WA4ZXV Norman M. Schklar Norcross, GA QCWA # 32998 Chapter 49

Norman Schklar, WA4ZXV, first licensed in 1966 as WN4ZXV. I took the code test for my Novice license with a flashlight while attending Army Signal Officers Candidate School at Fort Gordon, GA.

While waiting for orders to Germany, my wife, Susie, and I lived in a mobile home park at Hephzibah, GA. I found an Eico720 transmitter and a Hammarlund receiver. I knew a little about antennas because I had a CB radio and an SWR meter when I was in high school, so I stuck a piece of wire out the window, tuned the transmitter just like the book said, and off I was in the world of amateur radio.

After a few months I was shipped to Germany where I was licensed as DL4JC. I soon took the General Class test from a 31Bravo HF Station operator.

While in Germany, the Army was giving SP600's to MARS operators, so I signed up and had this big receiver in our guest bedroom in Darmstadt, Germany. After a few weeks, I found that I could get a Hallicrafters BC610 transmitter and AM modulator from MARS, and I could also get an extra weight allowance for the freight to send it state-side when I left Darmstadt. So here was the boat anchor in my guest room, now radio shack. One of the men at the MARS station knew how to set it up, and for the first time ever, the Army allowed a long wire to be strung up across the back yard. My first contact with the BC610 in CW mode (I couldn't get the modulator to work) was with a station in Vancouver Island, BC. It wasn't long until Lieutenant Schklar had to have a little more power than what was showing up on the meter. I was told that removing capacitor XYZ would increase the output 10%. So I went to remove the capacitor. This thing was about the size of a shoe box. Well, if you take the connections lose before discharging the capacitor you might get shocked so bad that it causes your legs to straighten like a frogs, and throw you against the closet door. I was lucky to hit the hollow door instead of the wall. If I had hit the wall, I think I would still be in Germany.

It was soon time to leave for Vietnam. All my gear went to my parent's basement in Murfreesboro, TN, my XYL went to stay with her mother in Nashville, and off I went to fight the enemy. My assignment in Vietnam with the 53rd Signal Batallion was to supply communications for the Corps Commander. I also picked up Officer in Charge of the MARS station at a post called Plantation which was near Long Binh .

After Vietnam, I returned to Murfreesboro where I was active in RACES and several VHF projects. I built several pieces of Heath Kit equipment and operated on a regular basis on HF and VHF voice. After a while, I decided I should have some 'store bought' equipment and invested in the Drake 'C' Twins. Soon after purchasing the Drake gear I quit operating HF. In the mid 90's I moved to Atlanta. Jim Bruce, K1FF discovered that I was a HAM without any equipment, and loaned me an HF rig and helped install a dipole. Not much later, Johnny Fearon, W4WKP, found my name in an ARRL announcement. He called and invited me to join Gwinnett Amateur Radio Society, and the rest is history. Equipment now is a FT847, IC756Pro3, RockMite-40 QRP rig,80mtr doublet, GR5Vjr, Fan Dipole, 520ft loop, and 40 ft of tower with TA33jr and 145,440,50mhz beams. While setting up for Straight Key Night this past New Years (2005), I discovered that the only straight key I had was part of an old code practice oscillator. I have since fixed this problem by adding a J-38. I enjoy some light public service work, field day, good food, and working with GARS to build the best radio group in GA.

I am very proud to have the honor of my friends naming me GARS 2003 'Ham of the Year'. And in 2006,2007,2008,2009 I was elected club president. In 2010 I was again named "Ham of the Year".

I enjoy QRP and help with the North Georgia QRP Club and I'm active in QRP-ARCI (QRP Amateur Radio Club International), Chairperson for QRP-ARCI's FDIM 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 (Four Days in May). Active in ARES.

In 2008 I started operating a Pactor 3 HF NTS-D Relay MBO for EAN Region4. I operate an RMS gateway for VHF.

Since 2008 I have become interested in contesting, or DX or "contacts for wall paper"and have enjoyed operation in several contests. It gives me additonal war stories to share with friends.

In 2009 I was a member of the contest team for the ARRL SSB Sweepstakes from PJ2T.

In 2011 appointed to Vice President Southeast DX Club. SEDXC.org

Coordinator for the 2012, 2013, 2014 Georgia QSO Party. www.georgiaqsoparty.org

March 2012 I joined the STENT club.

June 2012, 2013 President of SEDXC. www.SEDXC.org

Dec 2012 Voted as Life Member of Gwinnett Amateur Radio Society (GARS).

Gwinnett Amateur Radio Society (GARS) Awarded 2014 Club of the Year from Hamvention.

2013 Editor South East Repeater Association (SERA) Journal

2014 VP QCWA Chapter 49 Atlanta

I hold the ARRL title of Public Information Coordinator for the Georgia Section.

November 17, 2014