The Olde Goats is diverse group, with members from various backgrounds and professions. The one thing we all share is our interest in amateur radio and our determination to start each day with each other on 3.977. Scientific studies and our own experience have proven that days go better when they start with a friendly chat with old friends. Besides, you need to be there to defend yourself!

You may browse through these short biographies and photos below, or find details on the individual member by returning to the Roster and clicking on their Call.

Maybe the youngest goat, at 36, I was licensed in 1982 after a
disappointing 5 year experience with CBs and some fun with a in-home
broadcast station. I used to get up before Mom and Dad to play the old
time 45's while playing DJ to the walls. I built the crystal set in 1977
and when I heard WPTF in High Point, I was hooked on wireless. Ham Radio
lead me to NC State University where I obtained B.S. degrees in Electrical
Engineering and Mathematics in 1993. I hold the M.S. in Electrical
Engineering from NC State University and serve as an expert
witness in radiation safety issues. My current occupation is Applications
Engineer with RF Micro Devices in Greensboro, NC. I also love boat
anchors, AM broadcasting and teaching.

I have been married 13 years and have three children: Ben (9), Sarah (7)
and Anna (1). We teach them about God, manners, obedience and respect for
others; they are home-schooled and privately instructed.

Got to be an ol' goat via Jack, WA4OOD, who stepped in as mentor for me
after my father passed away in 1988 while I was an intern with Northern
Telecom in RTP, NC, with Jack as my supervisor.

Ben, Anna, and Sarah

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"I have thoroughly enjoyed being an Olde Goat continuously since 1962".

I was born (3/17/22) and raised in Wake Forest, NC, until 1951 the home of Wake Forest College, now Wake Forest University located in Winston-Salem (W-S). I graduated premed from the old college and from Wake Forest University School of Medicine, W-S. I interned at Washington University Medical Center in St. Louis, MO, where I met and married Pat in 1946. I served in the U. S. Army Medical Corps from 1943 to 1948. Over the next 50 years I enjoyed several careers thanks to Pat and a family that were patient and supportive. After the Army stint, I opened a general practice office in Statesville, NC. Three years later I moved to a pediatric residency at the University Medical Center in W-S. This led to a medical school faculty appointment and pediatric practice, all in W-S. After 20 years of patient care, I made a major career change when I accepted a position with the Squibb Institute of Medical Research in Princeton, NJ. That was the beginning of 20 years in pharmaceutical clinical research. After five years at Squibb (now Bristol-Myers Squibb), I accepted the position of Medical Director at Beecham Pharmaceuticals (now SmithKline Beecham) in Bristol, TN where we spent ten years. I retired from Beecham one day and the next day I went to work with Glaxo (now Glaxo Wellcome) in Research Triangle Park NC where I became Vice President of Clinical Research.

After retiring from Glaxo we returned to Bristol in 1988. I tried to enjoy golf, tinkering and doing nothing but it didn’t "take". So, in 1989, I started a "play-toy" (just for something to do) business, Clinical Trial Management Services, Inc. (CTMS) a contract research organization. Initially, there was one full-time employee and five part-timers. Quite unexpectedly, the business took off despite our efforts for controlled growth. As of the end of 1998 our staff numbered 87, including those at our Winston-Salem branch office. Also toward the end of 1998 we hired an M.D. with pharmaceutical research experience who will relieve me of many of my responsibilities so I can once again try to enjoy golf, tinkering and doing nothing. However, fortunately for me, there is a new twist: an appointment to the Board of Trustees of King College, a Presbyterian college in Bristol, TN, where the powers-that-be are starting a School of Health Sciences for which I am targeted to be involved.

(Editor's Note: Bob is too modest to include that also in 1998, CTMS was named "Small Business of the Year" by The Business Journal of Tri-Cities TN/VA!)

Pat and I have three sons: Bill, a prosthetist-orthotist and business man in Myrtle Beach and Greenville, SC, Tom, a stock broker in Houston, and John, now President and CEO of CTMS; we have nine grandchildren and four great grandchildren.

I was first licensed WN4HUT in 1961, then WA4HUT and WA2BTJ (Ed.: "Bill, Tom, and John," long before the vanity callsign system. Did you make a "contribution" to the FCC, Bob?), then with Extra Class I became KQ4I but, like some other Olde Goats, I succumbed to the vanity call opportunity and received my first choice W4WF in honor of my Alma Mater. At the time, it seemed I worked harder to pass the Extra Class exam, which then included sending and receiving code, than I did for my MD degree. I never flunked a college or medical school course, but I failed the Extra Class exam at the FCC offices in Boston and Washington before finally passing in the Atlanta FCC office.

