Gary White - Buda, TX - W5GW

Amateur Radio Background: I have been a licensed amateur radio operator since the age of 13. My first 'working' station was a homebrew 6L6 40 meter transmitter and a Hallicrafters S-38. This transmitter was built soon after turning on a modified ARC-5 transmitter and blowing all of the TV reception off the air in the block. I spent 22 years in the USAF and retired in 1982. I have degrees in meteorology and electrical engineering (MSEE) and am a registered PE in the state of Texas. I currently work as an electrical engineer and also work part time as a flight instructor. I've held every amateur license from novice, tech, general, advanced, and the 'real' extra. Favorite modes of operating are PSK, CW, SSTV and RTTY.

Astronomy: My most recent endeavor is the construction of an amateur radio shack, astronomy observatory and workshop. I'm looking for an apt name for this structure. It is an add-on to our garden building, but because it will be so multi-functional, nothing comes to mind. While my wife and I are still calling it the ‘observatory' for now she wants to name it ‘Mongo' after the mythical planet that Flash Gordon traveled too. Any suggestions? Email Me

Here is a picture of the construction in progress as of August 2005. It started out by ‘finding' a 14.5 ft Ash dome for sale through a co-worker, went through a few iterations with the city council, and now the project is finally underway.

In the foreground is the base for the 55' US Tower which will crank-up and tilt-over. I'm putting in underground conduit so as to be able to run coax and rotor cable to both the ‘observatory' and to my ham shack in the house. On the top is the 14' 2” diameter wall that will support the track for the Ash dome.

One reason to create an observatory is so my wife and I can spend more time doing astro-imaging. Here one of the photos we took on a visit to Kitt Peak in Arizona with a great astro photographer, Adam Brock

Observatory - August 2005