Paul K9ARF -- SolderSmoke and a Knack Story

Bill:

Having been an occasional Solder-Smoke listener, I recently purchased your book "Solder Smoke Adventures" to read during vacation.  Previously I limited reading material to technical material, but I retired two years ago and can now allow myself to read stuff just for fun.  I devoured your book.

I found you and I to be kindred spirits, seeking to understand the mysteries of electricity and electromagnetic waves as we follow life's path.  We're close to the same age, you're a couple years my senior.

My fascination with electronics began as a boy when my Dad and I put together a crystal receiver as a Cub Scout project.  I fondly remember my father scrambling up on the roof to string a long wire as an antenna, and then listening to the Cubs ballgame in the earpiece.  No batteries required!

I exhibited "knack" tendencies later as an early teen.  At a local estate sale I picked up some magazines teaching basic TV repair, and a box of parts that previously was a portable B/W TV.  My family was amazed when I resurrected that little TV set.

My career path went into audiovisual interests - I heard broadcast engineers made a lot of money, so I went to Milwaukee Area Tech College electronics communications program.  The students there ran UHF channel 36 alongside the professionals running TV channel 10 (both pbs affiliates).  On the way to getting your 1st class "phone" license, we learned 2way radio (2nd class).  I found that repairing things was far more fun than pushing buttons in Master Control, so I ended up working in 2way.

While attending MATC, I met some guys who were hams - and they invited me to my first-ever hamfest.  Wow.  A gathering of electronics enthusiasts, many who also have "the knack".  I purchased a couple of old books cheap, not knowing this would steer my life in the future: the antenna book and a 1970s radio amateur handbook, both from ARRL.  Reading these books, I was intrigued by people who design and build their own equipment - the ultimate in coolness!

I guess what really kept me interested in reading your book is your desire to understand the basic building blocks of electronics - how does it work?  This mirrors my personal experience.  Though I have formal electronics training, my schooling was aimed mostly at troubleshooting, finding the malfunction.  The understanding of why the components in a circuit are the values specified and how they produce the desired output was, like you, a lifelong learning process I still work on today.

My adventure into Amateur Radio was delayed by life activities: marriage, a house, and a child.  It didn't help that I never met any hams in rural north Wisconsin.  I finally met an amateur who was a VE, and Radio Shack study materials had me on the way in 1990-91.

I tested in early '91 and passed the Novice, Tech, and 5 wpm code - the VE knew that I was a career radio tech, and at his urging I passed the General written test too.  My initial call was N9KQX (a horrible cw call).  The next months had me work on my code speed and study the Advanced material, and later I became KF9GQ.

At that test session, I sat alongside a gentleman who was taking his 20 wpm code test (wow).  A few months later he was one of my interviewers as I applied for a new job - Radio Tech for the Electric & Gas utility in Green Bay.  I believe my ham radio hobby helped me land that position, which I held 30 years to retirement.

When the vanity call sign program started, I changed my call to K9ARF "amateur radio fun" (yes, I like dogs...) or "analog radio fan" - life must include a sense of humor.

In my years as a ham, I have done quite a bit of homebrewing, from repeaters and accessories for my station, to test gear and complete transceivers.  My proudest projects were building W7ZOI's spectrum analyzer and a multiband KK7B based phasing transceiver using AA0ZZ's DDS synthesizer kits.

I want to thank you and the other solder smoke guys for what you do.  Hopefully I will someday have an opportunity to meet you in person to share a cold beverage, laugh and tell stories of molten solder variety.  Keep up the good work!!

73 de K9ARF Paul, Green Bay, Wisconsin