N4NSS Kyle W. Jeske Saint Petersburg, FL QCWA # 36902

My Elmer was WA9HFB Ed Keuper (SK). He was a 6 meter ham. I remember the nights that I went over to his shack for those elusive openings. His Hallicrafter receiver with the Amico converter. The best was his home brew AM transmitter on a 3 foot rack. This was in the early 60's. I was young and I let the experience slip by, high school, girls, and sports took over my interest. It took the Navy to teach me the code.

I finally got my license in 1966 - WA9USD. retired call on Nov. 26, 2002 and got N4NSS

Navy history: I was stationed at Skaggs Island 1967-'68, USS Oxford AGTR-1, Imperial Bch.Ca NSG

I was home on leave from the US Navy with only a day left before I had to return to base when my ticket came in the mail. I made a few QSOs with great excitement.

My first radio set was a Knight Kit T60 with the Knight Kit R-100A receiver. The antenna was a 130-foot wire that looked like a Windom. I switched the wire feed line between the receiver and transmitter by using an alligator clip attached to a screwdriver. The screwdriver was stuck into the center hole of the coax connectors in each rig. Yes, I was really new at this Ham radio stuff!

Over the many years as a Ham I have had several different ham shacks. I only have one picture of an early setup which was in the mobile home. Sure wish I kept better records. I was 27 years old then.

I have had about fifteen plus different station set-ups since I became a ham 1966.

In 2013 my radio gear and station had a big changeover.

A dear ham friend passed away on April 4, 2013, Phil LaMarshe W9DVM. Phil liked to purchase ham rigs and try them out but would later sell and get another. For the last couple years he kept the "K-line" by Elecraft. I figured since this was his last and supposedly his best choice I figured I'd buy the K-line from the widow. Wow! Am I glad I paid attention to him. My station, see below: K3, P3, KPA-500 amp, KAT-500 tuner, KX3 QRP rig.

I like to backpack in some of Floridas wilderness areas and preserves. Yes,there are some real nice ones near the Tampa Bay area. My KX3 is the portable work horse.

I installed an Icom-7000 in the new truck (2012 Nissan Frontier 4X4). I use the AH-4 tuner to tune hamsticks. Antennas vary from W5GI to verticals and 43 foot wire in a tree. I backpack with my converted baby carrier holding my KX3 and whatever goes with it to make up a station so I can play radio away from the home by going to parks.

I try out different types of antennas and their variations, some are experimental and some are the standard kind. I like building kits and putting parts together to make gadgets. You can find me using CW, SSB, PSK-31.

I have installed antennas on the Jayco Sport 19ft. travel trailer.

This is a modified lamp stand/book shelf for the K-line, which I use in the trailer.


Above is a converted microwave cabinet for home use which holds the K-line station for the home shack.

December 06, 2015