KE5WCT

Born in Circleville, Pickaway County, Ohio in 1946, joined Navy in Dec 1963 and never returned to Ohio other than for short visits with family. I was Novice (WN8GMU) 1962/63 but let it expire. Obtained KN7OOK for Navy MARS while onboard USS Ranger in 1982 (expired). Retired Navy (Chief Radioman) 1989. Worked in electronics for Delco contractor in Carrollton Tx 1991-1996. Moved to Phoenix in 1997 where I entered DeVry University, I also joined Qwest Communications part time. 2001 I graduated DeVry with double BS (EET and IT). While at school, and working for Qwest Communication I was a Union Member. The Union contract allowed for retirement when Age and employment years combined equaled 65. So I retired from Qwest in 2006. I Moved to Garland (Dallas County) (EM12pw99b8) Tx 2008 where I regained my license with KE5WCT), then to Euless (Tarant County) (EM12ku94uc) TX,  and then to Elgin (Bastrop County) (EM10gg57pj) Tx 2012 (where I live with my daughter and her family. May of 2022, we moved again to the quiet wooded county near Daingerfield (Morris County) (EM23ob91tb) TX. 

Shack is new, running a Yaesu FT-991A, driving a rebuilt GAP Titan DX, at 15 ft AGL on a home brew tilt base. this antenna is the only antenna I have used since 2008. It was errected in 2008, taken down and move to Euless in 2010, then taken down, re-errected in Elgin in 2012. 2018 a wind store tore a branch from a nearby tree and damaged the antenna. It was rebuilt and moved to more open location with a home brew tilt support base. In 2022 it was again removed and re-errected in 2022 in Daingerfield. This has been the best antenna I could ever have imagined. I have worked all continents, all US States, all Canadian Providence. I am currently working on US Counties and Grids.

The rest of the shack is a Yaesu FT-450D that will visit the shop soon for repair and upgrades. Both radios have internal tuners, but I also have a MFJ-969 manual tuner for back up. The two radios are powered with a Jetstream JTPS-45 and Yaesu FP-1030-A power supplies. To help maintain the antennas (hope to add a couple of Dipoles soon), I have the MFJ-259B and the RigExpert AA-520 and the RigExpert Stick analyzers. And like any honest Ham Shack, there is the assorted boxes of cables, wires, spare connectors and tools stuck here and there.

I have started to work on the air some but most of the day is spent studying the software configurations and the radio programing, trying to get it all to work together smoothly and correctly. I am currently running Ham Radio Deluxe (Ver 6.9.0.17201 for rig control and its companion HRD Logbook. I use the DM780 for RTTY and PSK modes, but shift to WSJT-X (V2.6.1 6b6d74) and JTAlert (V2.81.2) for FT8 and FT4. I have not tried any of the other digital modes. On another PC I also run PSKreporter and GridTracker-2 to help track what is going on as well as watch my contact needs, such as grids and counties on different bands.

Before the move to Daingerfield,  I had been a member of EPC (#13556), FT8DMC (#18164), TEN-TEN (#77918), PODSK070 (#2872) and 30MDG (#13040). Recently, since getting back on the air, have joined OMISS (#15733). Hopfully I will be back to actively working with the clubs again.

Hope to get my old key out soon and see if my fist still works. Maybe I can get back up to my old Navy speed of 28 wpm (manually).

I maintain online log's at Lotw, QRZ, eQSL, ClubLog, HRDLog, and HAMQTH. Look me up and watch for me on the air.

Contact is: ke5wct@arrl.org redirects to one of my private email's. 

73

Mike, KE5WCT