Hello and thanks for looking me up on QRZ.com. My main interests are VHF DX'ing along with 80M & 160M CW.

MY FAVOURITE KEY: BEGALI GRACIELLA

 

 

In the Winter months my main interests are US County Hunting and DX working on 80M CW , so, if you like 80M DXing, look for me during the winter months. I can often be found below 3.515 in the mornings around 07:00 - 08:00 and sometimes in the evenings if the US is in darkness and it's not too late here. On 80M I run 400W into a 3 Element, switchable, in line phased array running directed NW or SE. I am a US County hunter, but only on 80M CW, so if you hear me please call as USC collecting can be hard going from Europe.

In late 2014 I improved the setup on 160 meteres. The antenna is a half size Inverted Delta Loop with the top section at 65 Feet AGL working against ground. The antenna top is supported between 2 large oak trees. This antenna provides an omni directional, vertically polarised signal. For receive I have 2 EWE antennas, one NW and the other NE. Power output is 400W. Initial operation shows  that the combination works reasonably well but can't compete with the 160M DX specialists with huge Beverage RX antennas and 4 square TX antennas!

On 50 MHz I use the same rig (IC7600) with a 7 Element M squared antenna up 45 feet. Power is 400W from an IC-PW1 amplifier.

 

 

The tower with VHF Antennas.

 

On 144MHz I run a TS2000 and a Linear Amp UK GS35 PA. My main interest on 2M is weak signal, MS, EME, Es, Tropo, Aurora etc. I also use digi modes (WSJT) and unlike some VHFers am happy to embrace the modern day modes although I do much prefer CW. I am more than happy to work EME, CW or WSJT, but refuse to use the deep search facility on WSJT. 144MHz meteor scatter operation is still of great interest to me, unfortunately CW MS is no longer practised so modern digital modes are the only way. Antennas on the 144MHz band are 2 x 12 Ele Msquared, bayed at 50 feet with a LNA Technology PHEMPT masthead preamp. NF is 0.3dB.

I am also active on 432MHz although my location is very poor. Set-up is a 23 element Flexa Yagi, masthead GaAs FET pre-amp and 175W RF output.

In recent years I have got going on 70MHz again. On this band I use a simple 5 Element Yagi. Equipment for this band is a Transverter converting down to 28MHz with an IC7000 as a tuneable I.F. and a home brew FET PA running 140 Watts output.

QSL INFORMATION.

I am more than happy to QSL by any method. I am a member of the RSGB and most cards go out via the QSL Bureau. All QSO's are uploaded onto ARRL Log of the World every few months also.

I will reply to direct cards only if return postage and SAE is enclosed. If I want a card direct I do the same! This includes EME QSO's. Any direct card without return postage will be answered via the QSL Bureau. Please note that the UK Post Office no longer sell or process IRC's, so please do not send as I cannot redeem them. Green stamps ($) are OK.

Thank you for your understanding.

 

LAST 50 QSO's

 

OTHER INTERESTS

My other main interest are photography, and in the Summer months flying Gliders or Sailplanes. I am a member of the Southdown Gliding club which is based at Parham airfield, West Sussex in SE England.

I own a Schemp Hirth Ventus bt glider. This is made from GRP and has a wingspan of 16.6 Metres.

Shown below is a picture of an ASW20 (my previous glider) and a photo taken flying above the Southdowns National Park, Sussex looking towards the South Coast.

 

If you are interested to see a video clip that I made flying along the South Downs using hill lift in a Ventus bt, please go to the Youtube link shown here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCbtbuqp55s

More detailed Amateur radio information can be seen on my home page at http://www.qsl.net/g3wzt

73 John