Ham radio has meant a lot to me. It has rewarded me with many wonderful friends, and quite a few characters, via 3975/3977. Sadly, many have become silent keys, including my three mentors: Harold Sluder W4QAF, Clarence Mowery W4ISH, and Wilson Lamb W4BOH. I miss them very much.


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Retired in 1988 as a Major General after 35 years in the Army. Commanded at various levels from platoon to brigade in Korea, Germany and in the States. Last service in Pentagon as the Army Director of Military Personnel Management (policy for the entire "life cycle" of soldiers from recruiting to separation).

It was while in that position that Carol and I met Bob and Pat Vann on 146.52 MHz while traveling south on I-95. We stopped for coffee with them at the NC-SC border and the rest is history.

Since retiring have been active in a multitude of volunteer activities, including American Red Cross (now serving as Georgia State Service Council Chair). Also can be seen as an Adjunct Professor of Management at North Georgia College and State University (where I am referred to as "Dr. O").

Five daughters, associated husbands, and 14 grandchildren work to see I do not have much time for "other hobbies" beyond fixing broke stuff. But I have enjoyed ham radio since 1977 as KA9AUI, DA2OW, KF4EI (I had upgraded just before leaving for Germany and mistakenly used the wrong call for six months!), and KF4IE. First rig was a Heath SB101 then the TS180S John D. doesn’t like, with a refurbished "Warrior" amp. Still using the TS940S Carol gave me in 1985. Strictly a "wire antenna guy" currently using a G5RV, an 80M dipole and a 1/3 KM megaloop.

. . . and, oh yes, don’t mind admitting I’m driving a 1932 model body.

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Born in 1929 in Statesville, NC. I earned a BS degree at Appalachian State University and an MA from UNC Charlotte. My wife Geraldine (Jeri) and I are both retired school teachers (You're welcome!). We have three children and five grandchildren so far.

I served in the US Navy from 1951 to 1955 as a Diesel Engineman stationed in Korea and Japan.

I was first licensed as a ham in 1960 as K4TST, and now hold my father's old call, W4EQ. My other hobbies include sailboat racing (Thistle Class, S2 7.9 Class), antique motorboating (my 1967 Lyman 19 is pictured above), and restoring Austin Healey sports cars. We have toured Canada in the Healey, and in 2001 I am shipping the car to Europe for a 45-day tour of the continent.

By far the best-looking of The Olde Goats, I am 6' 4" and a very fit 205 pounds.

Jimerick for W4EQ

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                                                                                     GEB Harmonics! (1st & 2nd) 

I was born in 1942 and grew up in North Augusta, SC. Although first licensed as K4OKO in 1957, vanity overwhelmed me on two occasions. In 1997 I was issued W3FQ and in 1999 I permanently settled on W4GEB.

Emily and I married in 1964, the year I graduated from Clemson. We had daughters Beth and Julie in 1967 and 1970 respectively, and have since acquired two sons-in-law and six grandchildren, two of which are the first twins in the family.

My career began in 1964 immediately after college at Graniteville Company, a textile manufacturer. Family and career plans were interrupted twice during the 60’s by unplanned Army Reserve military service active duty, once for a 1968-1969 year tour of duty in Vietnam.

In 1984 at age 42 I had my first career change after my publicly held employer became a successful hostile takeover target by a private investor. I was Vice President of Manufacturing at the time.

That year we relocated from Aiken, SC where we had lived for 11 years to Rock Hill, SC. Our time in Aiken was very special in that our girls basically grew up there. We had established deep roots and very close friendships.

I joined a subsidiary company of Nissan Motor Company, Ltd., in Charlotte, NC just 17 miles from our home. It was a good career move that will no doubt result in better health and a longer life. My second employer was purchased in 2000 by the parent company of Toyota Motor Company Ltd. I retired from Nissan as Executive Vice President on June 1, 2000 and went to work for the new company the next day. The President and I were in Paris the day of the transition. Life can be complicated and full of surprises.

