Biography

Hello, my name is Jeff and i have been licensed with ham radio since 2011. I hold an extra class license and enjoy working HF. I do not hang out on any one band, I like spinning the dial from 160 through 6 meters and talking with anyone anywhere.

Worked DXCCs:

Equipment

HF Radios
My shack radios are the Yaesu FTdx-3000 100 watts and the Kenwood TS-590 100 watts. I use the Kenwood TS-590 for portable work.

My Receive Audio Setup
My receive audio is coming out of the back of the FT3000's audio out plug. This is not the external speaker plug. This is the audio out which you find on the acc plug on most rigs. This audio out is audio which has not run through the circuitry of the radio. By using the audio out, you have a very clean and pure sounding audio. No distortion or noise from the radio.

I then have the audio out going into my Behringer 802 preamp mixer. By running the receive audio through the mixer, it gives me the ability to use the eq settings on the mixer so I can clean up the audio even more. I then have the audio going out of the mixer and into a set of JBL Control 2P power monitor speakers. These speakers have a 35 watt amp built into them allowing me to increase the loudness of the audio without having to use the volume on the radio. The radio volume gives you a noisy sounding audio. By using this technique I'm able to get very clean sounding audio. I also have my 2meter/440 radio running through the mixer. This setup gives me amazing sounding audio.

Digital Mode
I also enjoy digital modes and use my Kenwood TS-590 to interface with a Dell Laptop. I am using Ham Radio Deluxe version 4 to control my radio along with PSK31 Deluxe version 4. I use this set up to remote into my radio from my IPhone or any other computer with internet access. I find using remote a great way to enjoy my radio when I am away from the shack.

IRLP/Echolink
I am also running an EchoIRLP 70cm Repeater, Node 8426 (IRLP) and 98426 (Echolink). The EchoIRLP system is a Raspberry Pi 2 model B computer running Full Raspbian (Debian for Raspberry Pi) Linux with a version 3 IRLP board. I am using a home brew Buck Converter (DC to DC) to run the Pi off the same 12volt power supply I am running the radios on. I put the Buck Converter in a small plastic box. I am using a duplexer with a Motorola R100 repeater into a OPEK antenna. Below is a picture of the Repeater, the Raspberry Pi with IRLP board, and the Buck Converter.

Outside Inverted L
I also have a home made Inverted L wire antenna which is 67 feet with 4 radials. This antenna works very well on 80-10 meters. Below is a picture of the INVERTED L.

Attic Dipole
This is the MFJ G5RV Jr 52 foot Dipole in my attic. I have a MFJ-915 Isolator connected to a 1:1 home made Balun. This configuration allows me to tune on 40 through 6 meters.