My amateur radio journey has taken some interesting detours since I first attempted to get licensed back in 1987/88. When CW didn’t click for me back then, I pivoted toward computers and electronics through a different path—joining the US Navy as a Data System Tech (DS-1681) specializing in FFG-7 Class display equipment maintenance. That military experience launched a 27-year career in technology, starting as a Unix Systems Admin/Engineer at a small cellular company called Nextel and eventually evolving into a Unix/Linux Systems Architect role. My technical interests have expanded beyond radio and computers to include aviation—I’m also an FAA Part 107 certified sUAS (small Unmanned Aircraft System) pilot, combining my love of technology with aerial perspectives.
Now I’ve come full circle back to amateur radio, combining my decades of systems experience with my passion for single-board computers (I’ve been hooked since the original Raspberry Pi Model B in 2012). My current projects blend these interests perfectly: building a DigiPi APRS digipeater with a Baofeng UV-5R and Raspberry Pi 4, running an AllstarLink v3 node with an AURSINC Shari PiHat, and maintaining a Wires-X node using a Yaesu HRI-200 and NUC running Windows 11. When I’m not experimenting with Raspberry Pis, Orange Pis, ASUS Tinkerboards, Radxa boards, or ESP32/ESP8266 microcontrollers—or flying drones—you’ll find me on the air doing FT8/FT4 (fair warning: I rarely log contacts without receiving a 73!). My shack has evolved to include a Yaesu FT-991A with an HOA Buster, a Yaesu FTDX-10 with a DX Commander Classic, a Yaesu FT-891 with ATAS-120A for mobile operations, a (tr)uSDX for portable adventures, and various HTs covering DMR, D-STAR, and C4FM.