Hello my name is Mike.
I was born in Southwest Indiana but I got to Texas just as fast as I could. I came to Texas in 1963 with my parents after spending about a year and a half in Europe and 9 years in southern Indiana. My father passed away in M.D. Anderson hospital just eight days after President Kennedy was assassinated and this has been home ever since.
I spent six years, 5 years, 11 months, 21 days, and a few odd hours, but who kept track, in the US Navy during the Viet-Nam war ear from 1970-1976. And in 1989 I took a job in Indiana that lasted until 1994 when we returned "home"
Make no doubt about it I am a Christian first, a veteran, a husband, and a father. I am a constitutional conservative with some libertarian leanings ... and politically active. I strongly believe that the gospel demands that we be involved in our politics whether federal, state, county or local levels. I believe in the strong rugged individualism that made this country great and am deeply saddened by the number of people who think they are owed something.
I also believe that scripture also requires us to have personal involvement in our community. Whether that is volunteering at the library, homeowners association, or taking countless trips chaperoning high school students all over the country with your kids. It could be serving on the school board, city council and so on. It could be volunteering with your city or county government. But it should be using the gifts God has given you to share with others.
My main hobby is amateur radio, (my call sign is KA5CVH). I am most active on the VHF & UHF bands. Once the weather cools off some I’m going to start doing some POTA activation's. also enjoy monitoring the public service bands like FD, EMS & PD. I enjoy severe weather spotting with the NWS Skywarn program and I am a volunteer emergency communicator for the Harris County Office of Emergency Management, and the City of LaPorte Office of Emergency Management. I am also a member of ARES & RACES which are the two organizations that provide emergency communications to assist public service agencies in the event of a disaster. I am also a CERT member and have been through our cities basic and advanced citizens police academy and volunteer there too. These are my areas of service of giving back to my community. Presently I am an Assistant Section Emergency Coordinator ARRL, South Texas Section and oversee emergency communications training for 97 counties. While I enjoy the emergency management communications portion of the hobby I love weak signal contesting on 6 and 2 meters.
My wife Sara and I have two children. Our son Chase, also a ham, KC5MPK is 38 and lives in Longview TX. Our daughter Erica is 33. Erica is married to a wonderful guy named Josh and they are living in Colorado Springs.
After my time in the Navy as a propulsion engineer (snipe) I got my commission for the jurisdictional inspection of boilers and have worked in the commercial insurance industry as a safety professional specializing in "Boiler & Machinery" for most of my career. I now am a contractor at the Johnson Space Center (NASA) as a Pressure Systems Specialist. It's just a glorified title for an inspector.
If you are a ham and get in the southeast Houston / Harris county area drop by and say hi. I monitor the 145.170 (-)(123.0) repeater mostly throughout the day and you may You may find me on 145.520 simplex as well.
..May God richly bless you as he has me!