For a number of years I was not a very active ham. However, around 1992 I became acquainted with the "Olde Goats" and since then our morning contacts have become a part of my daily life. Group members seem like members of an extended family.

My radio interests include older glow-in-the-dark classics. I currently have two Collins S-Lines, a 30L-1, R-390A and a Heath DX-100. I also enjoy woodworking, tinkering in my shop and maintaining my home and lawn. Recently completed major projects include kitchen, bath and sunroom renovations.

Emily and I have been best friends since almost the first day we met. We like music, travel, dancing and being around close friends and family. Emily and I are Episcopalians as are our daughters and their families. Over the years we have been active in church and community life, but in recent years have concentrated more on family needs.

We have been richly blessed in life and have made great memories and formed what we hope to be enduring friendships. Among these are special ones with "Olde Goats".

We look forward to tomorrow and pray that the future will be kind to us.  (March 13, 2001)

Jimerick for W4GEB
Newest Jimerick for W4GEB

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I was born in 1917 in Brandy Station, Virginia. I graduated high school in Roanoke, then took various business courses. My career began at Mary Helen Coal in Coalgood KY in 1940. I quickly moved to work in freight traffic solicitation for Norfolk & Western Railroad, then on to Traffic Manager at North Carolina Shipbuilding in Wilmington. I became Traffic Manager and Assistant Sales Manager at Walter Bledsoe & Co., Knoxville, TN, in 1942. In 1951 I founded Virginia Fuel Company in Chattanooga and still serve as its President.

My amateur radio career began in 1934 when I was licensed as W9YPJ. I have been W4EWP since 1937. Over the years my rigs have included 210's, 212D's, Taylor T-55's and 610's, Eimac 100TH's and 250TH's. My early receivers were a National SW-3, then an RME-69, a National 173, Collins 75A1 and 75A4. I went Japanese in the late 1970's and have graduated from a Kenwood TS-830 to my present rig, an Icom 761.

I am credited with being one of the "founding fathers" of the Olde Goats, having been active with the group since 1952. I was also a founding father of the Town of Lookout Mountain, GA, serving as its first Mayor for two terms beginning in 1969. I have remained active in public service, as Chairman and Board Member of the Chattanooga Chapter of the American Red Cross, and I served three terms as Board Member of Public Television Station WTCI (TV-45).

Susan and I were married in Wilmington, NC on November 2, 1940. We have a son and a daughter, three grandchildren and one great-grandchild. In addition to ham radio I enjoy hunting, fishing, sailing, and playing golf.

Jimerick for W4EWP

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I was born in 1928 in Inman, SC, the Peach Center of the Piedmont, the Town of Romance.
I retired from the US Army as a Master Sergeant on December 1, 1966, after a happy 21-year career. I served with the 69th Field Artillery in Korea in 1952. Since my retirement I worked as Safety Officer with Asheville Contracting Company and have served as a Volunteer Fireman with the Skyland, NC Fire Dept. and Rescue Squad.

I have been a ham since 1970, and first joined the Olde Goats in 1986. My equipment of choice WAS Yaesu and Swan, until Santa brought me a brand new Icom 765 this year! My other hobbies include Black Powder weapons, and I am a qualified Sharp Shooter using a British Enfield 1851 Cal 58 rifle.

Libby and I have been married for 51 long, HAPPY years. We have two daughters, Sonja and Susan, one grandson, two granddaughters, and one great-granddaughter.

Jimerick for WB4RPG

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My father bought a Zenith "Chair Side" short wave radio at the beginning of WWII. He was not in the military due to defense-related work at a local plant. During WWII he called home each day at noon and had mother put the telephone to the speaker of the Zenith to listen to the latest war news. The radio had band coverage from 550 Kc up through 18.5 MHz, a 6-tube superheterodyne with an I.F. of 456 kilocycles. This radio, it turns out, was manufactured within a month of when I was born on 6 May 1938. My father kept this radio all these years, the cabinet in the living room, the chassis on a shelf in the basement. After his passing in September '95, I began the process of rebuilding this radio. The cabinet is a beautiful wood and has been refinished to its original luster. My first recollection of this radio is about 1942 when I was about four years old. I can still remember a lot of "war news" on the old Zenith.

This captured my interest in amateur radio as I listened to the AM'ers. I continued to listen to short wave broadcast stations for many years, and still do. I learned the Morse code in the Explorer Scouts, winning a set of Emico code records in a Boys Life SWL listening contest in the early 50s. I pursued my radio interests in the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) with an FCC Radiotelephone license in 1955.

