I was first licensed in 2003. My brother, Drew, KF4YMB, had recently moved to North Carolina, where amateur radio is big, and got his license. Drew talked me into getting my ticket, so I researched and studied and took my test with Hamfesters. I bought a Kenwood TH-D7 A/E handheld used. Then my dad bought me an Icom IC 706MkiiG as a gift. I was active the first couple years on 2 meters and 70 centimeters with the intention of upgrading to the General Class license to get on HF.
Life got busy and I stepped away from the hobby. I didn't have a lot of room in my vehicle to install a radio and I joined the hobby of touring on a motorcycle during the little free time I had.
In 2016 I bought a vehicle that would accept the installation of a radio. My Icom IC-706MKIIG was too large for the newer vehicles so I picked up a Yaesu FT-8900R. I slowly started getting back on the local repeaters and nets. I reconnected with some old friends and made some new ones.
I started using my FT-8900R and the FT60R handheld pretty regularly. I started watching a few YouTube channels about ham radio. Josh (KI6NAZ) and Ham Radio Crash Course (HRCC) got me wanting to do more in amateur radio. I upgraded my mobile radio to the Yaesu FTM-300DR and my handheld to the Yaesu FT5DR. Now I was using my radios all the time and had a set schedule of nets that I entered into my iPhone calendar with alerts to notify me just prior to the start of the nets. Years ago, I wanted to upgrade to General Class and now I finally had the time. I found a General Class prep course that Hamfesters was conducting and signed up. Two weeks into the course the pandemic hit. Classes were moved to Zoom. I finished the course, but no one was testing.
With the pandemic, work got very busy. I worked for the local Sheriff's Department. I was a Lieutenant and worked 16 hours a day 7 days a week during the crisis. I was still able to keep in touch on the radio and not drop from the hobby. In 2021 I retired after 30 years from the Sheriff's Department. I was lucky to retire at a relatively young age (52). I also teach concealed carry as a part time instructor. That being said, I had some free time on my hands, and I returned to the hobby a little more enthusiastically. I even started to attend Field Days and other functions again.
I met a guy, Josh, in one of my classes whose father Dan, W8FFF, was a ham. Josh was too busy and never got his license. I talked with Dan and made him my unofficial Elmer. I got a lot of information from him and still do.
I attended a Field Day and was pushed by some friends to start studying again. I upgraded to General Class on April 30, 2023, and it was granted May 1, 2023. I talked my XYL into taking the Technician Class test on the same day, and she passed, joining us in the hobby as KD9YDT. I guess I'll have to loan her some radios. I also talked Josh into taking the test the same day. He joined us as KD9YFD.
On July 15, 2023, I upgraded to Amateur Extra Class. It was granted July 17, 2023.
Somehow, I became an Elmer. Besides getting my XYL and my buddy Josh into radio, my neighbor, Brian, was asking about the antennas that were popping up around my house. Brian said he had an interest in radio when he was younger. He started studying, and he took his Technician Class test on November 29, 2023. Brian got 100% on the test and joined our ranks as KD9ZGT. My son, Jacob, attended a Field Day with me. He blindly took the Technician Class test. He didn’t want to since he didn’t study, and his only experience with ham radio was watching me and listening to the group at Field Day. I paid the $15 and sat him down to take the test. He didn’t pass, but he got 16 right without opening a book. I bought him the ARRL Ham Radio License Manual and shipped it to him in Kentucky. He studied for a few weeks and earned his ticket, becoming KQ4OBJ. As a gift for him passing the test and earning his license, I did what my father did for me and bought him a new radio. Keli and Brian upgraded to General Class on January 22, 2024, the same day Jacob earned his Technician Class license. Keli upgraded to Amateur Extra Class April 15, 2024, as did Brian on April 28, 2024. Josh just changed jobs and is studying to upgrade to the General Class license.
I am an ARRL, W5YI and Laurel certified VE. I like participating in ARES and Skywarn. I am an advanced trained Skywarn storm spotter. I participate in the DuPage County AuxComm ARES group training.
Now it's time to start learning morse code.
Recently I bought a few radios, I like my Yaesu radios. I bought an FTM500DR to add to my FTM300DR, FT5DR and FT-8900R. I moved my FTM300DR, FT8900R and Icom IC-706MKIIG to a desk and made a ham shack. I put up a Comet GP9 on a 21-foot fence top rail. The total height is 37 feet 9 inches. I made it to Lowell IN on simplex from Chicago Ridge several times. I have a few Yaesu FT-60R handhelds. I also have a Kenwood TH-F6A handheld. Since I upgraded to General Class and then Amateur Extra Class, I needed a HF radio, so I added a Yaesu FT-710 AESS with a Chameleon CHE EMCOMM II V2 antenna.
I am a member of a few local clubs. I also rag chew and participate in several nets almost daily. The first club I became a member of was Hamfesters, the club where I took my initial test and received my license, located in Orland Park Illinois. As of February 2024, I became the editor of the Hamfesters monthly newsletter, HamGab. As of August 2024 I am the President of STARS (Suburban Technical Amateur Radio Systems) in Bridgeview Illinois. As of April 2025 I am the VEC for STARS VE Team. I am also a member of OMISS, member ID 14930.
On August 4, 2025 I was appointed ARRL's Assistant Section Manager in the Illinois Section.
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KC9DSP
STARS President
ARRL IL Assistant Section Manager
Dennis M. Calderone
aude vide tace
