Bucket List

We all have one.

A “Bucket List” of things we’d like to experience or accomplish before we depart this life for whatever comes next.

One of those items on my bucket list is to earn an Amateur Radio (AKA “Ham Radio”) license.

It started when I was about ten years old.  We lived across the street from the Whites, Tammy, Tony, Rick, and Brian.  Their mom was a nice lady and a hard-working single mom.

Rick was a year older than I was, Brian was the youngest a few years younger than me, Tony was a couple years older than Rick, and Tammy was the oldest.

Although Rick and I were closest in age and he was a good friend, the White Boys sort of came as a package.  Tony had just recently earned his “Novice” Ham Radio License and for Christmas, from his Grandfather I think, he was given a Hi Frequency (HF aka “short wave”) radio kit, an HW-16 by Heathkit.  It wasn’t long before Tony had the radio built and a long wire “dipole” antenna strung out behind their house.  I can still remember being fascinated watching him key in morse code and having someone else far away reply in morse code.  He began collecting “QSL” cards (postcards confirming a radio contact) from around the country and the world.

I thought that was pretty cool.

When I got to Minnetonka East Junior High School, where Tony had earned his license in the Ham Radio Club, I started studying but sports, school, other distractions, or for whatever reason I’m not really sure of at the moment, the radio club just didn’t take with me.

The fascination with radio remained.

My Dad got a CB radio in the car and I used to run his battery dead sitting in the garage talking on it.  The CB radio craze of the 1970’s eventually faded but my interest in radio did not.

I got plenty of chance to study and talk on the radio in the Army and then later when I became a pilot and yet, the tug of amateur radio was still there.

One of the pilots where I work is an amateur radio operator and volunteer license examiner and when he heard of my interest, he encouraged me to take the tests.  One of my tests had to be cancelled due to a medevac flight but I am happy to say that last year, I tested and passed the examinations for both “Technician” and “General” Amateur radio licenses.  I’m currently studying for the “Amateur Extra” license as well.

The first “sequential” license (i.e. the next one available)  the FCC issued me was “KD0ZUC” and I tried to imagine saying that on the radio – “KILO DELTA ZERO ZULU UNIFORM CHARLIE” and said to myself, “That ain’t gonna work!”

I applied for and was granted W6CMA.

Thanks Tony and Top for the inspiration.

Look for me on the air.

73’s and Thanks for Reading!