K4EBS ~ HOME
John
A native of the state of Virginia, I was born in Victoria Virginia, 1940 (Lunenburg County) where I was licensed in the Spring of 1955. First contact was August 1, 1955 with *KN4CMH SK.
1958-1965 – served 7 years as a Navy submariner (first boat USS Cubera – SS 347 – diesel boat) –
the second boat was built in Newport News, Virginia; the USS Thomas Jefferson SSB(N)618 a nuclear powered ‘boomer.’ Met my wife (Connie) in Newport News 1963.
Worked (had fun) for IBM 1965-2005 as an engineer/trainer. We first lived in Annandale, VA and in moved to/ lived in Woodbridge (Dale City) from 1967 until 2005 There I became a charter member of Woodbridge Wireless, Inc. Woodbridge, VA. (The club began in 1972 as the Woodbridge Wireless Society. A few years later it changed to Woodbridge Wireless Amateur Radio Club).
2005 we moved to Greer, SC for 2 years, then back to Ruckersville, VA (Greene County) late 2007. Ruckersville is actually an intersection – US Rt 29 and VA Rt 33 (smile). We lived 3 miles south of the intersection at 356 Lyon Lane until June 2024.
We moved from Ruckersville, Virginia June 2024 (old address 356 Lyon Lane, Ruckersville, VA 22968) and are now located at 257 Gardenia Lane, Lebanon, PA 17042.
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*Going “back to the future”… my first contact was as KN4EBS, August 1, 1955 with *KN4CMH… it was in the middle of the AM vs SSB wars. “CQ AM – no Donald Ducks, no Quackity Quacks…”
“Back in the day”, code was learned using a phonograph (vinyl 33-1/3 records)… …my Novice station was a BC-454 receiver and a Heathkit AT-1 transmitter on 3735 kHz .
Went to my first hamfest at Roanoke, Virginia (Sponsored by W4CA) as KN4EBS – and was fortunate enough to tour the W4CA ‘ham shack.’ BTW the transmitter was in a chicken-wire cage. On site that evening (after dark), my friend KN4GWO and I saw sparks off the tips of mobile whips when W4CA lit off its >1KW AM powerhouse… we lit flourescent lights by holding them into the air… it was W O N D E R F U L! The air actually smelled of ozone.
When I got my “Conditional” ticket, I added a pair of 6L6’s driven by a carbon mike and plate modulated the AT-1 (mounted on a cigar box – my grandpa smoked “Rum Crooks”). A crystal for 3835 kHz was added and had a ball @ 20 watts AM on 75 meter phone. Many years later — “grandfathered” to General.
The original QTH was the highest location in my home town (Victoria, VA located in SOUTHSIDE Virginia – 65 miles SSW of Richmond and approx 20 miles North of NC). When I received my “Conditional license” the half-wave 80 meter dipole worked like gangbusters on 75 meter phone. 1955/1956/57 was a great sunspot period and I worked a whole bunch of other hams on that one little old crystal. At that time the crystal was on the same frequency as the 75 meter Virginia Fone Net. BTW I still have my Novice 3735 crystal.
The Ham who was my “Amateur” mentor and got me into this entire wonderful hobby is now a SK – W4YWF… …passed away May 30th (2014). Thank you Johnny Massie for bringing me into the wonderful world of Ham Radio. I will “SEEK YOU” in Heaven… 73, OM
August 3, 2015 I finally became Extra Class… thanks to the Berryville Hamfest and the Laurel VEC.
73,
John