I got my technician license in March of 2023. My initial thought was that ham radio might be a useful skill for emergency communication. A friend also inspired me with a ham radio license. She used her radio for medical rescues on horseback in areas without cell phone reception. I thought that was pretty cool. I decided to go for it and give the radio a try. How hard could it be? Since then, I’ve been exploring and learning about different aspects of ham radio. I’ve found that it’s much more than a form of emergency communication.

I became a club member during the mid-1970s and began participating in various meetings in the early 1980s. My involvement progressed to becoming a VE (Volunteer Examiner) Lead, where I helped fellow hams obtain their license. Later on, in 2006, I assumed the position of Club Callsign Trustee for our club's repeater, and in 2007, I served as interim Club President

Our featured member for this month is John Grubmuller (K1XF). He offers some valuable advice for new hams worth considering. He wisely points out that this hobby encompasses various aspects and that individuals have distinct goals. Therefore, it is crucial to connect with like-minded individuals and cultivate meaningful relationships with them. It's worth avoiding the temptation to impose one's hobbies on others.

The club member spotlight for this month showcases Bill Freeman, KE1G. Bill's interest in amateur radio started at a young age as he received his novice license at the age of 13, on March 5, 1963. Nonetheless, the novice license had a short validity of one year and was not renewable. Subsequently, Bill had to wait until approximately 1972 to obtain his technician license to begin transmitting.

I've been pursuing this hobby since 1991, when I acquired my No-Code Technician license. I've been fortunate to have several Ham radio mentors who have guided me throughout my journey. Thanks to their support, I've been involved in several exciting activities, including Scouting, the local Ham Club in my teen years (Police Amateur Radio Team - PART), and I even helped found the Westford Academy High School Radio Club.

I was first licensed in 1999 as KB1EFZ. I started the hobby interested in VHF+ weak signal work (mostly SSB ). While mainly on HF these days, I have been exploring getting back into 2-meter and above weak signal work.