After leaving high school, I served a four-year tour in the USAF. I went to radar school in Biloxi MS in Aircraft Control & Warning Radar Operation. One of my tours was in remote Alaska, on Middleton Island ('57-'58) in the Gulf of Alaska, south of Valdez about 125 miles.

After my discharge, I became licensed in 1962 as WN4MCZ and less than a year later as WA4MCZ. I changed from WA4MCZ to W4CZ in 1996. An avid DXer, I have obtained DXCC on Mixed (326), Phone (314), CW (170), RTTY (245), 10 (185) & 40 (111). I have the 100 cards for 80 meter DXCC which will qualify me for 5BDXCC which will be sent when I receive BQ9P & FT5ZH. That should be enough for the Honor Roll.

Other ham Awards:

I am a registered architect in eight states with certification from The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards. I work out of my office at home, which incidentally is also my ham shack!

Learn more about the "real" Bill at N4TN's "Nutt Nett" Site !

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                John at the Charlotte 2000 Olde Goats Olive Garden luncheon....all smiles!

Birth date/location: 7 Jan 1943 Winston-Salem, NC
High School: Yadkinville, NC 1961
College undergrad: BS - Mathematics ASU
College grad: Masters - Media Specialist
Ham licenses held: Novice WN4KDB (1973), Advanced WA4KDB (1974), Extra WA4KDB (1979), Vanity Call WA4J (1997)

Bill Hayes, Jr. W4ABM was living in Boone in the early 1970's and introduced me to amateur radio. He held a novice class at Watauga High School and I attended. Bill took me and another ham, Mark Setzer WB4DYD, SK, to Asheville, NC for an FCC testing session where I passed the novice exam. I returned to Asheville with Bill the next year and passed the Advanced exam.

I served for 17 years as the Appalachian State University photographer, in the area of Public Affairs, during which time I built a tradition of high-quality, timely photography to support the external communications functions of the university. I produced motion-picture films as well as television and sound recordings for use in broadcasts publicizing the university. It was during this period also that I put together Appalachian's first multi-image sound-slide shows - now perhaps one of the University's most popular publicity media.

While working as the University Photographer, I found time to complete the Master's Degree in Educational Media. (My undergraduate degree is in Mathematics with minors in Physics and Chemistry.) I also worked as the engineer for the Appalachian Football Radio Network.

I have some expertise in the workings and applications of computers, having begun to use the university's large computer years ago and having acquired several home PC computer systems over the years. I was AV Services' representative and advisor in all matters computorial.

I was the technical force behind Appalachian's popular and successful teleconferencing operation, which serves the university and the region with voice and slow-scan video communications to Raleigh, Washington, and other cities. It is in large part due to my abilities and work that Appalachian was able to conduct regular slow-scan conferences between the campus and the Northeast Institute of Technology, in Shenyang, China, allowing members of both sides of the scholarly exchange to enjoy face-to-face contact with their colleagues, friends, and family.

I spent the last 14 years of my career in the Audio-Visual Services department (now called Media Services) at Appalachian State. When I came to A-V, there was no high quality audio production capability. Using a meager budget, some professional grade, but used, recording equipment was acquired. I repaired and brought the equipment into manufacturer's specifications and this equipment is still in use today. I also did much of the maintenance of the department's specialized photographic equipment. I was regularly called upon by other departments of the university to help out with tricky technical problems and projects.

As a "ham" I have been president of the Watauga County Amateur Radio Club and I am now trustee of the local amateur VHF repeater (WA4J/147.36), which serves the amateur community in northwestern North Carolina and adjoining areas. The repeater often serves as a link for emergency and public-service communications. I have introduced a great number of people to amateur radio, even to the point of conducting formal classes in code and theory.

In other activities, I have long been in attendance at the First Baptist Church in Boone and have been an active leader in the Boone Lion's Club, having served as president of the local Lions for two 2-year terms.

I have been featured on television's "Carolina Camera" and "P.M. Magazine," both of which highlighted my photographic talents in spite of my severely limited vision.

