JIM, WY3W, AT THE EDGE OF THE WATER, FORMALLY KB3JJW, BORN 1945 IN CHEVERLY, MARYLAND OLDEST OF 8, GOT INTERESTED IN RADIO VERY YOUNG. (THERE WAS NOTHING BUT RADIO IN MY YOUNGER YEARS AT OUR HOUSE… NO TV, ETC.)

AS CHILDREN IN JESSUP, MARYLAND, WHERE I GREW UP, WE USE TO SIT IN FRONT OF THE AM RADIO AND LISTEN TO THE STRONG STATIONS LIKE WWV AND ON SUNDAY MORNINGS A BALTIMORE STATION THAT ACTUALLY READ THE SUNDAY FUNNY PAPERS OVER THE AIR AND THE KIDS WOULD FOLLOW ALONG THE ANNOUNCER WITH THE CARTOONS IN THE NEWSPAPER.

AT 12 YEARS OLD A FRIEND OF THE FAMILY GAVE ME A PHILCO FLOOR MODEL AM RADIO. I HAD THE MOST FUN LISTENING TO THE WORLD WITH THAT OLD TUBE SET. I’VE BEEN LISTENING TO THE WORLD OFF AND ON EVER SINCE THEN.

WHEN THE FIRST GULF WAR BROKE OUT, I WANTED TO GET INFORMATION FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON, SO I TOOK OUT MY OLD YAESU FRG-7 FROM MOTH BALLS AND HOOKED UP A DIPOLE ABOUT 100 FEET LONG. I LISTENED ALL OVER THE BANDS AND FOUND THE FOLKS ON 3.938 AND 3.933 REGULARLY.

I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE MORE FUN TO TALK ALSO, SO I PRACTICED MY CW SKILLS AND READ UP ON THE AMATEUR LICENSE MANUALS AND PASSED THE TECH, CODE AND GENERAL TEST AT TIMONIUM IN ONE SITTING. EARLIER THIS YEAR I UPGRADED TO EXTRA.

I’VE BEEN AN ENTREPRENEUR SINCE THE MID 1960’S AND AM STILL AT IT. I DO REMODELING, HOME INSPECTIONS, AND COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION SUPERVISION.




I HAVE A FEW HF RIGS AT THE SHACK. TEN TEC ORION, KENWOOD TS-2000, AND A . I HAVE A 75 METER COAXIAL DIPOLE, A WINDOM 160 METERS , AND A GAP VERTICAL FOR THE HF FREQUENCIES.
I DO A LITTLE ATV, SLOW SCAN, DIGITAL SLOW SCAN, AND OF COURSE A LITTLE RAG CHEWING ALONG WITH A LITTLE W.A.S. ON 3.668.

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MY MOBILE RIG IS A KENWOOD TS 480 HX WITH SCORPION ANTENNA..