Tom was licensed in 1960 as KN4TSJ and soon thereafter was working DX as K4TSJ. Current achievements are DXCC with 361 countries and Top of the Honor Roll; Honor Roll on Mixed, SSB and CW and 9 Band DXCC. He has also obtained 5BWAZ and WPX on Mixed, SSB and CW.

DX operations include Team Leader or Team Co-Leader from AL7EL/KH9 and KH9/AL7EL; ZK1XXP; N6MZ/KH9, N2OO/KH9, N2WB/KH9 and K8XP/KH9; and KH5, T32O and K5K on Kingman Reef. Other operations include 9M0OO, 9M6AAC, BV4FH, N4XP/V7, N4XP/KH5, T32O, KH6, V7, V73XP, HR, HP, DL, SM, ON, OK, G, N4XP/GW and N4XP/GD.

Tom also operated from KL7 for two years as AL7EL. Current or past calls held are V73XP, ON9CXP, and OK8XP. Tom also manages QSLs for many DX stations having provided thousands of QSLs world wide.

He is a member of the South Eastern DX Club, Northern California DX Foundation, INDEXA, The German DX Foundation, and The OK DX Foundation (OK). Tom is retired from the Federal Fire Service as a Senior Fire Officer with thirty years service.

In 2006 Tom was recalled back into the service and now provides fire protection services to the United States Army Reserve throughout the Southeast United States. He also is President of S. Thomas Harrell & Associates, LLC and provides consulting services in fire protection and prevention worldwide.