After 16 years of selling life and health insurance, I returned to a first-love job in the printing industry. I had worked in a small print shop before entering the "glamorous" world of insurance sales, only to learn that printer's ink was truly "in my blood." I spent the rest of my working career in management positions for printing and publishing firms, retiring in 1999.
My XYL of 40 years passed away from cancer in 1998. She was my "high-school sweetheart" and her absence resulted in my eventual entry to amateur radio. My five children gave me their enthusiastic support for a hobby that they knew I had long considered.
My interest in amateur radio actually began in my early teens when I met Bob Sievers of WOWO radio in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Bob was truly a "gentlemen's gentleman" and invited me into his home to visit in his hamshack.
Bob encouraged my interest in radio broadcasting and allowed me to join him at the WOWO studios for his early morning radio show. The 50,000 Watt station had not yet taken to 24 hour operation, so Bob's was the opening show of each day. I helped Bob get ready for the show by calling the Indiana State Police Posts to learn of any serious traffic accidents, which would then lead the first newscast.
I would occasionally read the sports scores and make comments on the air which drew "snickering" remarks from my fellow high-school students.
In order to make the early morning WOWO schedule meant getting up at 4:00 a.m., which my parents had trouble understanding, since otherwise I was prone to "oversleep."
I am a long-time admirer of the air personalities at the 50,000 watt power-house, "Voice of a Thousand Main Streets," WOWO in Fort Wayne Indiana. It is in remembrance and respect of my treasured experiences at the WOWO studios that prompted the adoption of my vanity call sign, W9OWO.
I am now honored to be a backup Net Control Operator for "The Little Red Barn Net," held each weekday at 8:30 a.m. Eastern time on 3.820 MHz in memory of our friend, the late Bob Sievers, W9FJT, legendary air personality whose broadcast career at WOWO spanned 75 years.
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