Our Stories
1976
 Mary Moore WX4MM
 Tom Fagan K7DF
 John Yasuda WB6PTC
 Lyle Heide WB9VTM
 Charles Bibb K5ZK
 Scott McMullen W5ESE
 Steve Melachrinos W3HF
 Marcel Livesay N5VU
 Rick Palm, K1CE
1977
 Keith Darwin N1AS
 Russ Roberts KH6JRM
 Barry Whittemore WB1EDI
 Tom Herold N9BUL
1978
 Larry Makoski W2LJ
 Alice King AI4K
 Fred Soper KC8FS
1979
 Ann Santos WA1S
 Bill Brown KA6KBC 
 Matt Tinker AA8P
1980
 
1951 - 1955
1956 - 1960
1961 - 1965
1966 - 1970
1971 - 1975
1976 - 1980
1981 - 1990
1991 - 2000

Tom Fagan, K7DF
(Formerly WB7NXH, 1976)

I was first introduced to ham radio by a friend of the family in 1968. Jack Willie WB9BIK now KC3KU.  He let me talk to a ham in the pacific on SSB. I was hooked.

After that I read every book on ham radio and electronics I could find. My favorites were written by Alfred Morgan called the ‘Boys first (Second, third and forth) book of radio and electronics'. I did odd jobs around the house to save up money to buy radios at garage sales. I would fix up the radios and sell them or use the parts to build every circuit in those books.  The homebrew radios were great but they were not as nice as those in QST. It wasn't until 1974 that I could afford a real radio. 

I purchased a Heathkit HR-10B from the local ham radio store. I would listen in for hours. I attended a club meeting and met Gene Hubbell W7DI. He became my mentor and introduced me to Leon Fabor W7EH, Rod O'Conner W7EKV and Al Koblinski W7XA. 

Al got the honor of giving me my novice test. I'll never forget that test. Al started by having a QSO with me using the straight key just to warm up before he gave me the real code test.  Before I knew it the QSO was over and he said I had just passed the code test. With that I passed the written test quite easily. Every day I waited for my license to arrive. It took so long but then it arrived. I was the proud owner of WB7NXH. 

Al and Gene would help me with parts for a homebrew DX-60 transmitter with a 6146 as a final. Rod helped me with antennas that were strung around the house everywhere.  When the radio was finished I listened for a CQ. I was so nervous that I forgot to hook up the antenna and I answered using a light bulb as an antenna. My report was a clean signal but the ham thought I was QRP since I was rather weak.  Not bad for a first contact.

Leon introduced me to the ARRL and to Barry Goldwater and his MARS staff. What a experience. 

It surely set the stage for my electrical engineering career and all of my success in ham radio.

Tom Fagan K7DF
ARRL Section Manager Arizona