 |
W4LTLuis Romero |
I have been fascinated by radio since sitting on my Uncle’s lap while he listened to world wide broadcasts on his radio receivers. I remember hiding in a closet in our home in Cuba listening to our (very illegal after 1960) short wave receiver with my dad and uncle while my mother took crackers, cream cheese and Guava paste to the “milicianos” encamped at the anti-aircraft machine gun down the street right before the Bay of Pigs “invasion”. The short wave set was the only way to get “real news”.
After my family bailed from that environment in 1961, we found our way to California Pennsylvania where my dad taught at the College there. In High School, I did silly things like build small AM transmitters to rebroadcast the previous night’s AM-DX recordings made on dad’s Wollensak recorder. The High School Football Coach also liked me because I modified some CB sets so he could communicate with the spotter in the press box at away games. It was hip to be a radio geek in that environment!
Then in college, I discovered Ham Radio when a friendly FCC inspector found my 70w AM transmitter that broadcast WMCL, the voice of McCloskey Hall, and suggested I put my technical ability to more orthodox use.
I received my Novice call, WN3BZC the day before my birthday in 1976. I waited 4 months for the ticket, as in those days, no ticket, no play! Armed with the world’s longest callsign, I proceeded to do WAS with my HW-16/HG10 rig over SS Weekend in 1976. At the Uniontown ARC, my job was to pass the multipliers from station to station using 3x5 cards then list them on a blackboard. Maybe that’s why I always bring a pack of index cards to every contest I work.
Right after that feat, the FCC thanked me for my performance with WN3BZC by granting me an even LONGER callsign, WB3BZC, upon passing my General, much to the amazement of the nasty, gruff FCC examiner at FCC HQ on M Street in DC, where I took my test. He hated hams. It took them 9 MONTHS to get me my ticket, so I became really good at CW and working through QRM in the crowded Novice bands with my new HW-101.
I got married to my hobby tolerant wife on FD 1977, making three contacts at the reception logged by my ham buddy ushers… Linda held the radio, and we logged the Q’s on a wedding napkin… I have photos!
I took the Advanced to get a shorter call, and was issued the longest possible 2 by 2, in CW, KB3HQ, for my reward in passing the test!
Long story short, after many moves for my Television Operations and Engineering career, and 10 years off the air to raise two kids, I ended up in Tampa, Florida where I passed my Extra just to get a shorter call sign. My very modest station consists of a tribander and wires, with a maximum power output of 600w.
A traditional Mult Hunter and Search and Pounce op, I have recently discovered running with the encouragement of K1TO, which has really improved my scores. I found Running is rather easy at Rick’s place!
I hold DXCC # 41,848 and WAS #52,419, for the W4LT call, both accomplished in under one year 100% electronically through Logbook of the World. I’ve held every license class except Technician in my 33 years in our wonderful hobby (obsession?)
My goal in contesting is to wring maximum performance from the technical cards that I’m dealt. With my 40 ft high A3S and dual band dipole in a small city lot in Tampa, I have won a few awards including;
- 1st place WCF in ARRL International DX 2007 and 2008
- 1st place SOLPSSB WCF in SS 2007 and 2008 (8th in NA that year)
- 1st place SOLP SSB WCF in IARU 2007 and 2008 (8th in NA that year)
- 2nd place SOLP SSB only in FQP in 2007, 1st place Hillsborough County
- 4th place SOLP SSB only in FQP in 2008, 1st place Hillsborough County
- 3rd place 4-Land SOLP SSB in CQ WW SSB 2008 (#16 NA, #9 USA)
And, what I consider my best achievement so far:
- 1st place SOAB LP 4-Land in CQ WPX 2007
NQ4I is the first Multi-Multi I have been involved with since the pre-computer days in 3-Land. Now that the kids are both in college and have almost flown the coop, I look forward to working with Rick, Jim and all the really great ops at the fantastic “Mouth of the South” aluminum orchard in Griffin in the near future, while enjoying the delicious local BBQ Cuisine and unbelievably inexpensive Sock Shop textiles.
