Me

My name is Jim Reese. I live in Austin, Texas, and work at The University of Texas. I’m married, and have two kids.

I’ve always been a geek. I started taking things apart as a kid, and became fascinated with radio at an early age. My father had a shortwave radio and I spent hours listening to broadcasts from all over the world. I lived down the street from a TV repair shop, and dumpster-dived for electronic parts to build things.

I became interested in ham radio in junior high, and got my ham radio novice license in 1978 at age 13. My call sign is WD5IYT, and I currently hold an extra class license.  I enjoy CW (Morse Code), QRP (low-power) HF, VHF and microwave weak signal, VHF and UHF FM.  I belong to ARRL, North Texas Microwave Society, North American QRP CW Club (NAQCC #3974, FISTS #14678).  I helped design, build and maintain the Armadillo Intertie System, a large linked UHF radio system covering most of Texas.  

I started playing with computers in the late 1970’s. My first computer was a Commodore Pet, and later a Commodore VIC-20. I learned to code using these machines, and wrote a ton of software, including software to control radio equipment. I studied Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at The University of Texas, but did not finish either degree.

My interest in ham radio and computers led to a career in radio communications and broadcasting. I’ve worked for many years as a professional broadcast engineer. My work involves high-power RF, computers, networking, and microwave as well as audio production for broadcast and recording.  I have also worked extensively with industrial communications and telemetry.

I spend way too much time online, and I’m fascinated with the online world and all its possibilities. I passed being a gadget freak long ago, and now classify myself as a techno-fetishist.

My opinions, and I have many, are my own. They do not even represent the views of my employer, my friends, family, or anyone else!