Started out in LA with CB radio back when you got a callsign, then really got into scanners in the 70s/80s. My introduction to scanning and ham radio came roundabout from touring with my band. Our bus driver, Tiny (who, of course, weighed 300lbs) had a stack of radios within arm's reach as he drove, and I was amazed that he knew people all over the country in every city we went to. When the band slowed down I started my own thing doing jingles and whatnot, and I moved from LA to Florida in the late 80s and managed a few Rat Shacks before driving truck. Got my ticket in '95 after monitoring a ham net in central FL (Orlando) called The Central Florida Listeners Group on Sunday nights. Great net, and very busy with a telephone gateway for those of us not licensed. They talked about their equipment and traded frequencies, etc, and I wanted to be part of that so I got my ham ticket and bought the HTX202 from my own store. Then got the Icom 271 at AES and started adding to my radio shack. Still have that 202 out in the barn. I graduated years later to a Yaesu VX-7R, and now to a Yaesu FT2DR as far as HTs go. My base station is the Icom 746Pro, and I have been thinking about upgrading to a decent big rig. Overall, I'd say the scanning hobby got me into amateur radio. It's funny, I retired from trucking a few years ago and incorporated my Galaxy 10 & 11 meter radios from my big rig into my shack with an Astron 99 antenna up top, and I added the Galaxy DX 2547 base station to my line for local emergency ops, but I hardly ever fire them up anymore. I found the local EM clubs (ARES) and SkyWarn much more interesting. Now that I have switched locations to Dayton, Ohio area, I surely miss the Florida radio scene, especially HF monitoring. But, home is where you hang your microphone, so I am adapting.
Now, go ahead and ask me why I gave up beautiful weather, palm trees, and all that sunshine for Ohio.
A woman, of course. What else? har-har
JD
kf4anc
PS: But, she is well worth the move