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About Berlinda and Bryan

Well, we were born 1973 and 1970 respectively. Berlinda's Dad evidently liked to be a little different with the 'r' in her name and I guess Bryan's parents wanted the same as they went for the 'y'. Why? I really don't know! :P So we have something in common right away.

Berlinda's interest in ham radio springs from a childhood dream to, "learn the secret radio morse code" -- something that was a strictly millitary thing and not at all to be encouraged where she grew up. She reports having been mad keen about stuff like secret codes and secret spy stuff. She used to invent her own codes and coherse friends into learning them. (Bryan did the same thing as a kid! How weird is that? :p) That all matured into teaching math and chemistry, along with the odd crossword and lots of Suduko. But that mysterious curiosity with Morse code stuck in her mind. Shortly after Bryan and Ber met, he was ranting on about one of his many hobbies -- Amateur radio. Berlinda seemed to find it all fascinating, but clearly of no practical interest, that is until, "Morse code" was mentioned.

"You know Morse code? No way!'

Bryan was quite taken back, having left 'boring CW' until the end of his drawn out story. Suddenly, she was all alert and very interested. (Match made in heaven? HI!)

A couple months later, Berlinda sat her Amateur Radio exam, passed and is now feverishly practicing The Code. Of course, this includes all the frustrations most newcomers to the art encounter. But she's making good progress and is sure to be pounding a key on-air soon enough. She's never said if she was dissappointed to finally discover that "the code" wasn't such a big secret after all. I guess it's still something that very few people learn and practice, thus retaining some mystery and alure.

Bryan then made it a secret goal to carefully and gently encourage Berlinda to investigate the, "puzlle solving aspects" of another magical mystery -- electronics. (It had become clear that any mention of physics or Amp's law was not going to be a winning formular!) Eventually, the idea of solving puzzles with wires, LED lights and transistors came to appeal to this 'non-believer'. One day in an electronics store, we 'accidentally' stumbled upon a beginners kit of electronic bits, including a cartoonish looking guide book. "Hey look. A book of electronic puzzles Ber!' She wnated it. (Here's to small vitories! :p)

It was one of those "no soldering required" kits, which she took to with that typical 'grown-up', quietly supressed intrigue. The final project in the book was a complete AM radio receiver, which with just alittle help, she built quite effortlessly. That radio (pictured right) ended up at her bed-side months ago and has been listened most nights ever since.

For Bryan's part, seeing Ber's eyes light up each time a new and slightly more advanced than the last electronic circuit came to life at her own hand, along with the phrase, "I think I get this!" was simply priceless.

Bryan has been interested in radio waves (along with nearly every other technical thing known to man) for as long as he can remember. He was fascinated by CB radio at age 10, when he came into contact with his first 11 channel, AM set. He sat his first Amateur exam at age 14 (earliest allowed back then). Back then though, it was a three hour written exam, the likes of which few 14 year olds not in academic families would hae been prepared for. He failed miserably, went home to brude and that was that.

Ten years later however, an 11m contact, Lonney, then 14 years old -- Zl1TNI (now ZL1SAT) passed his amateur exam and proclaimed it "easy!" Well that just wouldn't do! So Bryan got into gear again, eventually "tearing up" the new 80 question multiple-choice test in 20 minutes, April 1994. A month later (which seemed like years) he barely squeezed through the 12 WPM CW practical to obtain his full HF license for HF. This entirely thanks to the tireless assistance of a local 'old timer' George ZL1AYE, who gave up his time for regular learning and practice session on 2m VHF. It was really good. George was then kind enough to lend his 'old bucket of bolts' Yaesu FT-101E, which after having a couple of tubes replaced (supplied with rig), went really well.

Long story short, Amateur radio came and went a few times through marriages, separations, moves overseas and back again. Now that Berlinda is on the scene and also keen on the hobby (especially CW) we're both 'back at it', jobs and other distractions not withstanding.

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