WA5TCZ

My name is Darron Sanchez.
I was born In Baton Rouge, Louisiana on June 9 1939.
I am a native born Louisianan and never lived any where but La.

Back in the 50's Baton Rouge was a small laid back
river town along the Mississippi river. There were only three high schools in the whole town. The bigest thing in town was the oil refinery known as ESSO now called EXXON.

My interest in radio started when I was 13 years old building simple crystal radios from books found in the school library.

I was listening one day and heard some one talking and he was saying funny letters and stated that he lived in Baton Rouge. I found out he was only two blocks away. His name is Al Heine W5OVV my first elmer.

This was my Ham setup from around 1982 or so!
The tranceiver was a Kenwood TS520s with a Dipole antenna.

I did not get my ham ticket untill many years later, other things had to come first.
I finished High School in 1958. I got married had 4 kids two girls and two boys.
I had several jobs along the way but finally settled down working for a Chemical, Co. in the power producing plant and retired from there with 36 years service.

I earned my Novice license in 1967 WN5TCZ and upgraded as time went on to a Extra Class License.
So as you can see I have been a Ham 41 years holding the same call, and only been off the air for 9 months, 10 years ago when I built my new house.

I have had many hobbies in the past fishing, building radio controlled model planes, flying the real planes and all done with my kids.

My wife and I have been married 49 years and are enjoying our retirement together.

My radio activities are working CW only and working some fists contest.
I enjoy building simple one and two tube thansmitters and using them on the air.
I also collect old boatanchor radios.
The rarest in my collection is a Jonhnson Navigator a little novice transmitter.
There were only 800 made.

Life has been good to me and my family.
Now I can sit back and enjoy the times my wife and I get together with our children and grand children.

73

Darron Sanchez WA5TCZ