AB7KE, Wednesday
Prescott, Arizona Close Window
On Wednesdays, the net control for stateside is Joan, AB7KE. Joan and her husband Charlie moved to Arizona from Alaska in 1975.
Here's Joan at the operating position:
Joan's station for 20 meters consists of an Icom IC-725 transceiver, running 100 watts into a 3 element tri-band beam at 35’. That’s it! This minimalist set-up defines the saying "KEEP IT SIMPLE, SILLY!" (K.I.S.S.).
Look in amazement at the simplicity of
the AB7KE ham station!
The combination of the location (on solid granite at the top of a small hill), an elevation of 5,154', and a water table some 360' below ground, conjures up some interesting theories on why she gets out so well.
Cushcraft A3, up 35'.
Joan became interested in ham radio when her son Dave, KL7GRM, became a ham in 1969. As she listened with interest to his CW contacts, she realized there must be something to this strange hobby that kept him so preoccupied. Joan said, "I liked the sounds of the code and thought to myself that I'd like to do that someday." In 1993, Joan got her Novice ticket and got on the air. Soon thereafter, Charlie & Dave installed the tower and beam antenna as extra incentive for her to learn code and upgrade her ticket.
An interest in the Alaska-Pacific Net led to Joan serving as alternate net control. Then, upon the invitation of Bill, WD6AHW (the assistant net manager at the time), she became a full-time net control. Joan is also the Wednesday night net control for the Arizona Traffic and Emergency Net that meets on 3.992 MHz at 7:00 PM Arizona Time.
The receive capability from Joan’s station location combined with her courteous, friendly operating technique make her an invaluable part of the communications network that is the Alaska-Pacific Emergency Preparedness Net.