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| Member Profile /
Biography |
 Drew
Pushie, VE6HGW
MARC Calgary, Alberta Canada
Nov 10, 1997
As I tell our kids, I'm half of 94 years old. That may sound a
lot older than 47 but somehow along with the fact that "I
still don't know what I want to be when I grow up" it helps
to keep me thinking young. I think. Someday I wish my memory
would cooperate more. My wife Aline and I have three girls; Renée
and Danielle are twenty two (yes, they're identical twins) and
Erinn is sweet sixteen. Aline is a Registered Nurse currently
working part time on the intensive care neurology unit at
Foothills Hospital. Renée and Danielle are living separately
and on their own now in Calgary. Erinn is in grade eleven and
really busy with the school bands and the Calgary Stampede Show
Band. She now has her learner's permit and will no doubt be
getting her driver's license soon. Erinn wants to ride a
motorcycle and I have a '76 Sportster in the garage just waiting
for her. As a family we enjoyed camping and drag around a
holiday trailer for vacations often going to the States for
various reasons which include attending Studebaker car meets.
The Studebaker hobby has taken a back seat for several years
since I bought my 85 Gold Wing GL1200.
In 1995 Aline and I did a four day trip on the Wing and actually
tented for the first time in over twenty years. We had a
terrific time even though we had lots of rain one of the days
and severe fog on Logan's Pass MT. Could a Kwik Kamp Tent
Trailer be in the works? No...We've decided that we like motels
much more. As a matter of fact we sold the GL1200 and bought a
'89 GL1500 and took it on a motel trip to Alaska in 1996. We've
since sold the Wilderness holiday trailer and have a Terry
Resort holiday trailer permanently parked on a lot by Sinclair
Creek in Radium Hot Springs, British Columbia. Radium is only
three hours from Calgary and just over an hour away from
Kimberly BC where the 98 Three Flags terminates.
I dropped out of university way back and became an air traffic
controller. That lasted for a total of five years. The last two
or so were spent fighting medical review boards and such, as I
became diabetic. Finally I left ATC and started a new career
working in a large data centre with a major oil company,
Imperial Oil (part of Exxon). Twenty two years later I'm still
with the same company but have moved from the Data Centre to
supporting PC's and for the last seven or so years to Building
Facilities Management looking after renovations, employee moves,
security, maintenance and so on.
My Mom and Dad bought me a used Honda 90 when I was in High
School and I've had a bike of some sorts ever since. My fondest
memories of biking in the old days was during university when I
had a 1966 BSA Spitfire Mark II Special. I have a 1976 Sportster
that I sometimes ride to work or bomb around town on. Even after
I first bought my Sportster I wanted a "Real Harley"
until I rode on a Wing. Quiet, comfortable and reliable highway
cruising on a Wing is for me but now and then I have to make
lots of noise and tear around a little on the Sportster. As for
someday owning a "Real Harley", no thanks. I'm saving
for a new SE.
Ham radio is something I've always wanted to do. I still have
the 1975 Ham Study Guide I bought and never used. What really
got me going is a contact in the Gold Wing Road Riders
Association, Ron Leech. The story goes like this: I was shopping
around for an "after market seat" for the Sportster as
Aline hates that skinny uncomfortable seat. I figured that if I
bought a more comfortable seat for the Sportster Aline and I
would do more riding together. Well I bought an 85 Gold Wing
instead (great seat). This happened on Friday June 16, 1994
which happened to be the day before Renée and Danielle's
birthday. The next day I unveiled "the new seat" to
the family. Was that a lot of fun or what...While cruising the
bike shops that same day I found out about GWRRA. I phoned their
"ride line" and went to their breakfast on Sunday.
Monday was their monthly meeting which Aline and I attended. The
special presentation that meeting was arranged by Ron on Ham
radio. Aline and I met lots of great people at that meeting and
have been very active with GWRRA Chapter "AB-A" ever
since. Those four days were like a whirlwind. I enrolled in a
special ham course that Ron arranged in January 95 and received
my basic license in March. VE6HGW is a bit of a tongue twister
but easy to remember (Honda Gold Wing). I took a code course in
the fall of'96 and have my five words per minute endorsement. I
probably won't shoot for the twelve wpm until I get an HF rig
and get some practical code experience. I've mounted a Kenwood
742A dual bander in my right saddlebag with the face plate
mounted in a water resistant cover on a home made stainless
steel bracket between the handlebars. I used Carroll Walker's
schematics to fix up a PTT, second set of helmet speakers and
boom microphone. I have installed a switch between the boom mic
and DTMF mic and another switch between the helmet speakers and
fairing speakers. My ham system is isolated from the AM/FM, CB
and intercom.
Well I think that's about it for now. Safe riding, clear
frequencies and "73 eh" from Canada.
Drew
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