TOM mandera KE7VUX
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As with so many hams, Tom was fascinated with radio as a boy. When he was 7 or 8, he received a Radio Shack 160-in-1 electronics project kit as a gift. With that kit he built an AM radio, a Morse code oscillator, and an audio amplifier. Since his family had Citizens Band, he was soon interested in CB and shortwave.
At Helena High School Tom took computer science and electronics and was still interested in radio. He passed the Novice written exam, but without passing CW or the Technician written, he still wasn’t licensed and didn’t return to complete his testing. Ed W7MAD lived across the street and was frequently heard warbling through the telephone, the stereo, and all things electronic at Tom’s house. A few years later Tom’s mother was speaking with Ed and learned that he had just received a Yaesu FT-2000. She asked what Ed would do with his old radio. Naturally he kept a spare or three around, so Tom’s mom negotiated a swap – a computer Tom had refurbished in exchange for a radio Ed didn’t use. Now Tom had a radio but no license. He dug out his Technician book, studied, and 15 years after his first attempt succeeded in passing his Technician and General at a CCARC testing session. Within a year Tom acquired his Extra. Between his two attempts at being licensed, school and work detours occurred. Tom attended classes at Carnegie Mellon, Penn State (Erie), and then Montana State University – Bozeman. One interesting twist is that while at MSU Tom took an electronics class, from Professor Harley Leach. Now years later, Harley continues to run the Gallatin Valley Amateur Radio Club’s monthly fox-hunts. Tom’s time at MSU was brief, as he was offered employment at BDM in Helena, and continued his education at Carroll part time. BDM was acquired by TRW, which was acquired by Northrop Grumman where Tom remains employed as a Systems Architect designing large computer systems such as the Medicaid Eligibility Systems for Montana and then Wyoming. Tom loves to design and build his own projects. He devised a solar-powered Internet camera and positioned it on the family’s out-of-state property so that Joleigh could monitor her newly-planted trees. Tom converted a riding lawn tractor from gas to electric with a battery from a Chevy Volt electric car. For their home in the Helena valley he built a robotic lawnmower using an old power wheelchair as the basic platform, then adding sensors, computers, RTK GPS, and a flight controller. Tom KE7VUX is president of the Capital City Amateur Radio Club and spearheads club events such as Field Day. He enjoys periodic contesting and once won a certificate in the CQ WPX context while operating mobile along the way to Havre. The original rig he acquired from Ed was a Ten Tec Paragon II; then later Ed parted ways with a TT Omni 6+. Today Tom uses a TT Orion 1, as well as a Ten Tec Scout mobile transceiver that used to reside in his International Harvest Scout II 4x4. (The names matched, it had to be!) Now he uses an Icom 706 in his 1979 Scout II to operate mobile HF while exploring with his other club, the Frontier 4-Wheelers. Tom also has a collection of Kenwood D710s for VHF/UHF and APRS. Tom and Michelle KF7DYZ and their daughters Joleigh and Audrey are often at Saturday morning coffee, having breakfast before going off to the girls’ various lessons, games, and events. Go here to see Tom's presentation on solar panels: bit.ly/KE7VUX November 2018 |
Tower goes up 2010. Photo by Tom.
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Joleigh and Audrey, Field Day 2017.
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Field Day 2017.
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