ARRL from Electronic Connection from locally around here; and realizing that I had to actually learn Morse Code. My interest waned a bit. But, I always thought about getting a license.
I guess I should also mention that another kind of radio runs in my family. CB Radio. My late Dad was in the 1970’s till the mid 1990’s a dye in the wool, old school CB’er. He ran AM, and then went to SSB. He was even the President of two different SSB CB Radio clubs. My late Dad’s handle was “Curly” he talked on channels 4, 14, and then later 32. After that he moved up to Single Sideband. First he was on 39 LSB with the Sidebander’s International; of which he did serve as President, he then later was the President and founder of the North American Sidebanders on channel 38 LSB. My Dad’s mantra on there was: His antenna which was a Shakespeare big stick that was, “Two inches from being 60 ft in the air.”
His antenna was on mast pipe that he bought and shoved into the ground and was about 58 ft high. As he never could afford a tower. He loved to tell people that he was “on the flat side with the round side sticking out.” Meaning that he was sitting down with his belly hanging out. 😀 My late Dad always ran 4 watts of power on AM and 12 on SSB. He never used a linear in the house, ever. Now, in the car —- No comment. 😛
My Grandmother’s (again on my Mom’s side) brother in Dalton, Georgia was a CB’er.
Speed ahead to 1989. That year a friend of mine, who lived across the street from me; got an interest in Amateur Radio. Well, somehow or another, we both found out about Amateur Radio license classes being held by the Motor City Radio Club at Trenton High School. So, me and my buddy Joe, who is now N8ECN went to the classes.
My proud moment came, when I came home with my certificate; I had passed the Novice theory and passed the 5 WPM code test. I was on cloud 9! 😀 Please keep in mind, this not a easy thing for a kid with a bad case of ADHD.! My novice call was KB8HHZ. I never did operate with that license. mainly due to lack of equipment. About a year later, I passed the technician class license test. I applied for a call change and received N8MCY. Which later would serve for some horrible teasing by local hams around here. November 8 Mayor Coleman Young. (ugh! 😡 ) Anyone that is from the Detroit area knows that was the Mayor of Detroit for many years. I wasn’t too trilled about it, but I couldn’t change it at the time.
Sometime in the mid 1990’s, the FCC finally allowed you to change your callsign, even if you were not upgrading. So, I applied for a call change and got N8QXP. Which was a little better! Quarter Pounder X-tra Pickles is cute phonetics that I would use.
In 1999, I got wind that the FCC was doing away with the 13 and 20 WPM requirements. So, I went and bought, from Radio Shack, the General Class book by Gordon West WB6NOA and studied my brains out. I passed the test and got my general class license. I applied for and received my initials. I wanted W8CPA, but it was taken. So, I settled with K8CPA. One of these years, I hope to upgrade to extra class. But, honestly, I am in no big hurry to do it.
I’ve been a ham for 33 years now, which means, I can actually join the QCWA now. (ugh!) It hardly seems that long. I’ve dabbled in everything, almost. Packet Radio back in the 1990’s when it was the rage. SSTV on the computer, CW, DX’ing. VHF/UHF. Even did a stint as a Landline Bulletin Board Operator. I ran TAG BBS software, Frontdoor, Gecho and many other numerous things too long to list here.
Not bad for a high school dropout eh? 😉
I’ve also dragged kicking and a screaming’ for their lives into this wonderful hobby several misfits who I like to think of are my friends, at least they’re still speaking to me, I think! 😉 (Well, as of writing this bio anyhow! Now, once they see it, I dunno… 😆 )
- My Cousin Ray KD4TPY who is now a silent key. He lived in Dalton, Ga.
- Matt AC8AC who is an old friend from the CB days. Builds Amps, races cars, was married, got a divorce and now lives in Taylor, mi
- My buddy from southwest Detroit Joe N8ECN, who became a Silent Key in 2019.
Along the way, I’ve also made some very good friends in this wonderful hobby, they are:
- My friend, Mark Bedell N8OPK, who is now a silent key. Mark tragically died in 1996 of a massive heart attack at age 42. Mark was an old friend from the CB days. I bought his Kenwood TS-950SDX from his aunt. Mark would be glad to know that his radio is being put to good use.
- N8QGC John – I’ve known John since the early 1990’s. I remember the first time I talked to him; I was traveling home from Church and John calls me on the radio, he starts to tell me how long he had been listening to me and how he wanted to meet me. Which felt a bit….strange. (This was when he was first licensed.) Anyhow, I believe it was that night, I told him, “Well, I am on the way home, where do you live?” He asked me, “where are you?” and I told him. He said, “I live right around the corner!” So, I went and met him. He’s a good guy. Funny thing was; the night I went over, him and his ex-wife got in a heated argument! Ever try to slink out of a house? 😯 I did. 😆 Thank goodness that he divorced that wretched woman and married a very nice gal. 🙂
- K8FG Ron – I’ve known Ron forever. He’s been licensed a LONG time. He loves DX, now lives north of me a bit.
- Bill WW1AW – Bill is a friend from the CB Days, known him forever too.
…and many others!
My rigs:
Kenwood TS-950SDX – Antenna is a Cobra UltraLite Senior 160-10 wire antenna
Kenwood TM-D710GA – 2 meters and 440 – Radio does it all, except clean my room!
Radio Shack HTX-242 2 meter mobile – Hardly used
Yaesu VX-6R with a comet CX-333 triband (2/220/440) with a pigtail to hook to the HT
Uniden BCT-536HP – It’s a scanner that picks up everything and everybody….except for me, I’m too heavy. 😯 😆
