User:NW7US

NW7US - Writer, Programmer/Analyst, Musician, Father and Husband
My name is Tomas Hood, and my FCC-assigned Extra Class Amateur Radio license call sign is NW7US. My interest in radio communications began in the 1970s when I discovered shortwave radio by way of a portable radio that enabled reception of shortwave international radio broadcast stations.

Since the 1970s, I have been fascinated by space weather and radio signal (radio wave) propagation with a special love for all things shortwave (known also as HF, or high frequency). This inspiration drove me to obtain my amateur (ham) radio license.

I am the space weather and radio propagation editor for both the CQ Amateur Radio Communications magazine, and The Spectrum Monitor magazine. I study the Sun-Earth connection and how it influences radio communications, especially the propagation via the ionosphere of shortwave radio signals (high-frequency radio waves can be propagated long distances by ionospheric radio propagation). I often create videos and other media regarding space weather, radio propagation, and related topics and news (see links, below).

I enjoy Morse code (using a radio signal mode known as continuous wave or CW). Additionally, I communicate with the WSJT digital mode, JT65A, as well as the conversational digital mode, Olivia. Sometimes, I use voice modes for my radio communications. I participate in world-wide, regional, and state contests and activities.

I also write about, and research, foreign affairs, diplomacy, military doctrine, and current affairs/current events. I am a US Army veteran, and served during the "first" Cold War. I firmly believe that the Cold War has not seen an end-point, but continues. This is supported by the recent actions of Russia, and China. I served in the United States Army, as a soldier in the Signal Corps. I was part of the 268 Signal Company, 72nd Signal Battalion, 7th Signal Brigade.

I am a technical writer and a programmer (Perl, C (C++, C#, etc.), BASIC (VB, Visual Basic .NET, etc.), Pascal, assorted Assembly languages, XML, WML/WAP, and assorted other programming languages). At the moment, I am a senior software engineer at TD Ameritrade.

Most of my life, I have been involved in the computer sciences, and telecommunications. Software engineering, computer hardware and computer networking, and systems engineering with radio, telephony, and computers have all been part of my job at one time or another. I've even been a radio DJ, an emergency communications director, dispatcher, US Army communications Signal Corps member, and have filled a variety of other capacities in communications.

I enjoy old radio shows, and a lot of Literature that I've read, including Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. I love cats, the mountains, rivers and lakes. The state of Montana holds a special place in my heart and mind. I love my wife, my family, and my God (I'm a Protestant in my beliefs, in that I am neither a Catholic nor an Eastern Orthodoxian Christian; I am not a Calvinist), as well as my country, the United States of America. I play and listen to guitar, and other music. I also love to travel, to meet people, experience cultures, and experience other perspectives. I dabble in music as a writer/composer. You may explore my musical endeavors by visiting here: Tomas David Hood Music.

Explore my social presence to find out more about me. I'm very active on Twitter, somewhat active on Facebook, and on Google+. Of course, my YouTube videos are a creative outlet, freely available. I create, maintain, and host my own websites and blogs.

Facebook Pages and Groups that I created and maintain:
 * Space Weather + Amateur (Ham) Radio Resources on Facebook
 * Olivia Digital Mode on HF Facebook Group
 * Amateur Ham Radio Facebook Group
 * Digital Modes on HF Facebook Group
 * Straight Key Users of Morse Code (including QRP) Facebook Group
 * NW7US on Facebook
 * Tomas David Hood on Facebook

My websites:


 * Main NW7US Profile
 * Space Weather and Radio Propagation Resource Center by NW7US
 * The official Olivia Digital Mode group

My participation and interests on Wikipedia:

NW7US (talk) 23:40, 18 April 2020 (UTC)