Michael Burnette, AF7KB, started playing with radios at age 8 when he found the plans for a crystal radio set in a comic book and wasted a half roll of toilet paper to get the cardboard tube for a coil form. That radio failed as a practical appliance when it proved to only receive high-power stations that were less than one city block away.
This promising beginning blossomed into an equally auspicious 25 year career annoying the public as a commercial broadcaster where he did a bit of everything from being a DJ to serving as a vice president and general manager with Westinghouse Broadcasting (now CBS/Infinity.)
By 1989 he owned his own stations in Bend, Oregon, which afforded him abundant opportunities to repair those stations, often in the middle of the night in a snowstorm.
In 1992, Burnette left the radio business behind, despite absolutely no clamor for him to stay, and took to traveling the world designing and delivering experiential learning seminars on leadership, management, communications, and building relationships.
He has trained people across the US and in Indonesia, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Mexico, Finland, Greece, Austria, Spain, Italy, and Russia. In addition to his public and corporate trainings, he has been a National Ski Patroller, a Certified Professional Ski Instructor, a Certified In-Line Skating Instructor, a big-rig driving instructor, and a Certified Firewalk Instructor. (Yes, he can teach you how to walk on fire. Really.)
These days he makes his home in the Seattle, WA area with his wife, Kerry (KG7NVJ) and a singularly unproductive cat.
He is still playing with radios.
Kerry Burnette, Call Sign KC7YL, co-writes ham radio books with husband, Michael Burnette,Call Sign AF7KB. She got interested in Ham Radio when Michael was on the road trucking across the country. He was gone five week and then home for five days. Missing him terribly, she thought getting her ham radio license would be a great way to stay connected. After reading other published material on the subject, she asked Michael for help. He put together some notes for her and she got her Technician ticket. He decided to publish those notes and the rest is history! After editing, proofing and studying Michael's other Fast Track Ham Radio License Manuals, she went on to obtain her General and Extra Class tickets. Kerry currently enjoys being net control for both the YL Net and the Sunday Evening Net for her ham radio club.
