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W7WLL Donald S. Tucker Yachats, OR QCWA # 33545 Chapter 175 |
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DXCC CONFIRMED: 327 CURRENT - - - 353 TOTAL
Celebrating 63rd year as an amateur radio operator and 59 years of marriage (61 if you count courting time!!).
Retired from Tektronix. Inc in 2001 after 42 years in manufacturing, engineering, marketing and sales.
I QSL 100% every NEW call sign I send a REAL QSL card and appreciate QSL cards in return. I do NOT use or respond to eQSL. Not setup for LOTW. Cards received via the bureau returned via the bureau. Cards received direct will be responded to direct.
I collect lighthouse and lightship postal cards, US and foreign. If you have a lighthouse or lightship postcard you would send to me, I can trade for an extra lighthouse card I have. I also collect Harbor Lights figurines as well as US and foreign lighthouse and lightship books.
I also collect match boxes and matchbook covers from around the world. I'd be grateful for any you can share and send to me.
DX STATIONS - Earn a Willamette Valley DX Club (WVDXC) Honorary Member Certificate. Work 10 members, then submit list (calls, bands and dates/ times) to WVDXC, POB 5993, Boring OR 97009, USA (www.wvdxc.org)
Do you own or have an interest in older Tektronix products or need parts? Contact the 'vintageTEK' Museum at www.vintagetek.org. They may be able to assist you.
Received Novice license and call WN7WLL on July 9, 1954; General license and call W7WLL on September 30,1954; Advanced license on September 10, 1968; and Extra Class license on June 3, 2000. Held call AC7WLL during 1976 US Bi-Centennial. My early mentor was boyhood friend Bob Wruble, W7TDK (later AI7B, then W7GG (now deceased)). Did code and license tests (and actually drew circuit diagrams) under the watchful eye of the FCC Portland office Examiner.
In '56 went mobile with an Elmac AF-67, Gonset convertor and Master Mobile roller coil antenna. Upgraded the mobile receiver to a Morrow 5BRF and FTR, later both receiver and transmitter to a Morrow MBR-5 and Morrow MB-560.
Joined Tektronix in July '58, got married in Aug '58, and in '62 moved into our first home. There I used the SX-71, Viking Ranger, a modified BC-610 amplifier and an early HyGain tuna fish trap 3 el tribander (antenna destroyed in Columbus Day windstorm of 1962 and rebuilt with the molded blue traps). In '64 we moved to a new home, purchased a Collins S-1 Line (still have it), built a 4-1000 amplifier and installed a HyGain Thunderbird (blue molded traps) beam at the top of a 100 foot fir tree (rotated it with an old WWII prop pitch motor and surplus selsyn indicators). Took the tree down some years later and installed an early HyGain TH-7 on a WT-51 Tri-Ex crank-up tower.
Served from '54-'63 with the 41st Inf Div, 162nd Engineer Bn, Hq & Hq Co, OANG, as Communications Chief while going to college, working at Tektronix and starting a family. When my third enlistment was up I took an honorable discharge as an E-6. While with the unit I was the CHOP of MARS station K7WAI (me at our portable MARS station at Ft Lewis WA with a National NC-125 and WRL Globe Champion). Comm truck equipped with AN/GRC-19 and AN/GRC-5. AN/GRC-19 worked great on 20 M!!!!
Later served as a GS-14 civilian volunteer from 1974 through 2010 for the Department of Defense, Under Secretary of Defense, Reserve Affairs, working with the Oregon Committee of the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) organization. Served as a Unit Representative, Area Chair and Employer Outreach Chair.
We live in an ocean view 2-story home on an acre plus of flat land at the top of a ~74 foot (22 M) hill overlooking the eastern Pacific Ocean, located on the south-central Oregon coast (Highway 101 Milepost 162) in south Lincoln County, 2 miles N of Yachats OR (close to San Marine area) and 6 miles S of Waldport OR. We are ~1500 feet (457 M) from the ocean, a quick walk down the hill (hopefully safe from any potential tsunami!!!).
At our ocean home I use a Yaesu FT-1000MP, FT-1000D or FT-990 and an Alpha 91b amplifier. Antennas are an 80/40 fan inverted V hung from the top of a 70 foot Hy-Gain HG-70HD crankup tower. Beams are a Hy-Gain TH7DX (10/15/20) at 72 feet (22 M), a Cushcraft A3WS (12/17) at 80 feet (24 M) and a Technical Specialist's high-gain 2 M 16 foot monopole at 82 feet (25 M). Use a Kenwood TM-241A for 2 M.
Have a Tri-Ex WT-51 crankup and a Rohn FK-25 tilt-over tower setting on sawhorses. Maybe erect the WT-51 this coming summer and mount an estate acquired 5 band Cubex quad. Also have a KLM 40M rotatable linear loaded dipole which needs to be put up (round tuit).
My current mobile is a Yaesu FT-900 using Hustler antennas.
We have many wild animals in the area, including white tail deer, coyote, puma (cougar), black bear and Roosevelt elk. All wander onto our property from the Siuslaw National Forest behind us (269,000 acres/420 sq miles/108,860 hectares), a very big back yard!!
If interested in OR central and north coast weather, see current wx information (updated about every 5 minutes) at www.ocrg.org/telemetry_feed/ocrgwx.html. I'm Yachats/AS531, at the list bottom, and use a Peet Ultimeter 2000 wx station.
Visit my Marine Traffic System Receiving Station Number 1988 at www.marinetraffic.com where I host MarineTraffic System AIS receiving station 1988, feeding AIS data into the global MarineTraffic system from vessels at sea. Use a SLR-300N receiver and 162 MHz vertical at 100 feet (31 M) above MSL.