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I was born born in 1924 in Northern Michigan; moved to Duluth, MN in 1939; entered Navy service in 1943, serving 3 years as an intercept operator on Adak in the Aleutians. First ticket was in 1947 as WØCVI. Graduated University of Iowa in 1950. Worked in radio broadcasting for 10 years, then joined GE's Computer Department in 1959 in Phoenix, AZ. The call then was W7UTY. Transferred to GE in Maryland in 1966, then got W3CKU. Retired in 1986 to Arizona; stayed 10 years then moved to Chambersburg, PA to be near children and grandchildren.

I first tuned onto 3977 in early 1998, looking for a friendly morning net with vox operation. W4QCF welcomed me, sent a QSL and roster, and I have been active since then.

My wife Barbara and I have been married 45 years. We have 5 children and 10 grandchildren.

Equipment: Kenwood TS930. Antennas for 160,80/40, WARC, 10/15/20.

Jimerick for W3CKU

Jim is the Poet of 3977! Read all of his 'Jimericks' for the Olde Goats!

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I was born October 9, 1951 in Atlanta, GA. First licensed in 1990 after being introduced to the hobby by Bill O'Leksy (KF4IE).

Wife Kittie Jo; the love of my life. Married in April, 1985.

I began my career in Education in 1974. Hold undergraduate degree from North Georgia College, now North Georgia College & State University. Graduate degrees from the University of Georgia, but make no mistake, I'm a Georgia Tech fan through and through. Currently Professor of Education and Coordinator of Graduate Programs at NGCSU, my employer since 1977.

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                                                                       Billy and Betty in Charlotte at the Olive Garden

I was in the U. S. Air Force at Keesler AFB, MS, where I received two years Electronic Training, including radio and radar. I attended North Greenville College, Greenville, SC in Pre-engineering with a math major. I have an A.S. degree from DeVry Institute, Chicago in Electrical Engineering, and an A.S., Computer Science and Technology, from Walters State Community College in Morristown, TN.

From 1958 until 1979 I was with the Burroughs Corporation in the southeast, first as a maintenance engineer, and then as engineering manager. I traveled extensively throughout the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida. I moved to Morristown, TN in 1979, working first as Service Manager for Carolina Electronics, and then as Senior Training Specialist with Philips Consumer Electronics. I know and have a very good relationship with many engineers in both Knoxville and Greeneville.

I taught Advanced Electronic Technology at Lanier Area Vocational Technical School, Oakwood, GA, and prepared and taught many schools and seminars while with Burroughs. I am a nationally published author in Electronic Servicing Technology. I have also taught MS-DOS classes at Walters State. I won an Outstanding Achievement Award from Walters State as the first person in history known to present a paper at the ACM Society from a Junior College level.

I am now on long-term disability with congestive heart failure. I just get in Betty's way all the time. Ha!!

Jimerick for WA4FNY

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We report sadly that Alton became a Silent Key on April 25, 1999. We will miss you, old friend.

I have not sent Chuck my biography yet, so he made this up, mostly from a directory published in 1986. I was born born in 1924 in Rocky Mount NC. I am retired from the State of North Carolina; Betty and I have four daughters.

I have been an Olde Goat so long that I can't remember when I started.

As far as I know I am the only Goat with a road named after him. (Ed.: Correction: Except for Ronie!)

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Full Name: Julius Willard Morris
Nickname: Jay
Birth Date: May 18, 1923 Birthplace: Edgecombe County, NC
High School: Leggett High School now known as North Edgecombe High School, Leggett, NC (6 miles north of Tarboro, NC) This school had eleven grades and students went 8 months out of the year)
Extra Curricular Activities: made basketball team every year; starter for three years; made baseball team and was starter for three years; starter for fast pitch softball as a pitcher; Made debating team for three years.
University: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC
Degree: BS in Commerce which is now known as Business Administration.
UNC Entrance Date: August, 1940
Extra Curricular Activities at UNC: Junior Varsity Baseball, Fast Pitch Softball; Our team came in second in intramural competition ; I once pitched a three hitter; Intramural Basketball.

Education was interrupted during World War Two. Volunteered for the Navy Program; was allowed one semester at UNC and was transferred to the Navy Amphibious Training Station at Solomon's Island, Maryland, to await the next class at Harvard University to learn enough to become a Navy Supply Corps Officer.

