Biography

My interest in radio and electronics started when I was given a bound set of 'Newnes Practical Wireless Encyclopedia' (FJ CAMM was my hero!) from the 1940's or so.... I must have been 8 or 9! After much experimentation with crystal sets and transistor radios, I got my first transceiver (of sorts) when I was 14 years old. It was a single channel CB (AM) home brew putting out about 2 watts of power - I managed to be heard from the East Coast, US ...(must have been a sunspot maxima!!) from Gibraltar clipped onto a half wave wire dipole.... never looked back but mainly stuck to SWL'ing for most of my life, even though I passed my license exams in 1986.

I now SWL on a Yaesu FT-857D. I try to operate /p and /mm as well... but not as often as I'd like.

I am mainly SWL 20m and 10m.... upgraded to Yaesu FT991A.


Setting up my Xiegu 6100 to go digital and experimenting with WSJT-Z .... I use only compromised antennas, of course! No permanent set-ups possible in my QTH... so portable is only option...

Went mad and purchased an ICOM-705 as well. Oh Dear!!

These days I spend most of my time experimenting with apartment antennas given the restrictions of my present QTH.

My interest is in knowing that I CAN get on air rather than actually GETTING on air! YES - I'm a radio comms GEEK!!



IN F O R M A T I O N FOR QSLs.

I do not collect QSLs... and have no intererest in Contests or collecting QSL cards, for that matter - old-style radio experimenter!

QSOs will be acknowledged if requested - I may do this via email or send you a postcard by snailmail - whatever....







Thanks!

Equipment

YAESU FT991A
ICOM-705
ANYTONE 5555n II 10m rig
and counting...