Huckabee For President

For a number of reasons, I'm supporting Mike Huckabee for President. In addition to his rock-solid values, I find his perspective on 'big government' and shutting down the IRS most refreshing. Given the current momentum (and delegate count), it's a long-shot for Mike right now. Still, he's done an incredible job and has beaten huge odds to get as far as he has. Regardless of his success this year, look for Mike Huckabee to be a key leader in the GOP for years to come.

Merry Christmas From KE5GGY

Christmastime is my favorite season. The Season brings people indoors to reconnect with friends and family. It is a time of completion...from the completion of the harvest to the end of the year. And it is a time of reflection too. For all of these reasons and the birth of our Savior, this Season is one that we look forward to.

In spite of the fact that 4th Quarter is an unbelievably busy time in my business life, I always try to slow down a bit at Christmas. Whether it's taking an extra day off or breaking away for a long lunch, doing this seems to really increase the quality of the holiday season.

Time is Flyin' By....Just Ask The Beav!

Ya know, watching "Leave It To Beaver" as a kid was great. It was the ultimate 'feel good' show. Wally was the 'All American' kid who somehow managed to keep on the straight and narrow in spite of the constant efforts of Eddie Haskel. Eddie was the the mis-behaving classmate we all loved to watch but didn't have the guts to be. We loved watching him pull the wool over Mr. and Mrs. Cleaver's eyes but took comfort in knowing that they really were 'on' to his antics. And Beav, he was was just pure innocence and fun.

Back in 1965, turning 30 (let alone 50!) seemed impossible. Now, being a bit north of the BIG FIVE OH, I now have a different perspective on things. But even me turning 50 can't begin to compare to how Eddie, The Beav and Wally (right) must feel. These guys were frozen in time at age 12 for most of us. In fact, until seeing this picture of this gang at age 60, my last memory of them was on the TV program.

Jeez Wally....life sure goes by fast.

No Code.....Good for Amateur Radio

Last month, ham radio changed in a significant way. No longer do Hams have to learn Morse Code in order to get access to the best portions of the ham bands. Among the Ham community there was great debate regarding whether this was a wise move for the hobby. I submit that is is a very wise move:

1. New Blood: Our numbers have been dropping in recent years. In just the few weeks that the new rules have been in place, thousands of upgrades have been processed by ARRL and the Commission.

2. Keep Spectrum: With shrinking numbers and minimal traffic on some bands, we could have lost spectrum. New blood will be hopping all over the place. Already I'm hearing much more activity on 10 meters!

3. More Kids are Becoming Hams! Across the country more young people are coming into Ham radio. As we get kids into our hobby at a younger age because of the ease of entry, we'll make 'hams for life.'

Thus far the new traffic, while noticeable has been very easy to deal with. Nets, like The Freewheelers, that used to have 30 check-ins on a busy night, now have 50+. And, so far I'm not hearing any bad behavior on HF (other than some of the operators who have been on HF for years).

And lastly, The Code will never fade away. Like other modes, people will gravitate to it as they do packet, D-star or Echolink.

73 Pete

Growing Up in Charles City Iowa -- America's Hometown

I grew up in Charles City, Iowa. Nestled in northeast Iowa, it's the closest thing to 'Mayberry' I've ever seen. As kids we could ride our bikes all over the neighborhood and be kids without the worry of problems.

Even though my family now lives in North Texas, we get up to Charles City at least once a year and sometimes more often.

(Photo: Peter pictured in front of the Suspension Bridge in Charles City, Iowa)

Pete On The Air!

I started in broadcasting as an announcer in 1972 and enjoy being on the air. I especially like talk-radio and the opportunity to have contact with listeners on-the-air! And even though my primary job is that of GM for KWRD/KSKY, I still do a daily program, Monday-Friday at 11:30 AM. 'Consumer Magazine' is a live, 30-minute call in program that focuses on consumer issues. Each day we feature a different consumer topic and guest ranging from financial to health to tips for home improvement.

Pictured here are (r-l) Dr. Paul Meier MD, Cheryl Meier and me during a recent broadcast on KWRD-FM, Dallas/Ft. Worth.

I invite you to tune in and call in with your question. You can listen online at http://www.thewordfm.com/

My Dad's Dime Store

My dad owned the local 'five and dime' store in Charles City, Iowa. The Ben Franklin was a hub of activity. The 'Ben' carried a little bit of everything. From hardware to sewing needs to candy and toys...dad's store had it all. And it was at the Ben Franklin that I learned the value of a hard day's work and the connection between a good year in the store and our family's success. When we had a good year, presents were plentiful under the tree. When times were tough the presents were less abundant.

Pictured is my brother Charley (r) and me in front of Dad's store in 1963. I started working for dad when I was 7. First I was a 'bagger' and by age 9, I was a full-fledged checker. I think I made 25 cents per hour. The lesson in handling money and people was priceless. And, although I was certain I didn't want to be in the retail business, dad's dime store taught me some powerful lessons: 1. Nothing in life comes 'free' 2. You reap what you sow. 3. When you're the boss' kid, you've gotta work harder than anyone else in the store. And 4, free candy out of the candy case is nice but will eventually make you sick.

Dad eventually sold his Ben Franklin stores. He actually had to once KMart, Walmart and other retailers started to capture marketshare with lower prices. Still, the time I had in his store was very valuable to me.

Pete's Office---Welcome to My Mess!

Ok I admit it. I usually have a few projects going at one time. Here's a picture of my office in our home which contains my radio gear (aka 'Shack'), 2 computers, and about 1,000 books.

Once a week, at least, I try to do a cleansing of the office...which usually consists of throwing away, filing or delegating. It feels good to clean up the office but, unfortunately, the clean feel only lasts for a few hours.

I've often heard that busy people get things done. However, that only works to a certain point. I've learned that when I have too many projects going at once, nothing gets done.

New Year's weekend is always a period of office cleaning for me. Generally I have a couple of days off during this time, and I've found that starting the office clean in the New Year is a good thing.

KWRD & KSKY Radio Stations....My Work QTH

Not everybody gets to go to work at a job they love. I'm lucky. I love my job. I've been in radio since I was 16 years old. Currently, I work at GM of KWRD and KSKY Radio stations in Dallas/Ft. Worth . KWRD is a Christian Talk station featuring teaching and talk programs 24/7. Some of America's top Bible teachers are on our station: James Dobson, Jack Graham, Charles Stanley, Alistair Begg and others... I've been in Christian radio since the late 80s and it's incredible to see radio work positively in peoples lives.

660 K-SKY is a news/talk station. We've been broadcasting this format since April of 2004. K-SKY, while it doesn't have a religious format like KWRD, has a very conservative line-up of hosts: Mike Gallagher, Laura Ingraham, Dennis Prager, Michael Medved and Hugh Hewitt.

I'm really lucky....Most days, I really love going to work.

73

Pete

Pete Punk

This is me at age 18 as a freshman at The University of Northern Iowa. (No it's not a police mug shot!).

During my first semester at UNI, my course load consisted of Horseback Riding, Scuba Diving and Photography. It's funny how much more serious I took college when I started to pay for it!