While at UNC during the Navy V-12 program, I was Buddy Owen's (W4VWA) roommate. Buddy's uncle was the fire chief of Rocky Mount, N.C. who was also an amateur radio operator. Buddy told me about the hobby. Following my six month's training at The Navy Supply Corps School at Harvard University, I was assigned duty at the Naval Base at Norfolk,Virginia. I waited about three days there and was assigned to the U.S.S. Wasatch (AGC-9) as the ship's Disbursing Officer. This was an amphibious communications ship. The purpose of the ship was to carry the Admirals and Generals to the invasion area and to communicate with the land, air and sea forces. After about one week aboard ship, we sailed to the South Pacific. I was in 5 invasions: Morotai, Leyte Gulf, Lingayen Gulf near Manilla, Southern Mindanao and Borneo. I was in the occupation of Southern Japan.

Because the U.S.S. Wasatch (named for the Wasatch mountains in Utah) was a communications ship, we had a few amateur radio operators aboard. I thought that this would be an excellent hobby to start after my discharge. The Communication Officer arranged for me to take Morse code lessons aboard. One of the Naval Officers aboard and I built a one tube regenerative receiver and we were able to pick up the Hawaiian Island radio station which was about a thousand miles from us while we were at sea. I originally was assigned to the Communication's Room when we were at General Quarters. Due to the fact that we had so many Communication Officers aboard, I was told that I could go where I wanted.

One day while we were at sea, all of the officers aboard had a shooting match with 45 caliber automatics on the fantail. Our Executive Officer who was also an amateur radio operator (W2KDB) was an expert shooter. He came in number one and I was lucky enough to come in number two.

One of the Lt.(jg) line officers who was the midship battery officer for the twenty millimeter guns got very nervous about serving in that capacity. Our gunnery officer decided that since I had come out with a good shooting record in the 45 caliber match to assign me to that position. Once while we were patrolling out at sea, we had gunnery practice. A Navy plane pulled a long barrel shaped target for us. I had never shot a twenty millimeter gun before, and I told the seaman that I would like to fire his gun at the target. We had special sights on the gun which would shake when fired so we were supposed to fire a few rounds and wait until the sight was still and then fire a few more rounds. After the Navy plane made a new turn, the Gunnery Officer called down and wanted to know who was firing the gun in which I was strapped. I told him that I was and he replied that I was following the exact rules and that it was good shooting. Most of the Navy men who shot the twenty millimeter guns pulled the trigger continuously which resulted into off target shooting. A few months later, I was assigned to the forty millimeter guns on the forward deck which were near the five inch gun.

My late brother and I started a wholesale distributing firm which mainly sold groceries to the small "mom and pop" operators in the Nashville area. In May, 1946. I took leave from the business to complete my degree at UNC, Chapel Hill, N.C. I graduated in June, 1947. My brother wanted to start a concrete manufacturing business and I purchased his interest on January 1, 1952.

I married my fine wife, Kathlyn who goes my the nick name Kitty, on June 28, 1952. We had two boys and a girl. Unfortunately, we lost our oldest boy, Donald Jay, with epilepsy in 1986. Needless to say, this was the most unfortunate thing to happen to our family to date. My other son is John Paul who is an attorney-at-law in Rocky Mount, N.C. Our daughter, Linda, is employed with SAS Institute a software manufacturer in Cary, N.C. She formerly worked at Duke University, Durham, N.C.

I decided to go into children's dress manufacturing in 1963 in Spring Hope, N.C. One year later, I started another children's dress plant in a little rural community called Justice. This little community is eight miles north of Spring Hope and about six miles east of Louisburg, N.C. When another large chain of outer garments established a plant in Spring Hope, we decided to purchase a vacated school building and moved our factory to Stanhope, N.C. which is also a small community. Our factories were then sixteen miles apart. I stayed in this business until foreign competition got so rough so I rented my factories to a shirt manufacturer for about ten years. After they left I sold my plants.

In 1950, I was asked to coach the boy's basketball team for the Leggett, N.C. High School. I did not teach at the school and the coaching job was without any pay. The first year, we won the county championship. We won most of our games in 1951 but we lost in the finals for the championship. Leggett is about six miles north of Tarboro. A few years ago, this school was renamed North Edgecombe High School and several other smaller schools were closed and its students were sent to it. The football and basketball teams from North Edgecombe have done well over the years.

In the early fifties, Nashville started a slow pitch softball league. I played on a team sponsored by an Esso Station for two or three years. I decided to sponsor my own team later. One of these years, I pitched two consecutive "no-hit" games here. One has to be real lucky to do this in slow pitch softball. We also came in second at a major tournament in Warrenton, N.C. I played slow pitch softball until I was 65 years old.

