Antenna on a house and wondered what it was for. One day after school I knocked

on the door ?? and asked. The gentleman said sure come on in, I knew from that

Day I wanted to be a ham. It seemed all hams I met were the friendliest people

in the world. I was amazed (Collins) at the room full of radio stuff. I tried

To get my novice but couldn't find anyone to study code or help me get started

At the time, besides I found out there were girls.
 

It wasn't until later on when I joined the army that I would get the bug again.

I ended up a radio operator in the artillery. Little did I know there was a

Shortage of radio operators in Vietnam. To make a long story shorter I was

Doing radio stuff at LZ Uplift and other unknown places. I had been in country

For about 6 months and after getting a dear john letter and finally beginning

To tell the difference between incoming and outgoing artillery, (that's really

Important) I was feeling pretty depressed since it was Christmas. I heard of

Other guys calling home via mars radio and ham radio so I thought I would try.

After several attempts I finally got through via a ham radio operator somewhere

In Michigan, but by the time he got my mom on the phone we started to take some

Incoming so I had to break it off. I was glad she didn't hear that part. I

Tried again later and the guys at army mars knew what happened and they were

Glad to hook me up again. Just to hear a voice from home at that particular

Time in my life was great and helped get me through the next 6 months. It was

Then I made up my mind that I was going to be a ham and someday try to return

The favor.

I came home, got married, and studied that damn code till I got my 13 wpm and

General ticket. I almost hugged that examiner in Newark, NJ when he told me I

Passed. Back then you went to the FCC to take the test. The XYL was so glad she

Didn't have to listen to that di dah, di dah stuff anymore. So she thought. My

Call then was WN2AWP and later WA2AWP.
 

I got into mars radio (AFA1LR) and started running phone patches for the ships

At sea, mostly aircraft carriers in the Mediterranean, a few missionaries and of

Course you may remember Jim Jones. I talked to him too. You know, the guy with

The grape Kool-Aid laced with poison down in Guyana. You never know who you are

Going to talk to on radio.

One night it turned out I was the only station a u.s.ship could reach on

Christmas eve and the radio operator told me he had about 50 sailors lined up

Outside his door waiting to call home. So I got my wife to help and well I

Guess you figured, we stayed up for 2 days straight. After listening to all the

Girlfriend's and wive's and how happy they were to hear from their loved one's

It was all worth it. Especially having been in a similar situation myself, I

Don't mind telling you we shared a few tears with them those 2 days. This is

one of the things that makes this such a good hobby.

I was using an Icom 746pro with an Ameritron al-80b to a g5rv dipole up about 40

Feet. I have a beam that I hope to put up soon but it sure is great not to have

Hand me downs that you have to tune for maximum smoke.
 

Since I have retired I have become active in trying to help other Vietnam

Veterans who have disabilities such as PTSD, agent orange exposure, other

Related problems, and more importantly our children, who have birth defects

Caused by agent orange. I am presently a life member of the Vietnam veterans of

America, as president of chapter NJ 899 I fully support our motto "never

Again will one generation of veterans abandon another".

My goal is not one of sympathy but awareness. Over 58,000 young men died in

Vietnam believing their cause was noble and should never be forgotten. I will

Never forget them and I pray that as a nation, we have learned from our

Mistakes in an un-popular war, our politicians would like us to forget. Only

Time will tell, there are a lot of veterans out there that still need our help

and many more to come.

If you’re a vet who needs assistance filing a claim or just want to help, join

Your local chapter of Vietnam veterans of America. (www.vva.org) if your not a

Vietnam vet and want to help you can still join by becoming an associate

Member. We welcome all veterans from all wars and conflicts, not just Vietnam.

So please fly our flags proudly and remember the men and women who fought and

Gave up their lives, to give you that right. Take care and 73's.
 
Up date: Not on the radio for a while, got fed up with some of the people who think
they own a piece of 75m. Maybe I’ll get back on someday, but for now sold all my stuff.

I guess you could say stress (PTSD) got to me. I have since been dedicated to

my website and the soldiers at Ft. Dix, being appointed as an honorary

Base commander, has given me more to do. If you ever take back 75m let me know,

Till then no radio's. Michael