Purpose of the W4GFQ Station Log

This station log is being written starting June of 2014.  Its purpose is to fill in the blanks that my station contact log will not easily provide. I will be adding comments from my log from my first point in Ham Radio, anecdotes/comments until I catch up and move forward.  So it may seem a tad disjointed and "distant." I will also be recording equipment comments pertinent for historical purposes.

I have been an amateur radio operator since 1986, but I have had some gaps in my time on the air for one reason or another.  While I hold an "Extra" class license I am not steeped in the technical side of things.  I actually consider myself to be more of an operator.  I can follow directions and actually build things if need be.  Just don't ask me to sit down and troubleshoot why that radio isn't working without a good bit of research first.

I was first licensed as KB4RAC but now hold the call W4GFQ in honor of my grandfather Ed Wright – the original W4GFQ.  He is the first person who I ever knew that was a ham radio operator.  We did not spend much time together and didn't talk at all about radios - but I'm sure he put the genesis of the bug into my young head.  When he passed away I resolved to request his callsign through the vanity licensing program so that his call would not fall by the wayside or end up with someone who would not appreciate its history.

I don't know a lot of what he did in the hobby but I've pieced some pieces together.  It seems for one reason or another he was primarily interested in the VHF side of things.  Below is a picture of my granddaddy at a Flamingo ARC picnic (what I believe is now the South Florida FM Association). Granddaddy is in the back right corner watching the operator.

At some point I learned that he was interested in satellite operations (further cementing to me that he was primarily interested in the VHF side of things).  I discovered via an online search that my granddaddy was a life member of AMSAT. In the March 1974 newsletter, W4GFQ is mentioned as being LM-27.  Pretty much a commitment to what was then a 5 year old organization of satellite enthusiasts.

So while this blog may not interest very many folks, it will be of some historical interest for me.  As such it is here for free.  Feel free to visit and peruse - maybe even critique.  Just don't be offended if I don't respond to non-constructive criticism.