I was born on the 17th of December 1940 to Fred and Annie Chester at 32 Wellington Terrace, after a couple of moves I spent my childhood at 12 Burns Grove in Nunsthorpe.  It was there that I first saw Amateur Radio, with my Dad G2DXB having a shed at the bottom of the garden, and later, also a small front bedroom.  One of the first things I remember was my dad digging holes all over the garden and burying loads of steel cabinets and other things and using thick wire and a big Wolf soldering iron to solder them all together for a good earth.  At that time I was not encouraged to become interested in Amateur radio, but I would look and see what I could find out. I remember my dad building a TV set in the early fifties, using a small radar tube, then later it was modified with a bigger tube for the Coronation in 1953, and that was built into the cupboard at the side of the fireplace.

My interest in Ham radio didn't really start until the early 60s, I never used to listen to the short wave bands, but I think because of my Dad it must have rubbed off on me.  After going to night classes at Hereford School were Harold Watson G3HTI taught us, I got the call sign G8DFO.  With this call sign and my old Rx and 2 metres converter, I built my Phase Modulator transmitter and with about 4 xtals I could VXO all over the band.  After a couple of years I could see that the call sign G4DXB would soon be issued, so I had to get my finger out and start learning morse, it was hard.  I tried tapes, tried the record and also tried learning myself, but not a lot of success.  Arthur Bascombe G3OOJ who lived down Bargate offered to teach me, so of I went at lunch times when not on shift to learn morse, but Arthur decided to send it all to me in Spanish.

After passing my morse test, I applied and got my G4DXB license.  With a full License I bought a new HF transceiver and thought I would work the world, but I couldn't find the interest.  I never used the morse, so I sold the HF gear and got some VHF gear. A few years ago my brother, Graham G8UFQ and I tried packet radio, today I am still interested in that mode. I've tried a few things on VHF/UHF but today all I do is have a few words on the local repeater GB3GY, use 2 metres now and again, with a little bit of packet radio.  I had a win on Ernie a few years ago so bought a FT757gxii, thought I would try out the HF again, but I have got rid.

The Internet is one of my leisure time activities today, my internet is through Virgin broadband, I also keep the Grimsby Amateur Radio Society web pages updated. I read the packet mail most days and notice that the number of users on there has fallen over the years, so now like many other I use Telnet for packet.  I like to have a game of snooker, which I play at least once a week, my snooker doesn't improve much, but I enjoy it.  I'm also a member of the local radio club, and am a committee member this year.

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Brian G4DXB