I am Dave KZ4G, I live in northeastern Kentucky near Ashland and many of you have known me for several years, this is my story of how I came into Ham Radio. Back in Jr high school I become interested in radio only listening to short wave, then I started to build things and low and behold I built a short wave radio and I landed on 75 Meters and there it took hold.

One of my teachers in high school was a ham operator and provided me much guidence into the hobby. Soon after this I entered the US Air Force and there after attending tech school they made me a radio tech. Working in the US Air Force radio operator school and with several of the guys there being amateurs I had to convert to the sound of the Morse code and learn to send and receive it instead of seeing the wig wag flag.

In May 1951 I became WN5TXV and some time later, less than a year I became W8LMF this was my call until 1959 when it expired as I had gotten  married and started a family leaving little time for ham radio. Then in 1962 I went and took the exam again and got my call back as W8LMF and remained active until moving from West Virginia to Kentucky in 1967. I then held WB4JDR (just darn rotten) as a secondary station license, once I officially moved and renewed the FCC gave me K4HRF. The next time I renewed they ask if I ever had a call I wanted back and I said W8LMF and at this time I become KZ4G, which is the only original call I ever had.

This brings us up to date.


This picture is a Harvey Wells TBS-50 which was the first commercial built transmitter I ever owned along with the National NC-57 they both still work but not as good as the Triton.
 
 

I used to build a lot but now can’t see as good as I could at one time so not much going on at this time in the line of building. At current time I am using an Icom IC736 and for an antenna at my home station I am using a G5RV and have plans to install a Hy-Gain Hy-Tower soon.  I moved a fews years back and decided not to re-install my tower with the Mosley TA-33 beam and a duel band vhf/uhf along with dipoles for 160, 80 and 40 meters. 
In my mobile I am using an Icom IC706 and a KB8TNI screwdriver antenna. This combination is the best mobile station I have ever had in my 50 plus years of hamming.

Through out my ham radio career I have been active in the ARRL field organization I was the first Section Traffic Manager (STM) for the state of Kentucky and also the last Section Communication Manager (SCM) and the first Section Manager (SM) all taking place during the restructuring of  the ARRL field organization. I also served in West Virginia as route manager and was one of the founders of the Tri-State Hamfest in Huntington. That was held at Camden Park and also served as president of Tri-State Amatuer Radio Association in Huntington and later served as president of the River Cities Amateur Radio Club in Ashland, Kentucky. There I taught classes in amateur radio at the community college. I’m sure some of the guys who will be reading this possibly attended some of those classes.

Well it is hard for me to believe but at the Dayton Hamvention 2000 I celebrated my 50th year in ham radio. It is hard to believe I have been active on the bands for that period of time, seems like only yesterday I was just getting started.

Dayton Hamvention and I both celebrating 50 years in ham radio.

Just think 50 years as a Ham. Is that great or what….
 

73 de Dave KZ4G