Biography

Hello I'm Frans PA5F.
Born on may 17 1962.
After playing around on the 11 meter I've got my license PE1OAT in 1990 and one year later got the full license PA3GEH including CW.
In 2002 changed my call in PA9RM and in 2005 my call became PA5F.
In the early days I had a simple radio station with wire antennas. Since I moved from a village to the big city I was been able to let grow my station.
I also became a member of the contest group PI4COM.
Started with several Yaesu (1000mp MV and 2000) but learned the those were not good enough to handle the strong signals during contests at our location. The Elecraft K3 was good but I changed it for an Icom IC-781 and for VHF A Icom IC-7400.
At home I had a 7 band modificated Spiderbeam working very well for 3 years.
But after a major storm my mast has broken and damaged the Spider.
I decided to order a complete new antenna system and now I'm an owner of an Optibeam OB11-5.
I'm a side band operator but my CW skills are growing and now making more and more CW QSO's
Like DX hunting (DXCC 306 worked and 281 confirmed) and contesting.
My station is now fully controlled by the computer, except for de amplifier, and my smartphone.
Hope that You like the hobby like I do and see You around.
best 73

Worked DXCCs:

Equipment

Rigs: Icom IC-781 and IC-7400
Mike: Heil pro set elite & Shure studio mike now with electret elements.
dig modes: microkeyer II and USB interface III
Amplifier: ETO 91B for 400W
Rotor: prosistel 61 (HF) and HAM IV (VHF)
Antennas: Optibeam OB11-5 at 18m
dipole for 30
Windom for 40, 80 & 160M (under construction)
VHF ant: plans for a 5 element beam for 6M and 13 element for 2M
computer: AMD sixcore, win 7 with logger32, wintest and HRD