Hi, I'm Michael Phillips, and I've been a licensed amateur radio operator since 2018. What started as a curiosity turned into one of the most rewarding hobbies I've ever pursued. There's something genuinely magical about throwing a signal across the ionosphere and making contact with someone halfway around the world using nothing but physics, wire, and a little bit of patience.
I operate from Lorain, Ohio — right on the shores of Lake Erie — which gives me a fantastic takeoff angle to the north and east. Lake Erie has a way of making the bands feel wide open, especially on 20m and 40m in the early morning hours when the gray line passes through. I've worked stations across Europe, South America, Japan, and dozens of countries in between, all from my modest backyard antenna farm.
When I'm not behind the rig, I enjoy building and experimenting. There's a QRP transceiver kit perpetually in progress on my workbench, and I have a soft spot for homebrew antennas — nothing beats the satisfaction of cutting wire to length and watching the SWR drop into the noise on the first try. This site is where I document those builds, share what I've learned, and hopefully help a few other operators along the way.
If you've worked me on the air, spotted me on the cluster, or just want to talk radio — don't hesitate to reach out. 73 de KE0BBI.