Hi There! I’m Randy KA5IIA, I’ve be a licensed Ham since March of 1980 when I got my first Novice ticket. I was a member of the Temple Amateur Radio Club for many years till I moved to Houston for work. I now reside in Magnolia Texas just north of Houston and spend most of my time in and around here. Over the years I have traveled around the world a number or times and have seen a lot of places I never thought I ever would. I have been involved with a great number of Ham radio related activities during my more than 30 years of operation.

I am involved with the Houston QRP Club and enjoy the operations with them. Also a member of the South Texas Balloon Launch Team.  I no longer get involved with the public service groups or weather watchers, I have done that and have moved on. The world changed a bit too much…
I enjoy project and antenna construction, DXing and occasional operating events. I have built a number of smaller kits and even ‘home-brewed’ a few of my own. I would like to move more into that direction and will be working more on that.

With the Summer noise high I tend to stay in the higher bands a lot but do also go to the lower bands regularly. I am really hoping for a good Sun Spot cycle this time around. One project of late is a new “very simple vertical antenna” this antenna is for 20 Meters and provides good gain for the user. Based of the 5/8th wave VHF design it produces over 2 dB of gain near at a very low radiation angle. This past weekend I worked Whales, South Africa, and The Falkland islands, not bad for a few pieces of wire!

I also spend time on the lower bands for HF operation, I enjoy 80 and 160 meters the most I don’t get on a lot right now but will as the summer noise drops away, I will be found most nights on 80M usually near the DX window.
Well that’s a little about me drop me a note at KA5IIA@att.net or listen for me on the bands.