The New "Kid" on the Block! 

   "  With a total of 1 year and 6 Months as an Amateur Radio Operator, I fell head over heals in love with 6 Meters.    Addictive, mysterious, challenging and surprising would be a good way to describe my experiences as a new operator spinning the VFO on 50 Mhz.  "  



KB3RHR Craig A. Yoho
Thanks for taking the time to stop by and check out our web page.   I am located in South Western Pennsylvania, Grid EN90sa.   We are tucked in the southwest corner of the great Commonwealth.   I am approximately 45 Miles south west of Pittsburgh and about 10 air miles from the fine city of Wheeling, West Virginia.  This is beautiful country with very sharp ridges and deep valleys that make this a wonderful place to work radio.  
I have a degree in Electro-Mechanical Engineering and have worked in the Mining industry for 13 years.  In this "neck of the woods", Mining is not only a very profitable industry, but it is very rich in heritage.  Most of the men in my family have worked in the mining industry all of their lives, its the "Big Business" that drives the economy for the tri state area. 
I served our country for over 6 years in the United States Army, Quartermaster Corps.  I was assigned to several units and was stationed at several posts both here and abroad, all of which I did enjoy. 
My interest in Amateur Radio came very early in life. My grandfather had a very good friend that was into the hobby.  They both were World War II veterans one stationed in the European Theater and one in the Pacific, never the less, I feel that radio service and their military service had a profound effect not only on them, but the entire generation and their interest in Amateur Radio.  
As a child I can remember visiting my grandfathers friend Bob, and he introduced me to his radio gear.  WOW, I was impressed, big huge electrical boxes with LOTS of switches, knobs , lights , do-hickies. AWESOME! He even let me try my fist at his straight key. My FIRST CW! 
In my high school years, my father and mother bought me a Citizens Band radio.  Back then, Citizens Band was not as crowded nor rude as it is today.  I enjoyed several hours talking with the local guys (who were much much older than I) this is where I learned the basics and fundamentals of how radios work, SWR, and most importantly, PROPAGATION. 
Of course, as a young man there were many courses that my life twisted and turned on, so I guess I did not really have the time to pursuit any further radio career. 
Two years ago, for whatever reason, I purchased a mobile Citizens Band radio on a whim.  It got the bug going again, however Citizens Band had changed for the worse, and I found it not to be as pleasurable as what it was when I was a kid.  I did however, run into a gentleman that had the passion for radio the same as I did, and he was a HAM.  Dwayne conveyed to me that the FCC did in fact drop the code from the test, something that I really did not think that I was capable of doing.  I studied for 2 months and took the test. 
I was bit by the bug hard.  I jumped in head over heals. Buying equipment , towers , antenna , rigs , audio processing , Microphones, coax.  
My first DX was on 10 meters to Italy on a 5/8 wave vertical, and I will never forget how excited I was to make that contact ,  Dwayne was on the phone with me at the time, I think he also enjoyed seeing me get bit! 
I immediately fell in love with 6 meters. I found a great group of locals that ragchewed on 50.140 ssb and it reminded me of those days back in high school.  
I believe that my first DX on 6 meters was CT1HZE.  
I have come a long way since the beginning, and continue to grow with the hobby every day thanks to the fine fellow Elmer's that I have here in the Midwest 6 Meter DX Group. 

2009 Summer E Season DX QSO's via Amateur Radio Station 
                                                   KB3RHR

      

17/06	1054	ZB	ZB3B	SSB
16/06	1420	VP2	VP2MRT	SSB
25/07	2137	YV	YV5IAL	SSB
27/06	1641	8R	8R1TO	CW
13/07	2100	NP2	NP2B	SSB
10/07	1316	9A	9A5CW	CW
21/07	0053	OX	OX3KQ	SSB
21/06	1456	CT	CT1HZE	CW
21/06	1226	EA6	AM6M	SSB
06/07	1824	KH6	KH6/K6MIO	SSB
26/06	1459	EA	EA1WZ	SSB
26/06	1459	EA8	EA8CQS	SSB
08/06	2110	CU	CU2JT	SSB
22/06	1627	D4	D44TD	SSB
23/06	1545	5J	5J0BV	SSB
13/07	1914	J6	J6/WB4WXE	SSB
13/07	2057	FM	FM5AA	SSB
21/06	1324	CT	CT3FQ	SSB
27/06	1353	OD	OD5KU	SSB
07/07	2358	HR	HR2DMR	SSB
13/07	2112	J3	J39BS	CW
21/06	1230	F	F6KHM	SSB
03/07	2307	HI	HI3TEJ	SSB
13/07	1710	J7	J79PAK	SSB
21/05	0010	TI	TI2KI	SSB
13/07	2024	PJ	PJ2/K8LEE	SSB
26/06	1325	V2	V29JKV	SSB
14/07	1334	FM	FM5AN	SSB
14/07	1345	9Z	9Z4BM	SSB
14/07	1451	C6	C6ANX	SSB
10/05	0115	VE	VA3TLS	SSB
19/05	2107	VP	VP9GE	SSB
20/05	2315	CO	CO8LY	SSB
20/05	2117	OA	OA4TT	CW
20/05	2345	KP4	NP4A	SSB
05/21	2240	HK	HK3JRL	SSB
02/05	1642	ZF	ZF2ZD	SSB
02/05	1732	W	KB2VUQ	SSB
02/05	1924	TI	TI7/N5BEK	SSB
02/05	2025	XE	XE3ISS	SSB
02/05	2057	PU	PU9OSB	SSB
02/05	2112	YN	YN2N	SSB
02/05	2130	HP	HP1AVS	SSB
02/05	2134	PY	PR8ZX	SSB
02/05	2153	P4	P43A	SSB

    This Family Vacation I / we went portable with W8IF Engineered 1/2 Wave Stack System in Cape Neddick Maine.  What a great Time, "Lobsta" and Saltwater enhanced 6 Meters, Great Vacation.       Yaesu FT-950 @ 100W    Thanks to K1AC Don, for giving me someone to ragchew with when the band was not open.   Great eyeball QSO Don!

  




        Turn up your volume, sit back and enjoy the snippets of 6 Meter West coast opening from my station.   Let it play there are pauses in the Xmit.   That was a great evening!  Enjoy


Hear More Audio Files in the Audio Section of my page!! 



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