K7BDD Larry D. Keyes Cross Plains, TX QCWA # 31077 Chapter 16

Born to Lyman & Helen Keyes in Yuma, Arizona 1953. Raised in Yuma & Phoenix. Moved to TN in 1999, & now in Cross Plains, TN, with XYL Colleen & 23 pet-children. Roosevelt & Post grade schools, and Arizona Western College, NAU/Yuma in Yuma - Heard grade school, West Phoenix High, and Arizona State University in Phoenix area. Electronics & Theatre have been paying the bills most of my life. Radio Broadcast Engineer 33 years - DoD Telemetry 10 years - Industrial Instrumentation and Water & Wastewater Treatment 10 years - Theatre 32 years/Lighting & Sound Design/Technical Director/Crew Head/House Electrician/Associate Faculty at AWC - Avionics & Land Mobile Radio10+ years. Also have the dubious distinction of computer nerd since 1967 - Mainframes to Macs. ARRL, ARRL-VE, QCWA - formerly Yuma RACES & Emergency Communications Committee - Yuma Lodge #17 F&AM - PMC-MSA Sunnyslope DeMolay - Associate of Science Degrees/Electronics & Broadcasting - numerous CE & FEMA credits - various upper division studies in Theatre and Business. Grew up around radio. Dad was the original K7BDD - now SK. His first call was W9EHX or 9EHX (circa 1930's); mine was WN7NDA (1969). Dad was part of the ORIGINAL 3865 gang, covering Arizona & Southern California - the "Desert Rats" & "Prune Pickers". We were an extended family, and these 30+ adults collectively taught me the skills of life - love, friendship, honor, joy, a keen wit, and good operating practices. Most of them are SK now, so lest we ever forget: Cliff/W6MMV & Ollie/(forgot), and Mom & Pop/(forgot) Kimball (mom was not licensed), Mom/(forgot) & Pop Owings (Ray & Bernie), their son Leonard/W7USM (formerly W6PrettyYoung&Sweet)-SK 26NOV2006. Another silent key of note is my High School best friend, and ROTC buddy, William 'Bill' Howard Abbott/WN7NAD (West High ROTC C.O. 1970-71). We got our Novice tickets together and were on the road to a lifelong adventure until Southeast Asia got in the way. Bill died at an Army hospital in El Paso, from exposure to Agent Orange in Viet Nam while part of the ASA. I have missed Bill each and every day for over 35 years. Built my 1st xtal radio in 4th grade, and put up my 1st 'drooping dipole' with dad in 1967 after receiving my ticket. We ground xtals together to get me on the air with a HR-10B & DX-40 station. I worked dad twice on CW from the West High station in the electronics lab there. The two QSL's he sent me are my favorite of all time. Dad was a Southern Pacific Switchman, a loving father, and an A1 operator, even though he never earned the last distinction. He was WAS, OTC, OOTC, RCC, QCWA, and could copy 43 WPM - way out of my league. Dad taught me that courtesy and a good 'fist' go a long way on the air. And, nowadays, thanks to Vanity Licensing, 'Baker-Dog-Dog' is still on the air. Amateur radio is my Field of Dreams. 73's & 88's forever dad. Visit the tribute site at www.K7BDD.com

January 16, 2015