Amateur radio, often called ham
radio, is both a hobby and a service in which participants, called "hams",
use various types of radio communications equipment to communicate with other radio
amateurs for public services, recreation and self-training. The term "amateur"
is used to differentiate it from commercial and professional two-way radio services.
Amateur radio operation is licensed by an appropriate government entity (for example,
by the Federal Communications Commission in the United States) as coordinated through
the International Telecommunication Union. An estimated two million people
throughout the world are regularly involved with amateur radio. (From Wikipedia*)
For more information on amateur radio, please click the "about amateur radio"
tab
I was first licensed in 1972 when I got my Novice ticket as WNØHUS. I upgraded
to General in 1974 and became WBØHUS, upgrading to my Advanced
ticket in 1977. After I passed the Extra exam in 1998 I applied for the vanity
call NØJY in March of 1999.
In 2011 I received my Avanzada (Advanced) category license in Colombia and the
callsign HK5JY. My amateur radio interests include working the
satellites, DXing and VHF packet.
One of my greatest thrills in amateur radio was a contact I had with John Blaha,
KC5TZQ when he was aboard the Russian Mir space station, in January 1997. I was
mobile, on my way to work when Mir came up over the horzon and John was there
calling CQ!
I am involved with public service emergency communications as the Hood County
Liaison Officer for Texas State R.A.C.E.S. an as a member of Hood County
R.A.C.E.S. as well as a member of the Hood County Amateur Radio Club.
In support of our local Skywarn and simply for fun, I maintain a weather station
with a 2 meter APRS connection using the Byonics WXTrak
(NØJY-4 on findu.com) as well as a display of the weather on this web page
(see Bentwater Weather link at top of page) so the current weather readings are always available
to interested parties in our area of Texas.
My XYL (KD5FCQ) and I live about 3 miles northeast of Granbury TX, which is
about 30 miles southwest of Fort Worth.
Please feel free to explore my station and antennas using the tabs at the top of
the page.
*http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
