WA2ZOU Robert W. 'Bob' Reed Gurley, AL QCWA # 30272 Chapter 64

Update 15 April 2007: Keel Mountian (Gurley) Alabama station is on the air!!

The homestead is located on a crest of Keel Mountain, at an elevation of about 1500 feet. At almost 900 feet above the river valleys below, the QTH lends itself well to amateur radio. I have7 acres here to play with, part wooded and part cleared, I am looking forward to my own little antenna farm!

Born and raised on Long Island NY (NA-026) (Nassau County) in a ham radio family. Started listening to amateur radio as a toddler while my parents Ralph (W2HQD) and Helen (K2AIU (SK)) talked on 2m AM. My first QSO was with my dad when I was about 4. Had a growing interest in radio and electronics as a child, and finally got my novice ticket in 1975 (WN2ZOU) at age 14. I upgraded in 1977 and still have my issued callsign. The family was very active in the Long Island Mobile Amateur Radio Club (LIMARC), looking forward to all events, especially Field Day, my personal favorite.

I left NY in early 1982 for a "short" hitch in the US Army to acquire the funding to finish my college studies. Shortly after leaving home I realized I missed my girl too much, also a Long Islander, and we decided to get married. Well that short Army time came and went and we survived a 24 year tour of duty. In my years of service, I got to see many different lands and meet some wonderful people, both hams and non-hams alike. I held the call DA1OY in Germany 1989-1990, and HL9ZOU in South Korea 2003-2004. After receiving my MA in Management from Webster University, I finally retired in 2006 as a Patriot Missile System Technician Army Chief Warrant Officer (CW4) with 24 years of service, and I am now working as a Systems Engineer with a defense contractor in Huntsville, AL.

I am a member of the following:Huntsville Amateur Radio Club; Chapter 64 (Sun City Chapter, El Paso, TX), Quarter Century Wireless Association (Life Member, # 30272); 10-10 International (Life Member, # 72643), OMISS (#8125), and ARRL (Life Member).

My HF station is on the air with an Icom IC-746, an Icom IC-737, a MFJ-993B antenna tuner, several audio filters, and for antennas a Buckmaster 7-band Off Center Fed dipole about 20 feet off the ground ( http://hamcall.net/7bandocf.html ), and a Cushcraft R7000 vertical peaking at almost 50 feet. I also have an Icom IC-706MKIIG in my truck with a motorized screwdriver antenna mounted on the brush guard. The antenna is built by the club as a fund raiser and works very well (http://www.qsl.net/w5es ). This is my first experience with HF mobile, and so far it is fun. I just have to get used to driving, writing, and talking at the same time! I spend many evenings tuning around 10, 17, and 20 meters looking for a call of "CQ."

When we are out on the road for a dog show, I use an Icom-706 with a PV-7 vertical antenna attached to the front of the RV with a BIG "C" clamp (http://antennas.thebrownhouse.org/ for details). My first outing with this setup resulted in 2 DX and 20 states in 2 hours from a parking lot in Hobbs, NM. My XYL shows Pembroke Welsh Corgis, the "kids" can be seen at http://keelmtn.com .

Active hobbies include amateur radio, coin collecting, shooting, and too many hours in front of the computer! Expanding on the hobbies a bit, in 2012 I acquired my Federal Firearms License and started Keel Mountain Munitions LLC, a small firearms dealership specializing in low cost transfers. Check it out at www.kmmunitions.com. The "Jr Op" in the picture is "Phoebe," one of the SEVEN(!!) four-legged children (they are NOT Cheaper by the Dozen) scampering around the shack. I would like her to get the code down, but she tends to have a lead paw. (;-) Think we could get those ears to load up on 160? Front to back should be EXCELLENT!!

If all this is not enough, I am also a member of my local volunteer fire department. I come from a long line of volunteer fire fighters, and a requirement on the retirement home was that it was served by a volunteer department. After many years on not being able to, I jumped in with both feet! I am a proud member of the Keel Mountain Volunteer Fire Department (www.keelmountainfire.com), holding positions of Assistant Chief, Training Officer, Safety Officer, and a licensed Emergency Medical Technician. A medic unit sits in my driveway waiting for the next call for assistance.

My family is still active in amateur radio. My father Ralph, W2HQD, lives in New Hampshire, and my sister LindaSue, K2AIU, is a retired FDNY dispatcher and lives just down the road up here on beautiful Keel Mountain.

W5ES is the sponsor of the "Worked All El Paso" certificate, one of the oldest certificates in American amateur radio, dating back to 1936. Certificate requirements are just to work 15 stations in El Paso county (Texas), any time, any band, any mode, no duplications of callsign and no repeaters can be utilized. Club stations count, as well as the personal callsign of the operator(s). Send a log extract with log info detailing the El Paso contacts to W5ES, NO QSLs ARE REQURED! The contact can be with one of our locals, or someone passing through El Paso, as long as the distant station was in El Paso COUNTY at the time of the QSO. MUCHO traffic passes through El Paso on I-10. Once verified, a certificate will be issued, AT NO COST. Subsequent endorsements are available for 50, 75, 100, etc. contacts. A group of El Paso hams are on the air almost every Sunday from 0900-1100 local (MOUNTAIN) on 28.440 MHMHzHope to hear you there!!!!

To this day, my XYL cannot understand how I can talk around the world using "a box and a piece of string," but it keeps me out of trouble so it cannot be all that bad.

73, Bob

QSL provided by Pete NL7XM

September 08, 2015