You may be curious what N3PBQ stands for. That is the callsign issued by the FCC that allows me to transmit on several frequencies around the world. My purpose for having a radio license is to assist the public in times of need. It has also grown to be a great hobby for me.
It isn't difficult to become a member of the amateur radio community. In fact, the FCC has made it even easier for anyone to get a license. I was licensed when I was 16 and my sister became licensed at a very young age. So, age isn't a factor at all, in fact many of the amateur radio community are senior citizens looking for something to do in the spare time they have. By the way, you don't have to learn morse code to become a radio operator...and if you do want to learn the code language then you'll be allowed to communicate on more frequencies.
ARRL is the voice of amatuer radio in government
I have volunteered with the National Weather Service offices in Cleveland, State College, and Pittsburgh. Radio operators often volunteer in a program called Skywarn which helps the meteorologists to locate tornadoes and other severe weather events. Ham radio has been doing this public service long before the use of doppler radar and is still a vital service today. It is much more efficient to pass weather reports by radio than to rely on the phone system to call the reports in.
I was very active as a radio operator in the National Weather Service's skywarn program. While I resided in Westmoreland county from 2002 to 2005, I was a major part in the emergency communications structure that amateur radio provided during times of severe weather. I frequently traveled to the weather service office and constructed a system to improve communications in the outlying areas that the Pittsburgh office served.
I also have volunteered with American Red Cross and Emergency Management agencies in several counties in Pennsylvania and Ohio helping to setup emergency communications before, during, and after a disaster.
Check out some old photos of my family heritage With pictures provided by my paternal grandparents
Okay, now on to some really fun internet stuff:
Penn State model railroad page
USA Repeater Directoy
ARRL contest Calendar (events that challenge radio operators to contact as many places as possible)
Ever wonder what frequencies TV station transmit on
Some of the wonders of space that interested me while I was attending college at Penn State
Humor links
Scare people in computer labs
From the Simpson's -couch openings
Phone calls to Moe's
How to rid of a Blind Date
What I learned thanks to the Movies
What not to do when taking college exams
The differences between Seniors and Freshmen
How not to Rob a Bank
and copy-written to, their respective owners
Last modified: July 10, 2011
