!I am an Amateur Radio Operator. My Callsign is WA4BRL. I have been licensed since June of 1971 when I received my Novice class license, callsign WN4VQY.
Here is a picture of my first 'Ham Shack' in late 1971. To the left is the equipment I borrowed from the Amateur Radio Club at Ferguson High School, where I was a junior: a WW2 vintage Army Signal Corps receiver and next to that a 1950's Knight Kit 50 watt transmitter. To the right is the Heathkit DX-60B transmitter I had just finished building. With this 'beginner's license', I was able to operate Morse code at power levels up to 75 watts. Even with my modest antennas I was able to talk to the people all over the world. My most distant contact was with Japan. Notice the map in the photo. I darkened in each state as I contacted a ham station there. As you can see, I was pretty far along towards acheiving the "Worked All States" certificate. A particularly nostalgic item to note: in front of the Knight transmitter is the 6-inch slide-rule I needed for math and science classes. This was a couple of years before the first calculators.
!
1971 Ham Shack
I passed the General Class license exam at the Norfolk FCC office in August of 1972. Below is a picture of me at the tender age of 18 operating with my new General Class privileges at my friend, (then WB4YIK) Craig's house. The rig is a Yaesu FTDX-570.
The ultimate oxymoron: A HIPPIE NERD!
Here I am editing a tape (note the ancient reel-to-reel format) at the home of another ham friend, Bill, formerly WB4TIE.
Probably something from the musical "HAIR" (?)
Below is my shack around 1975. The rig is a Yaesu FT-101. To the left is a homebrew SWR/Power meter with built-in digital clock and antenna switch. To the far left is a portable 2-meter FM transceiver.
1975 Ham Shack
One of the great features of the Yaesu FT-101 was its built in power supplies -- AC and DC! This allowed you to operate the HF bands from your car with little extra expense. It's great fun to work the world from your car; great company on long trips!
This is a 40 Meter antenna on a '68 Buick Skylark
Here is my shack in 1978. I had added a few peices of equipment, but it was still centered around the FT-101. I had started adding a bit of "wallpaper", the operating and award certificates I had earned.
1978 Ham Shack
One very interisting mode I was operating at that time was ATV, or 2-way Amateur Television. Yes, you get to see whoever you are speaking with, and whatever else they want to show you! I was up on this mode before VCR's and the home video revolution. I used a surplus security camera and home-brewed a 1-watt transmitter. Here is a photo taken off of my monitor at the time.
WA4BRL-TV
In 1978 the Southern Peninsula Amateur Radio Klub (SPARK) set up a booth at Coliseum Mall to promote public awareness of Ham Radio. My wife and I provided the ATV display at the booth.
Faye (WB4YPD) and I at the SPARK mall booth
Here's Faye, WB4YPD, at SPARK's Field Day sometime in the mid to late 70's
Same Field Day (it was at Fort Eustis), but who is the young dude aiming the OSCAR Satellite uplink antenna?
Need more to go on? Here he is all smiles!
Faye 'YPD, and the "MYSTERY DUDE" pose at Feild Day.
Oh yeah, that's none other than... JERRY AYCOCK, WA4OHX
Enough ancient history, already! Here is a recent picture of me operating at the Peninsula Amateur Radio Club's special event station (W4MT) at Langley Air Force Base, Hampton Virginia.
No longer a Hippie, but still proud to be a nerd!
TAKE AN AMATEUR RADIO LICENSE EXAM
See what it takes to get your own license, or use it to practice before going for the real exam. It's not that hard, anyone can do it! Get a study guide, maybe even take a class. The help is out there for you, and we' d love to hear you on the air!
Visit these Ham Radio websites:
Cabarrus Amateur Radio Society
Stanley County Amateur Radio Club
QRZ Callsign Server (look up a callsign)
If you have comments or suggestions, E-Mail me.