Welcome to W4DXR! I am an IT and software professional, active amateur radio operator, retro computing restorer, and native land enthusiast based in Southeast Alabama.

This website serves as an open notebook and project log for my technical hobbies, station activity, and land management efforts.

📡 Amateur Radio (W4DXR)

I hold an Amateur Extra class operator license under callsign W4DXR. My primary operating focus centers on HF digital modes (FT8 and JS8Call), low-power operating efficiency, emergency communications readiness, and homebrew antenna construction.

• Operating Bands: Primarily the 17m, 40m, and 80m HF bands.
• Primary Shack Rig: Yaesu FTDX10 HF/50MHz SDR Transceiver
• Antennas: Custom-built resonant multi-band wire dipoles
• Milestones: 474+ Grid Squares, 100+ DXCC Countries confirmed via LoTW / QRZ

🖥️ Vintage Computing & Retro Hardware

I have a lifelong passion for computing history and enjoy rescuing, restoring, and assembling late-1990s PC hardware.

• Focus Era: Late-1990s I’m preparing to start my next retro build using a Slot 1 systems (Pentium II era), period-correct PCI/ISA expansion cards, CRT monitors, and early PC gaming peripherals.
• Software: Preserving and running vintage operating systems (such as Windows 95/98/XP and others), period utilities, and classic DOS/Windows PC titles as well as Apple II games and software.

🛡️ Homelab & Network Infrastructure

My day job background in IT carries over into my homelab environment, where I maintain a self-hosted local infrastructure designed for high security and performance.

• Routing & Security: OPNsense firewall with strict VLAN segmentation
• Switching & Wireless: Cisco managed switches with link aggregation and centralized access point management
• Virtualization: Proxmox VE running lightweight LXC containers and Docker services
• Automation: Custom shell scripts for Layer 2 device tracking, local backup automation via SSH/rsync, and station telemetry

🌱 Native Land Restoration

When I am away from the workbench or radio desk, I spend my time outdoors managing two acres in rural Southeast Alabama.

• Invasive Species Control: Active clearing of Chinese and Japanese privet to restore native woodland habitat.
• Native Propagation: Cultivating native trees and shrubs including sourwood, eastern redbud, flowering dogwood, yaupon holly, and native berry varieties.
• Trail & Wildlife: Maintaining a 1,150-foot serpentine nature trail and monitoring local avian species.

📬 Get In Touch

• QSL Info: Logbook of The World (LoTW) and QRZ.com (Direct QSL available)
• Mode Switch: Toggle between the Modern Dark-Mode View and the 1990s Netscape View using the mode link in the navigation header.

73s!