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WA5YOM Timothy 'Tim' Vandagriff Ardmore, OK QCWA # 27650 Chapter 193 |
I subscribed to Popular Electronics and Popular Science.
One day I saw a Crystal calibrator in Popular Electronics: I misunderstood its use, but it spurred a conversation with my Dad who had been a radio operator on the LST 312 during WWII. He told me about Ham Radio and offered to get me a CB. I bought a set of used ROSS CB walkie-talkies which provided hours of fun.
However, I knew immediately that I wanted to check out Ham Radio. His place of work had a club station that I was able to visit. He also knew a man that was a Ham. We visited is VHF-only shack in the basement. He let me mess around with the radio's. All I heard was static, but I was hooked. I had a friend in High School that had an interesting Tie clip, a combination of letters and numbers. It turned out to be his General class call sign, so I visited his shack. My dad helped me make a home-made key and oscillator and I was on my way to learning the code which I quickly learned. My Dad and I both studied for our
Novice. I remember very clearly the day that my Dad and I took my novice test, at the home of K2YCO. I was a nervous wreck. Charles had a very impressive VHF station. A few months later we received our Novice calls, WN2GTQ (me) and WN2GTS(Dad).While waiting for our license we built a Heathkit HR-10B and DX-60B ( I was already into kit building before this, we had built a Heathkit Guitar Amp.) We installed a Inverted "V" antenna designed by a local ham, Harry Lott. After that it is all history, I have been a Ham since July 17th, 1968 at 1914 GMT (my first contact).Ham Radio eventually led to my career as a Electrical Engineer.
In 1969 we moved. to Ardmore, OK. and we obtained our new call signs, WN5YOM and WN5YON, respectably.
We got our General Class license in 1970.
Upon upgrading we built our new General Class station consisting of a Heathkit SB-301 and SB-401 and a Cubical Quad up about 55 feet.
Later we moved to Florida for a short period where we had the call signs WB4YPG and WB4YPH.
Upon returning to Oklahoma we were able to get our 5 land call signs back.
I enjoy DXing and operate mostly CW. Lately I have found Ft8 to be a very interesting mode.
I am a retired Automation Engineer of 43 years.
I have a Extra Class License and I am a Life Member of the ARRL.
Member INDEXA, and past member of Lone Star DX Association and Oklahoma DX Association.
10-10# 13643, SKCC# 13242
Equipment:
My current station consists of a FlexRadio 6700 with Flex PGXL Amplifier, Force 12 C3S Yagi up about 45 feet on a Rohn tower, a 40 meter Bazooka and a 80-10 End Fed Dipole, Antenna switching is accomplished through the 403A Antenna Genius 8X2 Plus.
Additional rigs include my Dad's Kenwood TS-930S and our original Novice setup, Heathkit HR-10B and DX-60B, HD-10 Keyer.
I am currently restoring my Dad's SB220 amp.
1968 Novice Station WN2GTQ Tim (Son), WN2GTS Clent (Dad), Rochester, NY
1970 General Class Ardmore, Oklahoma
1972 Base Station in Longwood, Fl. WB4YPG Tim and WB4YPH Clent
1980 with Yaesu Twins, Ardmore, OK
2004 TenTec Omni V, Extra Class; 2012 Yaesu FTDX5000D, Alpha 87A and my Dads Kenwood TS-930S
September 02, 2019