About
The person behind the keyboard.
I'm Doug, a software developer in Abilene, out in West Texas, with more than twenty-five years of writing code for a living. I like the whole stack: services in Java and Spring, front ends in Angular and TypeScript, and the Python glue that holds the odd corner together.
Through Dallionz Media LLC I take on my own projects and the occasional client. Lately that has meant off-grid radio, retro interactive fiction, and finding new ways to tell people what I do.
When I'm not at work I'm usually building something for the fun of it. Most of those side projects end up on my projects page.
Family
The crew
Melanie and I have a son and a daughter. Most of these are from our camping trip over Mother's Day weekend, 2026. Hover over or tap a photo to see it in colour.
The pack
Jessie, Loki, Vader and Jedi
Interests
What keeps me busy
Mesh radio
Small LoRa radios that pass messages to each other with no towers or internet. I build tools that make them useful when everything else is down.
Amateur radio · KE5OWL
My go-box is an Icom IC-7000 in a hard case, with mounts I designed and 3D-printed, a switchable battery and a Digirig for digital modes. I bring handhelds and Winlink to local ARES and RACES exercises, and on camping trips.
German Shepherds
Loki has been with us since 2021, Vader came home as a puppy in 2024, and Jedi, the youngest, was already 55 pounds at eight months. Jessie, family since 2014, rounds out the pack. Vader even carries his own pack on the trail.
Ukulele
Licensed Ukulele Operator. A friend hand-built me an electric concert-scale uke, and Iggy, my micro uke, wears a strap I braided and finished in leather myself.
Camping
We camp as a family in a travel trailer, and a radio usually comes along. I also teach camping and outdoor-skills classes that end the year with a campout.
Interactive fiction
I grew up on Infocom-style text adventures, and I still think a blinking cursor and a good room description are hard to beat.
West Texas life
Abilene is home: big skies, wide-open country, and a pace that leaves room for side projects.
Clean, tested code
I like writing code other people can trust: clean tests, clear names, small pieces that each do one thing.