Personal

My Radio Journey

Interested in radio since the early 1960s, I was fascinated with the bakelite Philips set in the corner of our living room and spent lots of time scouring the shortwave bands to find out why they were so different from Long and Medium Waves! I eventually found Swiss Radio broadcasting in English and was amazed that these signals were coming from what seemed to a 7 year old boy, a far off distant land!

At Grammar School I joined the Radio Society as an 11 year old, but sadly I was lost in amongst the 6th formers’ technical knowledge and had no idea about how to get a callsign back in 1969!

My interest in radio never diminished though and I was an avid listener especially to SW broadcasts throughout the 1970s. 

As a musician, I didn't study the sciences past ‘O level’ and so it wasn't until the CB boom that I began to operate for the first time.

Disillusioned with the behaviour of too many operators on 11m, I migrated to 934 MHz and had a whale of a time there. Operating practices were more akin to Amateur practices and it was not long before my appetite from more bands was whetted.

I enrolled in a course in September 1988 and took the RAE in December 1988. I passed with a Distinction & Credit and became G7DDN in February 1989. Lots of morse practice and that callsign became G0MLY in October 1989.

Since then I have tried various aspects of the hobby but find construction, contesting, QRP Morse, chatting locally & nationally and experimenting with Radio interfacing with the Internet in various ways to my liking the most. 

I rejuvenated G7DDN in 2007 after the licensing changed here in the UK, so I have the option to use 2 callsigns if I wish, (well, there aren't many G7s left!)

I tend these days to use the G7DDN callsign more frequently than G0MLY. It sounds much better in Morse Code and it is easier to say quickly!

I will post more in this section when I get more time...

Other Personal Information

I am a classically trained musician with an honours degree from Birmingham University. Most of my working career though was spent in the pop world. I have been lucky enough to tour the world with professional bands and played just about every venue in the UK worth playing. I am a professional composer too, everything from songs to TV themes!

I have also at various times during my life been a Primary School Deputy Head, a Secondary School Head of Department, a Local Radio Presenter, Producer and Journalist, and a Commercial Manager with a large UK transport company. I am also a published writer with many articles in print and online.

These days I compose (check out my albums!) and teach piano privately from home in the same room as the shack, hence the rather rationalised operating area :-(

Memberships include…

FISTS No. 14050

WAB Books 13838 & 20066

SKCC No. 3680

NAQCC No. 4818

QRP-ARCI No. 14425

G-QRP Club No. 5113

RAOTA No. 227