WB4EHG Richard B. 'Rich' Joerger Davie, FL QCWA # 36733 Chapter 69

I was first licensed on 09/21/66 as wn4ehg (n for novice), general (08/11/67), advanced (07/22/69) and 20 WPM extra (06/09/87).

First station was a Drake 2B & Heath DX-60B, inherited from my father, wb4ccb. Upgrading to general, I had the use of a Collins KWM-2, Heath SB-220 amplifier and a Mosley TA-33 tri-band beam at 40 feet plus dipoles for 80 & 40. What a great station. I have never had as much fun as in those days. Everything was new.

In those days there was no VHF/UHF FM operation, everything was crystal controlled 2m AM with low power - usually 4 Watts. FM came in a few years later when the FCC forced commercial users to change to 30KHz spacing and tons of surplus equipment became available. Usually tube type, single channel crystal controlled mobile rigs - the wait for crystals to be cur and shipped was very long!

I lived in Titusville, Fl, just across the Indian River from Cape Kennedy - this was during the space race. On two occasions I got to see Saturn V launches from a Cessna 150 while operating 2M AM aeronautical mobile, thanks to wb4loe. Other launch days I operated from the KSC ARS on Merritt Island using wb4icj.

Joined RACES and Civil Defense & was involved in the 1969 hurricane Debbie activities. Also a member of Air Force MARS (afc4ehg) and operated from Patrick AFB in Satellite Beach, Fl.

Ham radio ignited and fueled my desire to be an electrical engineer, pushing me to study engineering on my own & go to college part time while working full time as ... an un-degreed electrical engineer. I eventually graduated with a BSEE and later a Masters in Computer Engineering. I truly love designing and building circuits. I have had 3 articles published in "73" magazine, presented a paper at a communications forum and am one author of an ATM Forum spec as well as dozens of internal design, architecture and specification papers that are proprietary to my employers. Three patents found their way into my resume.

In the 80's & 90's I was very active with the Racal Datacom amateur radio club, in Sunrise FL. I designed and built the controllers for our 3 repeaters & was a trustee for all 3. I served two terms as president & 11 as treasurer. We held several Field Days from a lake on the Racal property in Sunrise. "Communications" magazine published an article by my XYL, kc4bar, about one of our field days: "Please Don't Feed the Alligators".

My XYL, Diane, became a general in 1987 (kc4bar) and my son, Steve, a tech plus in 1987 and general in 2014 (n4tqu). Steve is active from his QTH just north of Atlanta. Dad, wb4ccb, became a silent key in 1996.

I am now active on HF working contests and 2m FM, usually on 146.52. I often have a co-operator. "Gort", an African Grey parrot, who loves the sounds SSB makes and adds his comments during QSO's. And Neon, a male Eclectus parrot, he just likes to hang and watch me operate.

73, Rich

May 02, 2015