I passed the UK RAE in December 1981 and received my Amateur Radio license and call sign 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 Sommerkamp 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 hand held 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 worked so my interest in the hobby was rekindled.

Now the station comprises of a FT-7800R 2M & 70cm FM transceiver feeding into a Diamond X-30 high gain dual band collinear antenna mounted 4M above ground level,a Yaesu FT-790R & FDC-450A FM 70cm hand held transceivers for UHF,and a FDC-150A 2M hand held transceiver for VHF portable work.

My HF setup is made up of a Sommerkamp FT-767DX (same as Yaesu FT-707) HF multi-band SSB & CW transceiver with a MFJ-1275 sound card interface, and a MFJ-901B ATU. I use this transceiver mainly for digital modes such as PSK31, PSK64, RTTY and so on. I also have a Yaesu FT-450AT all-mode, multi-band transceiver for HF and 6M that I use mainly for phones and SSTV. This transceiver connects to the antenna system via a MFJ-914 automatic ATU range extender.

The latest addition to the station is a Yaesu FT-857D multi-mode HF, 6M, 2M & 70cm transceiver and a LDT Z-100plus Automatic ATU. This is used for 2M, 70cm SSB working, and for Special Events. 

All of my HF rigs feed into a Jr. version of the G5RV wire dipole antenna mounted 6M above ground level.

The station is located in the town of Worthing, which is situated about 15 kilometers west of the City of Brighton, about 20 kilometers east of the City of Chichester and about 45 kilometers south of the City of London. I live about 2 kilometers north of the sea and because the terrain is almost flat here my station is only about 10 Meters above sea level.

My QRA locater is IO90st.

I am a member of the WACRAL, my membership number is 1603.

Thank you for looking me up, God bless you and your family.

Colin.