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Hi and thanks for looking around my web page. My name is Jack and I am an amateur radio operator with a call sign of KF4YIO and I am located in Ringgold, Georgia just Southeast of Chattanooga, TN.
I have been a "Ham" since 1964 when I received my first "NOVICE" class license when I was 15 and received a call sign of WN8KKQ. At that time I lived in Michigan, hence the "8" call. In those days, you could not renew your novice license. You had to upgrade to a Technician or higher class. I didn't upgrade my license and left the hobby. In 1971, while serving in the Navy, I came home on one of my leaves, and ran into my old friend who I tested with for my novice license and he convinced me to get back into the hobby so with his help studying, I tested again. I had to go to the Detroit, Mi. FCC office to test for my general license. I passed and received a new call sign of WB8KBZ. This old friend is WA8KKT Ron and he still holds his original license. After leaving the Navy in 1976, I left the hobby again and didn't return for almost 18 years. In 1997, while working for New York Carpet World in Michigan, my company was purchased by Shaw Industries here in Georgia and I made the move to continue working. After having moved here, I met Ken KF4CSC and while visiting his shack one day, I got the "bug" all over again so again, I studied and studied. Having been a morse code operator in the Navy, I had no trouble passing the 13 word per minute code requirement needed to pass the test. I then passed the General test again and in May of 1998, I received my current call sign KF4YIO. Then in February of 2002, I studied and took the amateur Extra exam. I passed that with flying colors so now I am able to "operate" on any of the ham frequencies. Hope I run into you on the air. Here are a few pictures of my Past Shacks. I hope you will enjoy them. For pictures of my current radio shack, please look at my link to "MY SHACK". Unfortunately I don't have any pictures of my novice station. My dad helped me build an operating desk (he did all the work) and we set my first receiver, a Heathkit AR-3 and a Heathkit Twoer. Man, I was on the air. I built a little single tube cw transmitter to go along with the AR-3. Wish I had a picture for you. While in the Navy, I was lucky enough to be stationed in Scotland for a while. That is where I met my good friend John WA0ENE. We've been friends ever since. My rigs then were another set of Heathkits. The SB-401 transmitter and the SB-303 receiver. Here is a copy of my QSL card and as soon as I find a picture of this shack, I'll post it. 
Here is a picture of my old WB8KBZ station in Monroe, Michigan. 
I was the emergency coordinator for Monroe county for a while. The Michigan snow storms kept us (AREC) busy in the winter. More pictures will be added later. 73 for now and will CUL dit dit |