Welcome to KF9UG's Amateur Radio Page

I've always been interested in the transmission of information from two points via the airwaves but it wasn't until January of '93 that I purchased my 1st CB transmitter. From the simple start of a Radio Shack 40 channel walkie-talkie (which I still own) I started my trek towards becoming very involved with the art of radio communications. With that 1st CB I began learning about antennas and transmitters in general. Those I meet on channel 13 encouraged me to install an antenna on the roof of my house so I could "get out" better. So I ran back to Radio Shack and bought a 1/4 wave whip antenna and mounted it. I didn't work correctly so I went to the local library and found a book entitled, "ARRL Amateur Radio Handbook" which described that I needed a ground plane to make the antenna work. So back on the roof I went. The information contained in that handbook did indeed solve my problems and also taught me much about radios, antennas, and how radio signals "bounce" off the upper layers of the atmosphere which we in the radio world call "skip". The handbook and all the information contained within it perked my desire to do more than what CB allows. So I began studying to become an amateur radio operator.

My Amateur Radio "career" began in December 1993 when I received my 1st license from the FCC, and the callsign was N9VSP (Very Silly Person). Almost three months later, I received my official notification from the FCC that my Advanced class license callsign was KF9UG (Known For 9 Unusual Gestures).

I'm an advanced class VEC

My worker's badge from the Nov '96 ACARTS Hamfest

My 1st ham radio club meeting was while I was on a business trip to Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. I was pleasantly surprised to see how Ham's are so helpful to one another. I have found over the years that this is the "spirit" of ham radio across the globe. In this spirit I have used the knowledge I have acquired over the years to help other hams. Thus the Fort Wayne Internet to Packet Radio Gateway was born. The Internet Gateway allows ham radio operators in the region to access the Internet from their radios and for hams around the globe to access the amateurs in the region from the Internet. This service is provided free for all to use. This is my way of giving back to the hobby what it has so graciously given to me.

My best wishes to you and your family from the Day family. 73s de Michael