Following World War Two, I was successful in getting my license as a pilot of a single engine plane. A salesman and his wife invited Kitty and me to fly down to Kitty Hawk, N.C. on a one day trip to the beach. He flew the plane down. The runway built at Kitty Hawk was done so in honor of the fiftieth anniversary of the Wright Brothers first flight. The salesman told me that he had flown from the field before and that it was no wider than a two lane highway. As our plane was landing, a cross wind hit us and my friend failed to correct it and we landed in the soft sand and the plane nosed over on its back. We landed upside down within sight of the Wright Memorial Tower. This was a very scary time in our lives. It took us one hour to go from Wilson, N.C. to Kitty Hawk and it took us five hours to return to Nashville by bus! My nose had hit the instrument panel and caused a bad nose bleed. I had on a white shirt and blood stained the entire front of it. I looked as bad as a badly beaten prize fighter in a boxing ring!

Another memorable event in my life was a trip via a hot air balloon from a dairy farm south of Raleigh. The pilot landed the balloon in the parking lot of McDonald's in Fuquay Varina, N.C. "Did someone say McDonald's?"

I have had two invention's patented. The first one is a device to cause a sewing machine to skip stitches. The second one is a water pressure sewer cleaner. I have one other patent pending which is a bathroom and a kitchen sink drain cleaner. The two inventions are recorded on the Web Site of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

I was first licensed as a general class amateur radio operator in 1949 with the call letters W4SYG. It was about 1967 when I failed to renew W4SYG. I applied for W4SYG but the FCC issued me N4FFF. My first transmitter was an Elincor 400EA and my receiver was a Hammurland 129X. The Elincor was a 75 through 10 meter rig which used plug-in coils. My late friend, Durham Ipock (K4JA) sold me the 20 watt transmitter with an 807 in the final and he bought the receiver from a firm in Asheville for me. My next rig was a Heath kit for only 75 meters. My next one was an Elmac for 75 meters only (I think). My present ones are a Kenwood (J.D.'s word is Kenmore) TS-440S with AT, a model LK550-NT Amp Supply amplifier, a Kenwood TR-7400A two meter transceiver, a Pakratt 232, a Mosley 7 element beam which I use on 20, 15 and 10 meters, a 75 and 160 meter dipole antennas.

I have the following ARRL certificates: WAS, DXCC, WAC and RCC.

First of all, I would like to give Buddy Owen (W4VWA) credit for first telling me about amateur radio and to my late friend, Durham Ipock, who helped me get my general class license. Durham helped me with the code as well as with my radios and transmitters. I would like to say that it is a pleasure for me to be a member of our fine group. All of you have helped me a great deal over the years.


Jimerick for N4FFF

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Present call is N2FY, which I've had since about 1982. Prior to that I was W2FYS, which I was issued in January 1951 while a Navy Electronic Technician. I was discharged in December 1954 and started back to college the following month (Bucknell University in Lewisburg, PA) where I was able to get through with a BSEE in June of 1958.

Went to work for the RCA Service Company in Cherry Hill, NJ and transferred in 1966 to the RCA Missile & Surface Radar Division in Moorestown, NJ. For the first 5 years I was there I worked at an Air Force Spacetrack site in Moorestown, tracking satellites, etc. Rather interesting to have a final tube that required 35 kW just to light the filament! (5 volts @ 7,000 amps!)

Judy and I have 5 children between us; I have 3 and she has 2. We were both widowed in 1990 (didn't know each other then) and have now been married for 7 years. We also have 4 grandchildren between us, 2 each.

I retired in 1990 at age 60 and Cyndy (my first wife) and I had planned to do some extensive nature photography. We had been starting to have some success selling to nature magazines, but she came down with colon cancer and passed away four months after I retired. That sort of took the wind out of my sails for the photography, but I'm starting to get back to it.

