KICKER: IN WASHINGTON STATE, HE'S AN OM AT 7
PAUL/ANCHOR: We end this week's report with an introduction to Toby Vander
Wilt KI7GBB, a newly ticketed amateur in Washington State. At 7 years of
age, he has a lifetime of on-air challenges ahead of him. He told Amateur
Radio Newsline's Neil Rapp, WB9VPG, how he's starting out in his radio
career.
NEIL: The Tri-Cities Amateur Radio Club near Kennewick, Washington has a
new member. His name is Toby Vander Wilt, and his callsign is KI7GBB.
At first, this may not seem so newsworthy, but Toby is only seven years
old. His father, Nathan Vander Wilt, AF7TB, is his extra class mentor,
who has been licensed for a year. He studied for his license along with
his mother, Hannah, KI7GBA, who also became a Technician license holder.
I recently had a chance to talk to Toby, and swap some stories about being
licensed at a very young age.
TOBY: "I do use my radios on my bike, but I don't have a battery I can
actually put on my bike, or an antenna or anything. I, like, bring one of
my handhelds and clip in on my shirt or something."
NEIL: At first it wasn't easy, and with Dad's help he progressed.
TOBY: "My dad asked me the questions and I had to answer them. Yes, I
did take a practice test. I didn't get any of the practice tests right,
but some of them I did get really close I think."
NEIL: He's been making good use of that license by talking to the people
in his life who matter most.
TOBY: "I usually talk to my Mom on walks when I take my handheld with me
on my bike. I sometimes try to talk to my Dad, but sometimes it doesn't
work. I talk to Mom the most, and sometimes I talk to a ham, and his name
is Bernard, and his callsign is AB7HB... and the first person I talked to
was him."
NEIL: At age 7, with a lifetime of on-air experiences ahead of him, he can
rest assured this contact won't be his last. For Amateur Radio Newsline,
I'm Neil Rapp, WB9VPG.
**
NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to Alan Labs; Amanda Alden K1DDN; ARDF World
Championships; the ARRL; CQ Magazine; Colorado ARES; Hap Holly and the
Rain Report; Hurricane Watch Net; Irish Radio Transmitter Society; K2BSA;
National Weather Service; Ohio-Penn DX Bulletin; Southgate Amateur Radio
News; Ted Randall's QSO Radio Show; the Tri Cities Amateur Radio Club;
Wireless Institute of Australia; WTWW Shortwave; and you, our listeners,
that's all from the Amateur Radio Newsline. Please send emails to our
address at newsline@arnewsline.org. More information is available at
Amateur Radio Newsline's only official website located at
www.arnewsline.org.
For now, with Caryn Eve Murray, KD2GUT, at the news desk in New York,
and our news team worldwide, I'm Paul Braun, WD9GCO, in Valparaiso,
Indiana, saying 73, and as always, we thank you for listening.
Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2016. All rights reserved.
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