N4TB
First licensed in 1955 as WN3EPM at the age of 12. Upgraded to General class in April 1956 as W3EPM.
Yep, that's really me. I did have hair at one time!
At the right in the photo is a TG-34A code keyer. This is what got me hooked on CW for life.
My novice station receivers were a National NC-125 and a National NC-183. Transmitter was a Stancor ST-202A with an 811A in the final that I built from a kit. In 1956 the transmitter was replaced with a Heathkit DX-100.
As W5XJ in 1980. Rig is a Collins 75A4 receiver and a pair of Collins KWS-1 transmitters.
Received W5XJ in 1976.
After 31 years with Texas Instruments in Dallas, Texas I retired and Karen and I moved to Puerto Rico. I was issued NP3G and Karen received NP3F.
In 2002 we moved to Florida and with the help of John, K4WJ, I received N4TB.
Other calls held along the way were K7KIY, HS3TB and DL4BT.
I received the ARRL 5 Band DXCC award # 502 in June of 1976. After working 7O1AA in 1989 I received the ARRL #1 Honor Roll Award. I now need several countries to get back in the # 1 spot. Most of these countries were worked/confirmed when operating as NP3G but do not count towards the N4TB Award.
I just completed DXCC on 160 Meters and with the help of the ARRL LOTW I am working on 5 Band WAS.
I am a member of ARRL, Florida Contest Group, A1 Operators Club and the First Class CW Operators Club (FOC).
My other hobbys include bicycle riding and scuba diving.
I try to ride 100 miles a week and have exceeded 100 miles a in a week a number of times. I ride about one and a half hours a day and cover 18 to 25 miles depending on head winds. I have a Trek Road bike. Most of the rides are in the local neighborhood but on weekends Karen and I will often ride out towards the Avon Park Bombing range. It is a nice country ride and on weekends there is very little traffic. After riding the hills of Texas I thought the flat country here in Florida would be easy. I soon realized that on the flat you are working all the time and never have time to rest while coasting down a hill.
I
never missed an adventure of Sea Hunt on TV but I did not start
diving until the tender age of 53. When we moved to Puerto Rice we
had some of the best diving in the world almost at our doorstep. Both
Karen and I are licensed PADI Scube Instructors and enjoyed teaching
and leading dive trips in Puerto Rico. We moved to the southwest
corner of the island and worked at a dive shop in La Parguera. About
two miles off shore the reef was 60 feet deep and droped almost
vertical to over 2000 feet. Diving along the wall was beautiful.
Diving in Florida is not nearly as much fun as diving in Puerto Rico.