I am a born and bred Yorkshire man, hailing from Conisbrough, a mining village close to the town of Doncaster. I left school at 16 and started my working life as a stone mason, working on places like York Minster, Beverly Minster and Selby Abbey to name just a few, all historic buildings my work helped restore. I then went into the car trade selling cars and finance for cars, delivering parcels for UPS and TNT, along with customer service roles within the truck rental industry. I am now the transport manager/driver for a local logistics company here in Nuneaton.
My interest in radio started when my parents bought me a “Ghetto Blaster” radio cassette with the shortwave broadcast bands on it. I would spend evenings in my room listening to the worldwide broadcast stations, dreaming of where the signals came from. Then in 1977 when the film Convoy hit the screens, and one of his friends had a CB in his car, I got on the air. There then followed years of 11 meter DXing and and dxing on the UK FM CB band, never really happy just to speak to his friends down the road.
At school he became friends with the son of Hans Hindle, G3WBG, who introduced him to Amateur radio and this gave me the bug of listening to the ham bands, even buying a Trio JR310 receiver. And with a piece of wire down his parent’s garden his adventures in amateur radio began.
At this time I also had a 4 element beam for 11M and was a member of various 11M DX and QSL clubs, even being the England rep for the Sandcastle DX and QSL club of Washington state USA. An avid collector of QSL cards and still likes to receive them and will QSL every request as he knows that it could be the first one for a new operator, and their first steps to gaining the coveted DXCC honour roll place.
In 1987 I took what was then the RAE and gained my amateur radio class B licence (Only VHF and UHF above 144 MHz). My interest has always been on HF but I struggled with Morse code so never took the required 12wpm test. Following me getting married my radio activities took a back burner and I occasionally went on 2M FM chatting locally with friends which led to me losing the passion for the hobby. Then in 2003 I picked up a copy of Practical Wireless where it was announcing the abolition of the CW requirement and all Class B licensees would be allowed HF privileges I got back on the radio.
Now with more than 310 countries worked and confirmed I has found my home in the hobby. Now enjoying using digital modes and CW, sending using his computer and he receives his own call at up to 30 words per minute. In 2004 I had first place England in the CQWW contests on 10M band, and in other contests had band winning scores again finishing number 1 England. Part of the GB0SH team, for the first time in 2006, activating Strumblehead Lighthouse then the team entering the 2007 CQWW Contest from Wales in the multi-multi category coming 1st for the country. Since this we have all become great friends and spending time at the farm HQ in Wales. We started the Strumble Head Amateur Radio Klub, MC0SHL, which we activate from the farm owned by Rob (MW0RLJ) at various times throughout the year.
In March 2020 I was approached by the RSGB to be the coordinator for the RSGB Beyond Exams scheme. This scheme has been designed to encourage clubs and individuals to try something new within the radio hobby outside their comfort zone, and to give clubs ideas for activities they could use throughout their calendar to keep an interest from their membership. Full details on this scheme are available on the RSGB website under Brickworks.
Along with amateur radio I am also an avid photographer with interests in all types and wanting more to get out of my comfort zone to try new aspects, especially as I only seem to shoot aircraft and air shows. Have a look in the gallery section and follow the link to purchase some of my artwork for on your wall.