I am a licensed amateur radio operator located in Atlanta, Georgia. I have been continuously licensed for 25 years; my original call was KE4QDL and I also briefly held the call K4CR. This blog is for sharing information on what projects I am currently pursuing, some of which are related to amateur radio and some that are not. Occasionally, I expect to voice my opinion as related to amateur radio current events, articles and people- my own Op-Ed, if you will. I hope you will find something of use in these missives of mine.
Of course, I’m not the first W4TI- nor am I likely to be the last, as it is a desirable callsign due to the brevity of letters, a number and their understood significance and utility. As I’ve gotten older and moved along the course of the hobby, (originally licensed at 17), I’ve come to hold a rather esoteric belief about the license- W4TI will endure beyond whatever actions I make with it, just as it did for the following people (going back to 1927- this history is missing about 20 years previous to that date; all information presented is courtesy of Steve, W3HF ):
∞ Arthur Seager of Jacksonville, Florida was 4TI from at least 1927 (certainly earlier!) to 1928, and when the “W” prefix was introduced in October 1928, he was then W4TI until 1931.
∞ In the Winter of 1931, W4TI was granted to Robert Sommerville of Selma, Alabama. He held the call until the Fall of 1968, a total of 37 years. The call fell into limbo until the short lived 1976 vanity program from the FCC.
∞ During the brief vanity program of 1976, James O. Pullman of Durham, North Carolina, was awarded the call from the FCC. A member of the ARRL A-1 Operators Club, Mr. Pullman held the call until 1998, a total of 22 years. After his death, the call was again in limbo, this time for two years as per FCC policy.
∞ The call was issued again in Alabama. D. Martin was awarded the call in 2000 and died in 2007, holding the call for 7 years.
∞ After another two year mandatory wait per the FCC, I was awarded the call W4TI in November 2009. I appear to be the first W4TI who is interested in something other than HF and Field Day. I am also the first W4TI to pass licensing tests that did not require a demonstration or understanding of Morse code; just as every W4TI that will come after me will no longer be required to do.
Like many others, my amateur radio interests are quite varied. I am more of a “builder” than I am an “operator.” As I hinted above, I have very little interest in HF operating or Field Day. I am much more interested in working the bands from VHF up to microwaves; that said, I do work 10M from my mobile quite frequently and I have been known to work digital modes on HF from time to time. Sadly, my current living arrangement precludes most operating from home; presently, I have to do all my operating while mobile or portable. Otherwise, my current interests are microwave transverters, software defined radio, EME and beacon building.
I’m the secretary of a small club- W4SL. Our interests are varied, though we all share a certain affection for operating our radios and mounting our antennas in non-ideal locations, to include basements and attics.
If you would like to contact me, please feel free to drop me a line at my call sign @w4ti dot com