Biography

First of all: BUREAU, LOTW, eQSL, HRD-log, DIRECT, all QSL's will be answered.

Let me introduce myself, my name is Dirk and my call sign is PA3FMP. I'm born in 1951, grew up with 3 brothers and 3 sisters in the NW part of the Netherlands, in 1976 I got married with the daughter of a radio geek.
As boy already very interested in radio's, so it was no problem to get a infection with the radio virus from my father in law. First as SWL (NL9382) and experimented on the CB-band, worked with AM and SSB around the globe (illegally of course).

Then in 1983 i've got my first license (novice - PD0NWI), after 6 months i upgrade to a technical license (PE1JXK). Became father of a boy and a girl and then after passing the CW exam at the end of 1989, I've got my full license (PA3FMP). During those years i build up my station and made my own 12 meter high tower, which supported all kind of antennas during the years, but most successful ware the TH3jr from Hygain and the Alpha-Delta DXCC wire dipole. My rig's ware in the beginning my rebuild all-mode CB-transceiver to 10 meter (12 watt) and a Yeasu FT480R for 2 meter. Later it became a Kenwood TS-680s (HF+6mtr) and after some years i sold the FT480R and I've got a Icom IC-706. I made a lot of home-brew equipment, such as power supply's, modems for RTTY - packet and SSTV, microphone unit with build in call generator/compression/multi gear output/foot switch. Also a multimode transvertor for 70cm with power amplifier (35 watt) which was driven from the 10 meter transceiver. On HF was my favorite activity, working SSTV and in that mode i had very good DX from here, like VK, ZL, Alaska and Hawaii.

Then my Father in Law (PA3FYO) died and in October 1999 I've got a manager's job and the hobby disappeared on the background. In 2001 my wife got sick (cancer) and because we had 2 kids, there was no time left for a hobby. After my wife passed away in 2009, I spend all my time in my work until early 2014 I got retired. The kids ware married and having their own live, so there a had again time for the hobby's. I'm trying to build up my station again, but doing it step by step, I don't have the real DX spirit yet, but started with learning to understand what is changed in all those years.

At first I bought a MFJ-1786 magnetic loop and give it a place on the attic. Upgrades are coming step by step, some small, some big. Sold my Kenwood TS680s and I'm now the proud owner of a Kenwood TS2000e for HF/VHF/UHF. For the lower bands I put up a long wire antenna with a CG3000 ATU. As my homebrew decoders for RTTY and SSTV did not complied with today's digital world, I also bought a digital USB interface and started again to learn to be active in digital modes. At first with PSK, but in the HAM world it's changed very quickly from JT65 and JT9 to FT8, for me the solution to work again real DX!!

A new toy is m Icom IC7100, which allow me to transmit on the 4 meter band and getting digital with DSTAR. Not having a real DX-antenna for 4 meter seems to be no problem, with a 1/4 wave GPA was the first DX that I made Malta (9H1TB & 9H1CG). In may 2016 I did upgrade to a homemade 8 element DK7ZB Yagi (4 el 50 Mhz & 4 el 70 Mhz).

But the biggest UPGRADE is to become grandfather!! In 2014 a my grandson Arend and then in 2017 at one day a grandson (Olivier) and a granddaughter (Julia). In the morning got Arend a brother and in the evening my daughter got Julia.

Since my retirement I've bought a caravan and travel in summertime thru Europe with my dog(s). At home they can follow me at APRS.net, at first with a PicoAPRS, but since last year is the Yeasu FTM-100DE in the car providing for a better signal and is following me much easier. I'm spotted on the Northcape and a lot of southern countries (on this moment visited 24 European countries)

For all those who i have contacted in the past, hope to meet You someday again on the radio, i'll have still the slogan (PA3) For More Pleasure in mind when operating the radio.

73' from Dirk, the one and only PA3ForMorePleasure

Worked DXCCs:

Equipment

Kenwood TS-2000e - HF, 6mtr, 2mtr & 70cm
Icom IC-7100 - HF, 6mtr, 4mtr, 2mtr & 70cm (incl. DSTAR digital mode)
Icom IC-706 - HF, 6mtr & 2mtr
Alinco DJ-G7EG - Triband Portofoon 2mtr, 70cm & 23cm (RX 520khz to 1300mhz AM/FM/WFM)
Yeasu FTM-100DE - C4FM/APRS/FM 2mtr & 70cm (Dual Band Digital MobielTransciever)
PicoAPRS - APRS Transceiver (1watt)
Icom AT-180 - HF & 6 mtr Automatic Antenne Tuner
ATU CG3000 (2x) - HF (160 to10 mtr) Automatic Antenne Tuner for LongWire/Vertical/Mobil Whip/Dipole
MicroHam USB Interface III (2x) - Digital Mode Interface with Build-in Soundcard and optically isolated CATcontrol, CW and PTT.


Antenna's:
HF - Alpha Delta DX-B sloper - Longwire 20,4 mtr (ATU CG3000) - Magnetic Loop MFJ1786 (10 to 30 MHz)
VHF low - DK7ZB Yagi 4/4 el 50/70 MHz - Sloping dipole 50/70 Mhz - Diamond V2000 (6/2/70cm vertical)
VHF/UHF/SHF - DK7ZB Yagi 5/8 el 144/432 MHz - Diamond V2000 (6/2/70cm vertical) - Diamond X30N (144/430 MHz) -GPA's for 2 and 70cm - Diamond X5000 (144/430/1200 MHz)