My QTH is Auburn Indiana

I have been retired since February 26, 2021. I worked for the Town of Waterloo Indiana Police Department for 13 years starting in the summer of 1972 and in May 1985 I went to work for the DeKalb County Indiana Government for 36 years. I worked at the Sheriff’s Department starting as a Police/Fire/EMS Dispatcher. In October 1985 a new Jail/Dispatch Center was opened and I was appointed Communications Supervisor. On July 1, 1991 I was appointed as the DeKalb County E9-1-1 Director. In 2012 we consolidated three dispatch centers into one Central Communications Center and I was appointed the Communications Director. In 2016 I was replaced as the Communications Director and I was appointed IT Systems Administrator for the Sheriff’s Department/Jail retiring on February 26, 2021 with a total of 49 years of service.

I got my first HAM license in 1984 as a Novice; my assigned FCC call was and still is KA9RVJ. I later upgraded to Technician and eventually upgraded to General which I am currently licensed for. I have been a member of the Northeast Indiana Amateur Radio Association (NIARA) for several years, joining them shortly after receiving my first license. Please visit our club web site at “https://www.w9ou.org” In May 2025 I joined Straight Key Century Club (SKCC) hoping to become more proficient at CW and something I am still working on. My SKCC member number is 29951. I frequently enjoy working 2 meter FM; 20; 40 and 80 meter SSB. As of October 18, 2025 I became member number 300 of the Michigan Buzzard Roost Net on 80 meters at 3.930 MHz. I also enjoy joining in when I can with the Insomnia Group that meet daily on 40 meters at 7.238 MHz between the hours of 08:00 to 10:30 Zulu

In my shack I currently have a Yaesu FT-90 Dual Band (2 Meter/70 Centimeter) radio connected to a broadband TRAM 1410 dis-cone antenna about 15 feet in the air.  I also have an Alinco DX-70 multi-band HF transceiver connected to a Hustler BTV6 Vertical that is ground mounted behind my house with 24 ground radials attached in a wheel spoke pattern. On or about August 21, 2025 an End-Fed multi-band HF antenna was added that is approximately 30 feet off the ground.  For tuning I am using an LDG Electronics Z-100Plus Auto tuner.

I made my first HF contact using my own equipment on May 4, 2025 using the above mentioned Alinco that at the time I had connected to a Astatic AST6BTV mobile antenna that I had attached to a metal plate via a magnetic mount with the plate setting on the ground just outside of my shack. It was very crude but I made some good contacts with that set up. As of May 29, 2025 the current Vertical Antenna was install and the mobile antenna was disconnected.

Updated 6 November 2025