I am a Christian.
I am a husband of 31 years. Father of 4 grown up kids. I enjoy: overlanding, softroading, backroads, camping, hiking, ham radio, photography, woodworking and mowing and doing yard work with my x730 John Deere tractor. We also heat our house with wood in a beautiful Jotul Oslo stove, so cutting and splitting firewood has to be added to the list.
I am a General Class amateur radio operator, W8JWH. I operate on 2m/70cm FM, simplex and repeaters. I also like APRS. I’m on HF with my Icom IC-705 portable radio with a tuner for wire antennas, and recently got an Alexloop antenna. I have received SSTV from the International Space Station, not a difficult feat but very fun. I also have a GMRS license, WRDE855 and still tinker with CB radio.
This year, 2024, I got my Airman Certificate for small, unmanned aircraft systems. Also known as the Part 107 drone certificate. Which allows me to fly commercially or monetize photos and video from my drone.
I am a pipefitter/plumber for the Ford Motor Company at a transmission plant. I now have 30+ years with the Ford Motor Company. We machine lots of gears. I presently maintain Gleason hobs and the Felsomat automation that feeds them. I also maintain the ECM heat treat furnaces. I have spent around 20 years working with heat treating equipment, including Holcraft gas fired pusher furnaces. I work with pneumatics, lubrication, coolant/cutting fluids and more on many types of machines. I service pumps, valves, cylinders and much more. I also have experience in general plant systems like mill water, RO water systems and steam. As well as construction pipe work. A little of everything, mostly troubleshooting and repairing machines.
I am a United States Marine. Sergeant. Field Wireman, 2512, telephone systems. I was in the reserves the entire time. Wire Platoon, Communications Company, Headquarters Battalion, 4th Marine Division, Cincinnati Ohio. My enlistment was from 1992-2000. We ran all the wire and cable including fiber optics. We setup, programmed and operated the switch boards. From the old Mayberry type where you plugged in the wires to connect the calls to modern high-tech stuff, at least for the late ’90s. We also installed all the phones, again from crank type to modern super secure stuff. Crank, analogue and digital.
To see other things I have studied for my own enjoyment check out my page about mental growth here.