 HI, my name is Bill Kleinschmidt and my call is N9FDE. My interest in radio started at an early age with my grandparents old Silvertone Shortwave radio. Finding and tuning in distant shortwave stations was very exciting and interesting so when I got older they gave me the radio and I restored it to perfect working condition. I still have that old radio. After a stint with CB radio some friends and I thought it would be fun to try the ham radio thing and we have never looked back. After getting my ticket I found that I still really like working with radio tubes and transmitters so I took a job at a local radio station as assistant to the head engineer and was in radio heaven. After working there for 6 years I had learned a lot about all aspects of radio and was on my way. I now run my own business as a hobby shop owner and have found that all the radio experience is very useful in my business. As far as my shack goes I still love the old tube gear and have made a very nice collection of old tube receivers. Hallicrafters, National, Hammerlund all grace the shelves all in perfect working order. I also love the old Collins rigs and have a full S-Line 32S-3, 75S-3, 30L-1, 312B-4, 516F-2 with an Electro-voice 638 mic. Also have in the Collins line up a KWM2-A transceiver with a 312B-5, 516F-2, 312B-3 and its all hooked to the big Collins amp 30S-1 and for getting back to the first love of SWL I have the great Collins 51S-1. As far as modern gear we also have a few of them around with a 756PROIII that is hooked to a TEN-TEC Titan full legal limit amp. Also there is a Yaesu FT- 920 which is hooked to the Ameritron AL80A amp. All this gear is hooked to the 3 element Steppir antenna that is up at about 54 feet with the Yaesu G-800DXA rotor to turn it. Also we do like enjoying a little HF Mobile activity with a Icom IC7000 rig hooked to the Hi-Sierra screwdriver on the bumper. On my days off I really enjoy working 20 meters, working DX is where the Steppir really performs well and I get great signal reports from all over the globe. One thing that is really fun is going to ham fests looking for new treasures. The very first hamfest that I was ever at was the Dayton Hamvention and we have been going every year since. We also do some camping in the summer and love collecting and riding old motorcycles. So most sunny weekends in the summer you can find me and the wife camping and me riding my little Honda Trail 70's around the camp ground.
 When work calls and I need to make the cash I need to support my hobbies and ham radio you'll find me in my shop ABC Hobbies working to supply people with the equipment they need for their hobbies. It's not often in life that you can make a career out of hobbies that you love. I was very fortunate to be able to do just that. I have been involved in RC planes and cars as well as model railroading for many many years and when I got the opportunity to do what I love for a living I had to jump at it. I call it my leap of faith. I love all my hobbies and have met some of my best friends in the world through my hobbies but I have to say out of all the hobbies I deal with everyday my first love is still Ham Radio.
73, Bill Back to Members Page |
