I am a member of GERC in Glendora, Ca. I hold a General Class license, and my call sign is KG6TQT.

I became interested in radio at about 13 years of age. My grandfather had a tube set shortwave radio. He and I replaced some of the tubes from the hardware store (circa 1958). I began listening to far away shortwave stations like NHK in Japan, HCJB in Ecuador, Radio Moscow, the BBC, Voice of America and others.

I also hear ham radio operators. I thought about trying for my ham license, but the morse code seemed like learning a foreign language. Many years later my friend Mark, N7YLA, encouraged me to attend a license class. He told me the FCC no longer required morse code as part of the test - the rest is history !

I have been active in Boy Scouts for over 25 years. All four of my sons are Eagle Scouts (with Palms) I have been a Cub leader, Assistant Scoutmaster, Scoutmaster, Committee Chairman, Assistant Varsity Coach, Unit Commissioner and Council Roundtable Commissioner.

Our GERC group, headed by Mark, N7YLA have held Radio Merit Badge Classes for Boy Scouts. In the past years over 125 boys have received their Radio Merit Badge then participated in the annual worldwide Jamboree On The Air (JOTA)  Ham operators help scouts during JOTA make contacts all over the USA and the world, and complete the final requirement for the Radio Merit Badge.  We recently participated in a two Council Jamboree celebrating the 100th year of scouting in the USA. Over 6,800 scouts attended the two day event held on June 21-22, 2010 by our San Gabriel Valley Council Boy Scouts of America. Our GERC hams operated the equipment and helped scouts talk to people in various parts of the world, including our friend Greg, HS0ZHM0, in Northern Thailand.

My vocational experience includes 12 years as a Sr. Buyer and Purchasing Agent for a Southern California Aerospace firm. Also 13 years as a Sales Engineer and District Sales Manger of a firm producing high tech electronic components and sub assemblies. I also owned my owner Sales Representative firm selling electronic components.