You can also see area aircraft at www.flightradar24.com where I host Flightradar24 ADS-B receiving station F-KONP1, feeding ADS-B from aircraft along and out from the central OR coast into the Flightradar24 system. Use a Flightradar24 receiver and 1096 MHz vertical antenna 100 feet (31 M) above MSL.
After 42 years with Tektronix, I retired in February 2001 as Director of Global Marketing's Customer and Sales Support Group (comprising the Technical Support Center, Commercial and Federal Contracts, Federal Security, Tender Management, ECommerce, Business Practices, Customer and Employee Technical Training, Export Services, Export Control, Corporate Customer Certification and Compliance and Pricing Administration).
Represented Tektronix on various national trade and other organization committees, including the Computer Business Equipment Manufacturers Association or CBEMA, the National Security Industrial Association or NSIA (now NSI), the Scientific Apparatus Manufacturers Association or SAMA, the Manufacturers Alliance for Productivity and Innovation or MAPI, Coalition for Common Sense in Government Procurement or CCSGP, the Commercial Products Acquisition Team or COMPACT, the American Defense Preparedness Association or ADPA (formerly AOA, American Ordnance Association), the Electronic Industries Association or EIA, the American Electronics Association or AEA and the Department of Defense Science Board.
Appointed by the Secretary of Commerce in 19'74 to its volunteer National Defense Executive Reserve (NDER) unit as a Senior Advisor, GS-14. The Commerce NDER Unit was transferred in 1998 to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and was disbanded in 2008.
Forty year member of the Portland/Vancouver Chapter of the National Contract Management Association or NCMA and a Certified Federal Contracts Manager and NCMA Fellow.
Member - ARRL, Willamette Valley DX Club (1969), 10-10 (#71666), United States Lighthouse Society, QCWA (#33545), National Contact Management Association (Certified Federal Contracts Manager and Fellow), BPOE - Newport OR lodge, Oregon Emergency Net {OEN} (#69, March 12, 1965), Ayr Amateur Radio Group (Scotland) and Lincoln County's Emergency ACS.
I am the W suffix handler for the ARRL 7th District QSL Bureau (http://wvdxc.org). Was the 7th Call Area QSL Bureau Manager, starting in April of 1967 for a few years.
Trustee for KY7L, Oregon Amateur Radio Special Events Association, operating portable from Oregon lighthouses and other Oregon coast special events when time and conditions permit.
Active in the International Lighthouse/Lightship Weekend (www.illw.net). Have operated from Cape Blanco LH, Umpqua River LH, Cleft of the Rock LH, Yaquina Bay LH, Yaquina Head LH and Cape Arago LH (on Chief Island) along Oregon's coast.
Former QSL Manager for ET3/9E3/9F3FMA (now via W4WJ), VR4LN (now via K4ZPF), KC6CE (now via K4ZPF), KW6EK (SK, logs gone), FL8MC (now via F5EU), FL8HM and YV1ACI among others.
I can confirm contacts with AI7B, FS/AI7B, W7GG and WW7OR through 30 November 2008.
Have a few hollow tube technology items around, a Morrow Radio 5BRF, FTR, MBR-5 (looking for a MB-560). Looking for original aluminum front knobs for a Morrow 5BRF. Have two Hallicrafters SX-71's, one post- and one pre-15 meter band, a Hallicrafters S-19R which needs work, Hallicrafters R-46 speaker, an EF Johnson Viking Ranger and a Collins R-390A with CV-591 SSB converter. Also have a few old antique and custom brass and wood hand keys, US and foreign.
Raised a competitive figure ice skater. Served as the State Games of Oregon Figure Skating Commissioner from 1992 to 1995 and on the Oregon Skating Council for a period as President and VP. Held similar positions with the Carousel Figure Skating Club.
Own Technovations, an Oregon business consulting to small businesses interested in marketing and selling to US and foreign governments (now am moving to inactive statrus).
Chairman of the Board of Directors, SW Lincoln County Water PUD (serving the area between Waldport and Yachats OR).
Attended Woodstock then DA Grout grade school in Portland. Graduated from Portland's Cleveland HS in 1953. Attended Multnomah College (electronics) before transferring to Portland State Extension Center which became Portland State College (Alumni #499). Received MBA from American Graduate University in 1981.
Awarded US Patent 3,888,780 for Programmable Timelapse Photographic System.
NOAA/NWS SKYWARN volunteer LC-3H.
Hobbies besides ham radio include collecting Harbor Lights- lighthouses, US and foreign lighthouse books, postcards and lighthouse memorabilia (local pharologist), stamps and coins, matchbook covers and boxes (phillumenist). Also do rock polishing and like to travel.
WN7WLL Novice station (left) in early September 1954, just before getting my General license, W7WLL.
First station was a Hallicrafters SX-71, RME DB-23 Preselector, homebrew xtal-controlled 6AG7-6L6 35W transmitter
Amphenol folded dipole for 40 and a 250' long wire and (I think), a Heathkit AT-1 tuner.
Moved up (right) to an original EF Johnson Viking Ranger transmitter as a General
Served from '54-'63 with the 41st Inf Div, 162nd Engineer Bn, Hq & Hq Co, OANG, as Communications Chief
Temporary ham shack.
Bucket lift truck for easy work on antennas.
View from house looking West
My wife and I with two of our seven great grandchildren
YACHATS, OREGON QTH (Actually 2 miles N)
Looking East (Siuslaw National Forest behind)
July 29, 2018