Interests
My Amateur Radio interests are wide and varied.
In 1981, I made my first Amateur Satellite contact via OSCAR 7, and remained active on the satellites through AO13. I've worked the astronauts aboard the Space Shuttle, as well as cosmonauts aboard the Russian MIR.
I've been active on the VHF/UHF bands, 144 and 433 MHz CW/SSB, having worked 37 states on 144 MHz, using Tropospheric ducting, Sporadic E, and Meteor Scatter. I have also made 2 EME (Earth-Moon-Earth) contacts, as well as the rare (for south Florida) contacts via Aurora.
I am also active on the high frequency, HF, Amateur Radio bands, where I participate mostly in Amateur Radio contesting. My mode of choice is Morse Code, or CW.
One a more serious side, one of the primary uses of amateur radio is to provide emergency communications during disasters. This is an important part of what Amateur Radio operators do. I held the position of Emergency Coordinator, EC, for Sarasota County, from 1995 to 2002. I began my second term as EC in 2004.
I'm a current Director and past President of The Sarasota Emergency Radio Club. The club provides it's services to the community in times of disaster as well as to help promote amateur radio to the public, by performing other public service duties.
I am member of the American Radio Relay League, the Florida Contest Group, and Chairman of the Florida QSO Party. I maintain the Web sites for both the Florida Contest Group and Florida QSO Party.
Some of my other interests, include Web design, surfing the Internet, Astronomy, and most anything "space related".
