DOK F62

It was around 1985. I was 14 years old and there was that article in the newspaper inviting
kids to a club station to get an impression what amateur radio is all about. I was always
fascinated by wireless communication. In Y2-Land there was not much to play with in this
regard. No CB, no free Walkie Talkies etc. So I visited that club station. Surprisingly I was
the only one and I was immediately stunned by the presentation. Those guys could talk
to all that countries in the world. Compared to the propagandistic stuff they told us
in the school this was refreshingly different.

After learning all that good stuff required for a license I got it finally in 1988. I enjoyed
CW and talking English to native speakers. Starting with the German reunion I took a huge
break from the hobby for various reasons like antenna restrictions, job etc. However I
never got rid of that virus and in 2008 a set up a small station again. Starting with a
fiber pole on the balcony and an ATU at the feedpoint.

Today I enjoy contesting (though part time efforts only most of the time) and trying to get most out of wire antennas.

Current the setup is:

- IC-7400 (aka IC-746PRO),
- Windom antenna 80m-10m (42m@11m, 2nd parasitic element for 30m/15m)
- Inverted-L for 160m (vertical part 13m, only a few short radials so far), no RX antenna yet.
- Microham Digi Keyer II
- a Computer running Linux most of the time.
- and only recently an Alpha 91b

Guest operations:

Early practice :

and now 73s and see you on the band,

Matthias (signing Max).