Born on 1951 in Rome (Italy)
Graduated on 1972 in "Radio-Communication Technologies"
Got 1st Amateur Licence in 1973 as IW0AEV enabled for low-level Power on VHF and up.
Achieved the definitive licence In 1978 as I0YLI (Max Power on all bands).
Married since 1980 ; living in Rome near to the University "Tor Vergata".
My job consists in technical support on Medical Diagnostics.
Ham-Radio activity has been, along the years , mainly on VHF and EHF (DX only);
although a couple of hundreds of countries have been worked on HF bands.
On VHF (144MHz SSB/CW) I performed several DX QSO's via TROPO, ES, FAI, MS, etc.
working all mediterraneus countries and almost 200 EU Squares.
I was the first one in the world (on 1982) to perform a QSO over 1.000Km on 10 GHz band.
On 1983 I reached the world record on 10GHz covering 1.660 Km.
Starting from 1998 , still at present days, I am working mainly on VHF DX .
VHF I0YLI’s STORIES
BASIC STORY
Since 1977 until Oct.1998 I was living on the North-West part of the city (Rome) lodging in a family house www Loc.: JN61FV
Beeing there, was possible to install, on the roof, a nice tower 12mtrs-high where took place a long-beam 20Elem. VHF Antenna, HF beam, Half-wave dipoles, MW dishes, and other stuffs (I was the roof owner ! ).
Along 20 years many interesting Dx Qso’s have been made on VHF and other bands … As portable station I performed "Long-Distance" QSO's on 10GHz band achieving world's records.
On 1998 I left that house (due to job and family reasons) moving to the opposite area of the town (South-East side) ; the new (and still today) house is located into a multi-flat 25mt-high building and I live at the top flat just under the roof (Loc. JN61HU)
Tower installation and big antennas were not permitted by the neighburg which were afraid of interferences (TVI);
A very poor VHF 6 elements on a short pole and Low-Power transmitter were the only chances … so NO DX at all for several years.
On June 2009 (after 10 years) somenthing new happened :
- I received a gift from IW0AIJ (my brother-in-law): a new home-made DK7ZB 10Elem.3WL VHF antenna !
- At same time in central Italy all TV broadcast stopped analogue transmission and digital-mode-TV started.
So I raised a square-shaped pole 10 mtr. high on the roof of the building mounting my CDE rotor and the new antenna on top of it.
I ensured all people around about TVI-less (I tested my system even using some hundreds watt out-put on 144MHz band).
Starting from that moment a new VHF DX season has opened to me …
Still today I'm using my old rigs: FT225RD ( MuTek Front-End ) and more recently FT-897D + 4CX250 home-made PA.
Most recently (May 2013) a new 12 Elem. - 4 WL has been manufactured again by IW0AIJ and now it is standing on my tower !
144MHz Band : TECH STORY
Since 3 years ago till now, every year, along all seasons, even with a rainy (or snowy) wheather,
during almost all week-ends, a QSO between me (I0YLI) and DK1FG takes place: path = 870 Km.
It might look normal , but analyzing better my location and my rig conditions, it is not that real.
Looking at my QTH, using Google-Earth’s maps (Sat-View), there is not a good take-off forward North from my location .
In addition, the related path profile is plenty of terrain obstacles close to mine and german station respective QTHs (see picture) ;
of course no meaning about the Alps mountains heights . they are very far both sides !
Red Line = path profile.
Anyone can see there is not a particular “sea-duct” or “Natural Channel” neither along the path …
Let’s go to my rig now: it is not a QRO PRO station ! But a simple old-fashion shack:
- RTX = Yaesu FT225RD with MuTek Front-End - no LNA! (Today FT-897D)
- P.A. = Home Made 4CX250 running 300W p.e.p.
- Antenna : Long-Yagi 12 Elem. DK7ZB – 4 W.L.
It is really a standard one ! Although when Gerhard (DK1FG) calls beaming to Italy, quite often, myself ONLY (I0YLI) is able to get in contact with him and none else all around … Except those which have a very Hi-Gain antenna system and/or Hi-Power rigs (>500W) .
Any explanation about this phenomena will be welcome.
My today's equipments are as follows:
VHF - 2mt.
- Yaesu FT-225RD - GasFet muTek Front-End
- Yaesu FT-897D (Quadri-band all-mode 100W)
- Power AMPLIFIER: 300W p.e.p. Home-Made (4CX250)
- Antenna : 12 Elem. DK7ZB Long-Yagi (4WL) - 25mt. agl.
VHF - 6mt.
- Yaesu FT-897D (Quadriband All-Mode 100W)
- Antenna: HENTENNA Full-Size - 1 mt. above roof plane
UHF :
- Baofeng UV-3R - 2W Dual Band FM Only
- Antenna: 10 Feet (3mt.) height Dual-Band Vertical Collinear - 20mt. agl
EHF (10GHz):
- GUNNPLEXER 200mW - FMN Tx/Rx System (Home Made)
- Antenna: 1mt Dish Home Made
HF :
-Yaesu FT-897D (100W pep) All HF Bands
- Dedicated Built-in Tuner
- Antenna : Multi-Band Home-Made Dipole
