SWL since age 12. I was "on the air" for the first time in the evening of 26th January 1981 at age 15. The novice license only allowed me to use CW and 15 Watts output on the HF-bands (LB was a novice license back then). First QSO was with DL5JP on 40 meters at 20:05 UTC. On my 16th birthday (sep 1981), I started using LA5EBA as callsign (Class-A license). On 17th October 2008, after 27 years as LA5EBA , I received permission to use my old "vanity" callsign again - still with full privileges.
I graduated from the radio officer training school at age 17 with a Radio Officer 2nd class certificate issued on my 18th birthday. After a year at sea, I upgraded to 1st class. Then, "suddenly", I had to go to the navy and do my service there. I was a radio operator in the Norwegian Coast Guard (Coastguard vessel "Senja"). Mainly in the Barents sea area. I also served as a radio operator in the Army. Both in Bergen and Oslo area. I worked several years in the Norwegian Foreign Ministry as a radio operator in charge of daily radio communication with Norwegian embassies in approx. 40 countries around the globe. I spent several years as a radio technician for the same employer, dealing with communication both home and abroad at the embassies. Total visited 77 UN countries and 93 TCC countries.
In January 1994, I started on a 6 month contract as a weather observer / radio operator at Hopen Island (76.47N – 25.03E) and was QRV as JW5EBA. It was at the sunspot minimum. I worked approx. 3500 QSOs from there. A lot of time was spent ragchewing on CW with my friends on Victoria Island, Franz Josef Land and northern part of Russia. (i.e. 4K2BCA, 4K2BY, 4K2OX, 4K2PGO, UA1ZO and a few others).
I am now 53 years old and work as a Marine Radio Surveyor, performing survey on GMDSS installations on ships. I also do the practical examination of new ROC and GOC candidates (maritime GMDSS certificates).
All my activities and DX chasing has been without a beam. 324 DXCCs and 2417 slots for the Challenge are confirmed. I am QRV more or less every day, even though I am still at work every weekday.... I am QRV on all HF bands - 100% CW. Mostly Ragchewing, but also looking around for a new slot - and sometimes a new DXCC. Having fun with my Begali Paddle, the Vibroplex Deluxe Bug or my straight key...
In 2016, I operated together with a team from Cocos (Keeling) Island, VK9CK. We made approx. 25000 QSOs from there.
Proud member of FOC (First Class CW Operators Club), promoting CW in amateur radio.