HAM RADIO
Bill is a retired policeman formally serving under call signs KMA367, KJC625, and KQR573. Law Enforcement is where he first learned that “radios save lives;” and is now an FCC-licensed amateur radio operator at station K2PTL. Bill will tell you “Though the FCC may call us “amateurs,” there’s nothing amateur about serious Ham Radio Operators.” Albeit Ham Radio has become his hobby, during disasters, it serves a greater purpose in providing communications and facilitating triumph through tragedy for his neighbors around the globe, while their communications infrastructures are down.
As a police officer, he has acquired training from various Government agencies. But since he no longer has access to his personnel – training file, he cannot accurately document that training here. Henceforth, he has since been trained and certified in the following disciplines within the private sector.
As a California State licensed Private Investigator (Lic. #23442), he has served as a member of the FBI’s ‘Joint Regional Intelligence Center’ (JRIC), their multi-agency law enforcement task force (under their ‘Private Sector Terrorism Response Group’ – PSTRG), as a ‘Terrorist Liaison Officer’ (TLO), and as a DHS certified ‘Infrastructure Liaison Officer’ (ILO). Bill has been certified by the Dept. of Homeland Security (DHS) in ‘Threat and Risk Assessments,’ and formally served as a member of the FBI’s ‘InfraGARD’ system.
As required by some ARES-based emergency radio groups, he has completed the following training and certification with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). He has been certified in SA-100.I, ICS-100c, ICS-200b, IS-230.d, IS-700b, and IS-800c.
He has also completed the basic and advanced training courses with the National Weather Service (NWS) spotter program and now serves as an NWS trained Spotter. Working together, saving lives!
Currently, Bill is an active member of a local ARES group. Besides general rag-chewing, he participates in EmComm activations on 20 Meters, and various Nets on UHF, VHF & HF, and when the opportunities arise; he loves serving as Net Control Operator.
Bill is also a member of the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), and the Founder of the Ham Radio Enthusiasts Facebook page (a SoCal Inland Empire area group).
Though he is “genuinely content being a General,” he is an ARRL-accredited Volunteer Examiner (VE), and an ARRL-accredited Volunteer Monitor (VM).
Bill further states, “As a born-again Christian my true passion is towards the Lord. Though I fall short, Lord willing I strive to continually grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. Since retirement, I have earned my Master’s degree in Bible and Theology, and before moving to Tennessee, I Pastored a Reformed Baptist Church in SoCal.”
Bills Radio Room:
- HT is a Kenwood D74A, with D-Star
- Mobile on vehicle is a Yaesu FTM-100D with Fusion
- Mobile on RV is a Yaesu FTM-100D (antenna mounted on window w/ Diamond HRKS adhesive mount)
- Maritime via D74A & Cobra MRF77B GPS Stationary Marine Radio (Coast Guard registered with MMSI & DSC).
- The portable Rig for camping is a Yaesu FT-991A HF/VHF/UHF All Mode Transceiver
- The home base for UHF/VHF is the above FT-991a, with a 17′ Comet NCG GP-9 antenna (mounted on a long mast on top of our shop). For Net Control duties, I use a Heil Pro-7 Headset w/ a boom mic.
- The home base for HF is an ICOM 7300, with a Hy-Gain Crank-Up Tower, & a KIO Hex Beam antenna (10,12,15,17&20 meters). And 75-80 meters comes thru an Alpha Delta DX-80 dipole. With an LDG AT-600ProII autotuner. Update: Left the tower behind in Calif.
Regarding his logbook: Bill will tell you that life’s too short to take logging too seriously. Therefore, he enjoys casual conversations, occasional incremental logging, and an incomplete unconfirmed logbook. But he will reciprocate with QSL cards (via U.S. mail).
“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31).
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Col. 3:16-17).
Earlier Bill mentioned the adage “Radios save lives.” As a Christian, he wants you to know that “Jesus saves souls!” To know more about that, read his Gospel tract here or below.