W5DF

Daniel L. Feeback
Pauls Valley, OK

QCWA # 38161
First Call: KB5VFJ issued in 1994       Other Call(s): KJ5MX

Born in 1952, I became an avid radiophile with the advent of Bell Laboratories' discovery of the transistor and the subsequent widespread availability of the "transistor radio", a ubiquitous and miraculously small, handheld device that was the rage of the early 1960's in America.

Although many of my first radio acquisitions were tube-type devices, I knew even at an early age (Age 8) that semiconductor devices would change the future of the World.

I witnessed the marvel of the Russian Sputnik satellite by radio in my first grade classroom and in high school during the mid-sixties built a suitable high temperature silicon oven and fabricated my own home-brew transistor that was used to build a one-transistor receiver. My fascination with the US Space Program began with the initial launches of Alan Shepard and John Glenn and continued through and beyond the Apollo program's realization of President Kennedy's mandate to place a man on the moon before the end of the 1960 decade.

After more years of education than I would like to admit, and a 13-year tenure as a Professor at the Oklahoma College of Medicine, my continued preoccupation with the American and Russian Space programs drew me to Houston and a position as a Research Scientist at NASA. Currently the Director of the Clinical Laboratories and Head of the Muscle Research Laboratory at NASA's Johnson Space Center, I still seek the thrill and challenges of contributing to mankind's exploration of the Universe beyond the Earth's gravitational confinement.

My career experiences have been intensely rewarding producing over 70 scientific journal articles, 3 academic books, and several book and monograph chapters.

My interest in the magic of radio never waned despite personal interactions with various modern technologies including transmission and scanning electron microscopy, magnetic resonance spectroscopy/magnetic resonance imaging, and image analysis.

My interests in amateur radio include VHF/UHF/SHF/Microwave communications and contesting, ATV, digital modes, amateur satellites, EME, and high altitude balloon launches carrying amateur radio. I enjoy building microwave and ham radio equipment using semiconductors that have now evolved far beyond my wildest imagination. To date, I have failed to build a second transistor -- but I'm OK with that.

FYI: The transistor was invented by Bell Labs in 1947 - Bob, NØUF, QCWA Webmaster (31 years with Northwesteren Bell & ATT)

W5DF - Daniel L. Feeback

January 28, 2020