I enjoy the ham radio hobby immensely. I have been licensed for 48 years -- and it's still FUN! I am working up to the the digital modes, but this has been slow coming. I have worked 160 meters through 432 MHz, but 40 meters is my favorite band. I have 3 verticals on 40 and can select any 2 to get some gain/directivity. I have an 80 meter dipole and a 40-meter double-extended zepp, both used on several bands, a small 4-element 6-meter beam, plus yagis for 144, 220 and 432 that I put up from time to time. I just put up a small (35-foot) tower for a 10/15/20 tribander and a 12/17 dualbander, assembled and ready to get into the air. My primary rig is a Yaesu FT-1000MP (which I love!) and an Icom IC-735 secondary rig. I have an Ameritron AL1200 amplifier I can light off to help in the 40 meter pile-ups. I enjoy chasing DX, and I like to jump into a contest from time to time, just to see what I can do. In 1974 six of us went on a DXpedition to Navassa Island, (KC4NI then, but now the prefix is KP1) down in the Caribbean, and that was one of the highlights of my ham career. Over the years I've managed to obtain certificates for DXCC, WAC, WAS, and WAZ.

How I became an Olde Goat:
We had decided to move out of NJ and were originally looking in NC for a home. The first place we investigated was Asheville. We were driving through town - actually, my wife was driving - and she said that some guy in back of us was making all kinds of motions that she couldn't understand. Then she said... "he's holding up something that looks like a microphone." Well, then it hit me... my van had call letter plates on it, so I told Judy,"He's a ham." We pulled off the road at the next space we could, and that's when I met Dean, WA4CNI. He invited me to get on the 2-meter group the next morning, which I did, with a hand-held from the hotel room! Got to meet some of the other local fellows there and when I got home I started checking in on the HF get-togethers. I've been doing that since we moved down here in 1996.

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I was born in Danville, VA and we have spent most of our lives in Virginia. In 1943, something happened. A book in the school library about radio caught my eye - especially the part about hearing signals from all over the world. I was hooked. We lived on a farm; my parents rented an Instructograph for one month ($5) with punched-hole tape, key, earphones, and battery (no electricity) and I was off and running. My first license was in May 1949 (W2AVT), then later I had W4QCF, N4EGQ, and then finally became W4QCF again in 1996.

During my four years in the Signal Corps, I established a ham station at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii with a BC-610 and a Super Pro; we ran several hundred phone patches stateside with two other friends. The call was KH6WAB, and yes... MARS, AB6WAB. What fun! But, I decided to go to the University of Richmond, and when the green stuff was in short supply, I helped Western Electric install the first dial telephone system in Virginia... only put 1/3 of Norfolk's telephones out of service once! Mary Lane and I were married in '54 and I finished college at Virginia Polytechnic Institute (VPI) in '57 with a degree in Business Administration. We have three fine children and one grandchild.

I had started an amplifier in the military, and finished the six foot rack in Blacksburg during college. Served as president of the VPI ham club. Over the years, built a DX-100, had a Hallicrafters HT-32B, BC-348, BC-312, a Drake 2B, a Telrex tri-bander, regenerative receivers, dual and single 813 amplifiers, a W2EWL sideband rig, and others. But after college I found I couldn't get far away from electronics. I worked for a short while with an electronics distributor, and then went with the CAA (which became the FAA) as an electronics technician. Several years later, I gravitated to the Washington area, stopping along the way in Gordonsville, Warrenton and Charlottesville. Those were fine years, but I answered the call to administrative and budget work. I wasn't too sure about the change!

Somehow I survived. The Country Boy in Washington. Budget and other staff functions were never quite as interesting as those navigational aids, and midnight call-backs! I became interested in sailing, and after learning how in the Potomac we graduated to chartering 30 footers for weekend trips on the Cheasapeake; sailing to the Eastern shore and St. Michaels was a real thrill. Mary Lane (with a bag full of dramamine pills) was a good sport, for sure! We probably had the record for "going a-ground"...many times.

Back to the Budget Office: One day, the Boss came in and said "Travis, what the !%$# are you up to? You have already taken the prize for running up the Federal Deficit and you have over half of our budget, what are you after?" I don't think he liked it when I said "your job". Somehow, I knew then I would never be Number One. I knew I had to go. Wow, I could go back to the country!!!

I found the Olde Goats in 1988 after we moved to the wonderful mountains around Asheville. Mary Lane and I have been very active in a support organization, and a great Friday ham lunch group that has been going on forever. (A recent lunch was to honor Bill, W4AFM, on the occasion of his 91st birthday. Details HERE!) And if that isn't enough, our minister is a jazz musician!

Jimerick for W3CKU by W4QCF (Traverick?)

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