PHOTOS:

Above: N5UM operating at N5YA in the 2008 ARRL November Sweepstakes Phone Contest.

Below:

N5UM (then WD8ECT) - Novice op at Age 13 pounding brass in basement shack - Redford, MI - July 1977

Rig: National NC-183D receiver - Heathkit DX-100B transmitter

Those giant headphones are from an old audiometer.

 

N5UM and son Alex in the Radio Room (station W6RO) aboard the RMS Queen Mary, Long Beach CA, February 2009.

 

N5UM and one of the Boy Scouts visiting the Edmond Amateur Radio Society (K5EOK) Field Day 2010.

 

N5UM and K3LR operating in the 2011 ARRL DX Phone Contest at K3LR

 

First licensed as Novice in December, 1976 as WD8ECT in Detroit, MI at age 13. Upgraded to General in August 1977 at the FCC Field Office in the old Federal Building in Detroit. Upgraded to Extra in December, 1980 at the Detroit FCC Field Office (passed Advanced and Extra exams the same day - figured I'd better get that done before graduating from high school). Changed callsign to KM8I in March, 1981.

Graduated in December 1985 with degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. Active at the club station there (W8UM) and was president of the club for the 1984-1985 school year.

Moved to Fort Wayne, IN in 1986 to work for GTE. Active on HF and VHF from there until relocating with GTE to Texas in 1994. Active from Dallas area 1994 to 2005. Changed call to K8IT in 1996 and finally to N5UM in 1999. Active contest operator at N5YA station while living in TX.

Moved to Oklahoma City, OK area in 2005. Active with a modest home station (vertical and wires) mainly on HF CW, but also like to play on six meters if I am in the shack for a band opening. I stay as active with contesting as I can (between work, kids, Boy Scouts, etc). I try to work the ARRL Sweepstakes and NAQP contests as well as the OK QSO Party every year. I also enjoy operating Field Day with the Edmond Amateur Radio Society (K5EOK) and operate mobile from time to time.

I've been a guest op at WX0B (2000 ARRL DX CW), K5QE (2004 ARRL September VHF, 2008 ARRL January VHF, 2010 ARRL June VHF), KB0HH (2012 ARRL November Sweepstakes Phone, 2013 ARRL January VHF), and K3LR (2007 CQWW DX CW, 2008 CQWW DX CW, 2010 CQWW DX Phone, 2011 ARRL DX Phone, 2011 CQWW DX Phone, 2012 ARRL DX Phone, 2012 CQWW DX Phone, 2013 ARRL DX Phone). I also try to get to N5YA in STX at least once a year as a guest op down there.

I am currently employed as a Network Engineer with Cox Communications in Oklahoma City, after having been with GTE for 17 years in IN and TX, and Birch Communications in TX for 2 years.

73, Al N5UM