[NLRS] NEWS FLASH!!!!

[Mike King - KM0T]

Hey everyone, great news here within the King family.

Some of you may or may not know, but I first got my ham radio vibes through
my father, Don King.  (no jokes now...:)

Anyway, he was licensed back when he was in the service as a General Class,
K4VPO, but let his ticket slide as us kids came about.  He also had a MARS
ticket and operated down in Alabama while on base.

He still had some of his radio equipment around when I was growing up, and
alot of books, so thats where my intrest got peaked.  I will aways remember
the story of him telling of trading his old Halicrafters transmitter for a
convertible!

Anyway, I always thought it would be neat that he got his ticket again, but
he was always too busy, etc.  I would  bug him, but with no luck.  I just
sorta forgot about it over time.....

About 1 month ago, he ran into some of the guys from the Brainerd Area
Amateur Radio Club (Which I used to be a member) and he got to chatting with
them.  Well he gave me a call after that and said "I need the books".  "Im
taking the test Oct 22."  (as I fell off my chair..)

So I got the books to him and he started boneing up less than two weeks ago.
In addition, he finally managed to find his old ticket and was able to get
code credit for that.

He took the test and passed the Tech with no problem, so they asked him to
take the General.  He passed that too with a few to spare.  I had bought him
the Tech and General Class books, but he never had time to look at the
General Class material!

So, he was pretty excited as well as I.  Now just to get some equipment up
there.  My Mom was rollin her eyes when I was telling him about what we
could all do!

When we remodeled his house a number of years back, I put in an extensive
grounding system for the old TV tower that was there, as well as some PVC
pipe penetrations into the Den, so Im all ready to go.  Next spring sometime
or early summer, should be ready for June Contest!  Most likely 6, 2 and
432.  Im trying to steer him in the right direction anyway.....that way
during the summer and fall, we can chat on 2M SSB in the mornings before I
head to work, etc.

His grid is EN26VO I believe, right in the heart of Breezy Point Minnesota.

So, when it all the paper work gets cleared out, hes going to try to get the
vanity call K0VPO, it does appear available at this time.  Not a bad CW
call, I have to get him the brush up however :)

I hope to get dad on the reflector as well.  His email is dking@uslink.net
if you care to say Hi!

73 and thanks for reading!

Mike - KM0T en13vc
www.qsl.net/km0t