K8HLJ George A. Harizal Vermilion, OH QCWA # 16245 Chapter 1

My name is George and I live in Vermilion, Ohio which is on the south shore of Lake Erie about 35 miles west of Cleveland. This year, 2015 marks my 58th year as a ham. I've held the same callsign, K8HLJ, and have been continuously licensed since 1957. I'm spending more time on the air these days now that I'm retired from public education after 35+ years in the field...the last 24 of them as a public school principal here in Vermilion. My wife's name is Sue and she's been a ham for 48 years. Her call is WA8WPV. She's a retired teacher with 35 years inpublic education also. She now enjoys her 14 horses and runs a horse drawn carriage service. We've been married for 43 years this summer. Our daughter, her husband, and my 6 year old grandson live only 20 minutes away and we see him almost every day. Retirement couldn't be any better.

I operate mostly 40 and 75 phone and CW but can also be found nights on 160 when conditions are quiet in the colder months. I run mainly Kenwood gear from the shack with a TS-950 station being my primary rig. For a change of pace and to enjoy a bit of nostalgia, I often fire up some of my older equipment There's nothing like the warmth that the glow of tube filaments gives to a hamshack on a cold night. I still like to see and talk about those great old Hallicrafters, Hammarlunds, Nationals, Johnsons, Heathkits, Drakes, Collins, and others. My dream station from that era would be the Hallicrafters HT-44 and SX-117 twins. I look to having that pair as part of my station some day. If you like vintage ham gear like I do, you might enjoy the photo of the Drake side of my hamshack posted above. I love CW and have collected a few Vibroplex keys which can be seen on the table and shelf in the pictures too. If you "Google" my call, K8HLJ, you will bring up the "Station-K8HLJ" link to WB4HFN's Drake Collector Gallery where there are two better photos including the Kenwood side of my shack and a listing of each piece of equipment.

From the car I run mostly 40 and 75 phone and some CW with an Icom 706. I am the current director of MIDCARS (Midwest Amateur Radio Service) which operates every day from 0830 until 1400 Eastern Time on 7258 KHz and can be found there most days either as a check-in or as one of the Service Control Operators (SCOs). If you need Ohio, Erie County, EN81, or just want to say, "Hi!", stop by and check in. Be sure to check out the MIDCARS website at www.midcars.net.

If I'm not on the air from the shack or the mobile, I may be running marine mobile in the summer out on Lake Erie. I'm an avid boater and cruiser and often enjoy evenings on the air while at my dock or wherever I might be on Lake Erie or Lake Huron. On the boat I run a TS-570 and a 23' Shakespeare marine vertical. Every year I try to run Field Day while swinging on an anchor line in the beautiful bay north of Kelleys Island or at historic Put-In-Bay on South Bass Island. Now that's fun!

Organizations and other activities in which I'm involved include ARRL, Life Member of QCWA #16245, 37 years in Navy-Marine Corps MARS, NRA, and MIDCARS. I enjoy playing piano professionally, I play tuba in the Lorain County Civic Band, and I direct the Community Concert Band here in Vermilion. I'm also active in the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary (37 years), Boating, LIONS Club, Rear Commodore Elect of Harbor Bay Yacht Club, Shooting and Reloading, Astronomy, G Scale Model Railroading, Photography, Bicycling, going to Dayton every year, ...and of course, enjoying retirement. 73! Hope to see you on the air!

February 24, 2015