Hi folks!
I'm James in the Knoxville area. Been lurking on Overland Bound for a little while and figured I would go a head and join.
I've been overlanding/car camping in some form since I was a kid in the 80s. Love being out doors, even when it's miserable.
I spent 5 years in the Marines as a 0311/8541/8531. Graduated Univ of Tennessee with a BA in Geography. Used to work for a DOE/NRC contractor as a GIS Analyst. However, since 2014, I have been a self-employed cartographer / map maker. Currently my business make maps for ham radio operators and camping guys like us! Th e other part of my biz is doing communication installs for local guys. Mostly Amateur Radio set ups, but some GMRS and CB as well.
I try to get out into the Cherokee National Forest and surround areas at least once a month and push it to every 2-3 weeks during the summer. As many of you know, we live in a really nice area for this. It's not quite "out west" but we have our treasures if you know where to look.
Been an amateur radio / ham since 1992 when I was about 13. Life long hobby. I was the go-to comm guy in my STA platoon as well, which mostly meant that I had to hump around a very heavy PRC, haha. Was also the mapper and would normally work on routing our patrols. This was in the mid 90s so GPS was sometimes available and was coordinates only (PLGR!) . Mostly we nav'ed via compass and pace count. Fortunately, GPS is now widespread. My first GPS was a Garmin GPS38 bought way back in 1996. But using them since and have owned coutless! Also make cartography easier...
So as you can see, I've been doing a lot of this for a long time. But I don't consider myself an expert, just experienced.
I'll be around and if you are in the Knoxville area, look for my Wrangler. It Gobi in color and usually dirty.
I'm James in the Knoxville area. Been lurking on Overland Bound for a little while and figured I would go a head and join.
I've been overlanding/car camping in some form since I was a kid in the 80s. Love being out doors, even when it's miserable.
I spent 5 years in the Marines as a 0311/8541/8531. Graduated Univ of Tennessee with a BA in Geography. Used to work for a DOE/NRC contractor as a GIS Analyst. However, since 2014, I have been a self-employed cartographer / map maker. Currently my business make maps for ham radio operators and camping guys like us! Th e other part of my biz is doing communication installs for local guys. Mostly Amateur Radio set ups, but some GMRS and CB as well.
I try to get out into the Cherokee National Forest and surround areas at least once a month and push it to every 2-3 weeks during the summer. As many of you know, we live in a really nice area for this. It's not quite "out west" but we have our treasures if you know where to look.
Been an amateur radio / ham since 1992 when I was about 13. Life long hobby. I was the go-to comm guy in my STA platoon as well, which mostly meant that I had to hump around a very heavy PRC, haha. Was also the mapper and would normally work on routing our patrols. This was in the mid 90s so GPS was sometimes available and was coordinates only (PLGR!) . Mostly we nav'ed via compass and pace count. Fortunately, GPS is now widespread. My first GPS was a Garmin GPS38 bought way back in 1996. But using them since and have owned coutless! Also make cartography easier...
So as you can see, I've been doing a lot of this for a long time. But I don't consider myself an expert, just experienced.
I'll be around and if you are in the Knoxville area, look for my Wrangler. It Gobi in color and usually dirty.
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