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I passed the UK RAE in December 1981 and received my Amateur Radio license and
callsign June1982. I established my first station during the summer of 1982 in
Tonbridge, Kent. The station at that time was VHF and, UHF only comprising of a
Summerkamp TS280 FM 2M transceiver feeding into a 5 Element Jaybeam mounted on
top of 10M high telescopic mast with a rotator, and a Yaesu FT 780 FM 70cm
handheld transceiver.
In 1986 I moved to Worthing and re-established the station at my new address
using the equipment above, but in the autumn of 1987 hurricane force winds
ripped across the south coast of England, causing considerable damage to my
station mast, and antennas. I managed to salvage enough to get the station back
on the air, but in the spring of 1989 during more storm force gales my mast and
antennas were damaged beyond repair. Discouraged and lacking finance I decided
to pack the remains of the station away until I had more time and money for the
hobby, and forgot I had the equipment.
During the spring of 2006 I got the old equipment out of the loft dusted it off
and started to rebuild the station, much to my amazement the old 2M and 70cm
rigs still work. Now the station comprises of my old Summerkamp TS280 FM 2M
transceiver feeding into a home made slimjim that is mounted 3M above ground,
and Yeasu FT 780 FM 70cm handheld transceiver. And my new additions to the
station: a Summerkamp 767DX HF multi-band transceiver feeding into G5RV mounted
6M above ground fed via an ATU, and an FDC 150A 2M handheld transceiver.
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