Biography

December 2018

So last year I got some pretty bad news. I needed Open heart surgery!! So I decided to spend some of my pension in case I survived I found the idea of recovering with my old station not the best so I had a new cabinet built in my lounge and purchased some kit to populate it.

The Operation changed in time and was performed in August this year. They changed the plan and I had a TAVI rather than Open heart. I am currently recovering and enjoying my new station.

I now have an ICOM 7610, an Acom 600S and a 2meter diameter magnetic loop. The latter prompted a neighbour to complain to the planning authority so it had to be moved to the other side of my house.

The hustler got blown down by wind a few weeks ago so My only working antenna is the mag loop but it does work well.


September 2017

Health getting no better :-( but plodding on.

Hustler now in service. It resonates better than it radiates.

Looking for a Yaesu YD-844 desk microphone if anyone has one to sell.

Retiring this month so apparently will have no time for radio.

July 2016

Station now has an IC7300 added along with an old , but working, Yaesu FL-2100Z

Need to get antennas sorted but suffering quite badly with my health.


February 2016

Further station upgrade with the addition of addition of FT991 to the station equipment along with a 60 metre upgrade to the shack.

Starting to get some experience (listening) to PSK and will make the leap to active participation soon now that I know that the capability exists in the upgraded system.

My antennas continue to be the biggest drawback given my height restrictions but a recently acquired, second hand, hustler may help that area to improve when I get some help to install it.

Currently mobile operation seems to get pretty good result on 40 through to 17 and the FT 857s providing lots of enjoyment. 40 to 70cms now operational mobile :-)

A bit frustrated at the inability to avoid contests and just have a chat at times.

October 2015

Station upgrades. ICOM 746PRO added, Small linear Added, Cobweb now tuned and at 20',Playing with a "fishing pole" vertical. Mobile FT857 + ATAS. CAT now working.

It just gets better every day.

December 2014
Things have been changing and quite a lot at that. The station has changed and now I have an ICOM IC-746 which is running into a part tuned Cobweb at about 10 feet and a multi-band vertical. Between them I now seem to be getting signals into many parts of the world including VK for the first time this morning.

Operating in the car on 19, 6, 2 an 70cms. Also operational in my old 4X4 on HF with an elderly but working Alinco DX 70 and having fun with those.

Currently struggling to get my head around CAT and digital operation.

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Was off air for many years due to all manner of life QRM. Finally returning to the fold Summer 2014.

So much has changed since I was here before!! That funny digital code invented by that Morse guy (No not John Thaw) has been removed as an obstacle to H.F. in the U.K. which is great for a guy like me who could never wrap his head around it. No offence to the older class "A" operators :-)

Living where I do VHF and UHF is not much of an option (well can't even hear a repeater) but very happy to report that I have had a few (3 to date) contacts on 10 with a few watts into a cheapy vertical. Looks like I have a bit of an opening to south and west as I managed the Azures, Caribbean and Canary Islands.

I work at home a lot of the time so could manage a pre-arranged contact attempt if anyone would like to set one up via e-mail.

Equipment

December 2018

Icom IC-7300
ICOM IC7610
YAESU FT991
Ciro Mazzoni magnetic loop
COBWEB ANTENNA
LDG AT-600 Autotuner
GW4WPH mANUAL TUNER (it's A BEAST!)
Acom A600s
Yaesu FL-2100Z

And a classic Yaesu station needing a new home

July 2016
Icom IC-7300
YAESU FT991
Icom IC-746PRO
COBWEB ANTENNA
Yaesu FL-2100Z

YAESU FT857+ ATAS (MOBILE)
BAOFENG GT-3 (PORTABLE)