In 1991 the FCC decided to drop the code requirement for VHF and UHF operations. I attended Ham-Com in Arlington, Texas with a friend who had been urging me to get my license since we were both in high school. I got my KB5TMD call on June 29, 1992. I could now finally use that brand new Alinco DJ-580T. I quickly became frustrated with the limitations of a handie-talkie as my sole radio so I purchased an old Icom 27H 45 watt 2-meter mobile radio 2 years later. I served as president of the Southwest Dallas County Amateur Radio club twice. I was a member of that club for 17 years until I moved to Baton Rouge in 2009. I joined the Baton Rouge Amateur Radio Club in April 2009. I also was a member of the Livingston Amateur Radio Society in Denham Springs and served as net manager for 3 years and club president for one year. Today I am a member of the Baton Rouge Amateur Radio Club and the Ascension Radio Club in Gonzales as well as the American Radio Relay League. I enjoy contesting (Yeah, I know Field Day really isn’t supposed to be a contest) and DX’ing as well as rag chewing on HF. Hamfests are always fun as well as public service events. My station consists of a Kenwood TS-590S as my main HF station. I have a Hy-Gain EXP-14 tri band beam mounted on a 35 foot tower behind my utility room. I’m also looking forward to exploring some of the digital modes. I recently bought one of those DV Dongles for D-Star but I haven’t done much with it yet other than listen a bit. I upgraded to General Class in May of 2000 and finally to Extra Class in June of 2005.