Gingerbread House, and 70 Years as a Ham Operator

Dubby and Bopnopper made some gingerbread houses tonight. A couple of graham crackers, a little cake icing, some various pieces of colorful candy, and a styrofoam platter like those used by the meat department of the grocery store, and voila... a work of art.

Richard Weaver, amateur radio operator W3HXH, is in his 90th year, and has been a ham since he was 20. His first license was issued Dec. 24, 1938. He also is a founding member and served as the first president of what today is the Massanutten Amateur Radio Association, Inc.

As the 2009 President-elect of that organization, I had the pleasure of presenting him with a certificate of recognition honoring his 70 continuous years of being a licensed amateur radio operator. In addition to being a ham, he operates the official weather station in the Shenandoah Valley for the U.S. weather service, and is an ordained minister in the Church of the Brethren. He recently had his hip replaced, ergo the cane. He jokes that he's now joined the ranks of the "cane-anites".