K5EP Grady P. Blount Commerce, TX QCWA # 36631 Chapter 38

Above is my old QSL card and the view looking out my former shack window. I started as a shack rat (to WN5HNZ, now N5VL) in the early 1960's. I went on to get my FCC Third Class License w/Broadcast Endorsement in 1971 and worked as a professional broadcaster in Victoria (KTXN), Corpus Christi (KEYS, KZFM, KRIS-TV), Houston (KLYX), Austin (KNOW/KCSW), Alpine (KVLF) and El Paso (KYSR) throughout the 1970's and early 80's. The picture below was taken at my novice station in Austin, TX (1977).

I got my Novice ham license in 1977 (WD5HUN), General in 1978 (N5AKB), Advanced in 1979 (KB5MP), and Extra in 2010 (K5EP). I have operated active amateur stations in Texas (1977-1985), Arizona (1986-1988), North Dakota (1988-1993), and back in Texas (1993-present). Since 1988 I have been employed as a college professor and administrator. I currently serve as a Professor of Physics and Chair of Applied Sciences at Texas A&M University-Commerce in northeast Texas. My primary ham radio interests are restoring boat anchors, solar physics, public safety (ARES), and ragchewing on 160m, 75m, and occasionally 40m. When my local star cooperates, I can be found on 15m. My current DX record is 38 light years, which would put my signals out beyond the red dwarf SCR 0838-5855, but thus far I am still calling CQ - no one has answered from those distances yet. Maybe someday my daughter (shown in the profile pic) will hear WD5HUN de ET!

September 21, 2015