K4JC Vincent B. Weal Grant Valkaria, FL QCWA # 32076 Chapter 48

I started down this long, addictive path called Amateur Radio at the age of 13 when my father gave me a CB radio for my birthday. My older and more technically savvy brother (Dennis KA3AND, later KY7HVH, SK) began telling me of something called "Ham Radio", and suddenly I wanted much more than my Radio Shack Mini-23 could give me! The following year found me sitting in front of a stern-faced examiner at the Federal Building in Baltimore, Maryland taking my first Amateur Radio exam. For a while I was very active, then I discovered girls, and cars, and college, and work, and marriage, and kids, and divorce, and remarriage, and they all conspired against an active ham career! Throughout that time, though, I never let my license lapse or lost the passion for Amateur Radio (I stayed somewhat active on 2 meter FM). Around 2000 I picked up an old Tempo One HF radio and a trap vertical and rediscovered the "magic"! I've not looked back since.

My current station consists of a Yaesu FT-920 and a TenTec Omni VI Plus, with an Ameritron AL-80A amplifier feeding RF to a Mosley CL-33 for 10-15-20 meters, a rotatable dipole for 12 and 17 meters, a Hustler 6BTV vertical for 10, 15, 20, 30 and 40 meters, and a GAP Voyager for 40, 80 and 160 meters. Six meter operation is accomplished using the FT-920 and a Diamond DP-GH62. For VHF and UHF FM I use a Yaesu FT-8900R with a Diamond V-2000 antenna. (I am also on 60 meters using a MonoGAP antenna, which has so far been very impressive!) In November 2014 I had the privilege of operating my station as W1AW/4 representing Florida as part of the ARRL Centennial Worked All States operation.

When not on the air I serve as an ARRL VE and have been known to help teach some Technician classes. I am an Assistant Section Manager for the ARRL Southern Florida Section, the current Vice President and immediate past President of the Vero Beach Amateur Radio Club, and a past ARES EC for Indian River County, FL. Oh, and somehow in all that I find time to pursue gainful employment... :^)

I occasionally operate some HF digital modes. My original intent was to operate on digital long enough to get the ARRL Triple Play Award (which I did accomplish), but I discovered that I enjoy the various modes enough to keep using them. I primarily use RTTY, JT65 and JT9, and have earned WAS on each mode.

For those who may need them, some of my membership numbers are: QCWA: 32076; OMISS: 4211; 3905CC: 40m-2081 75m-2352; 10-10: 72779; FISTS: 13027; NAQCC: 4229; SKCC: 3639; 30MDG: 3884; EPC: 18751; DMC: 05762. I am a Life Member of ARRL, QCWA and INDEXA, a member of the Florida Contest Group and the Florida East Coast DX Club, and actively support several other Amateur Radio organizations. I hold 8BDXCC, 8BWAC, DXCC Challenge, WAZ, WPX Mixed (Honor Roll), CQ DX SSB, Triple Play #763, WAS Phone-CW-Digital, 5BWAS (all on Phone), 50 MHz VUCC, and the IARU Region 1, 2 and 3 Awards, plus the ARRL Diamond DXCC Award. Recently I also received the ARRL Centennial Points Top Level Challenge Award and the Centennial W1AW WAS Award.

I wholeheartedly endorse the DX CODE OF CONDUCT. If you are unfamiliar with it, please take a moment to click on the link below.

See you on the bands!

Vy 73,

Vince K4JC

July 29, 2015