Hello everyone !
I am pleased to introduce myself as an active ham radio operator from Tokyo.
My fascination with radio started when I was little over 13 years when I was a junior high school student. Like many of us, I also became a ham radio operator through Shortwave Broadcasting Listening route. My shortwave radio was SONY ICF-5800 and ICF-5900.
I got my ham radio phone class license in 1974. I started coming on the air with home made dipole antenna and 3 watts 50MHz shoulder type AM/FM transceiver RJX-601. Later I got CW class license. Then I got Yaesu FT-101ES 10W transceiver when I was a senior high school student. My first contact on 21MHz band was HA8 Hungary, it was CW mode and my antenna was HB9CV Quad (Swiss Quad) at roof top.
When I became university student, propagation on 50MHz was very good. Sunspot number became over 200 in 1980. Wow! I could hear many DX on 6m band every morning then. It was very exciting experience indeed. I made contact with LU3EX KH6IJ etc on 50MHz using simple 5/8 ground plane antenna. My transceiver was IC-551, it was only 10watts but its power was enough for 6m F2 layer propagation.
After I graduated from University, I bought TS-940S transceiver. At one time I was very active on digital modes like amtor, packet radio, RTTY using PK232MBX radio modem and Tono THEATER 5000E. This was around in 1987, if I remember correctly. I really enjoyed working many dx stations with RTTY setup. I went abroad to operate ham radio like BV0RY KH0AL AH2CE KC6TY (Palau) and XU1DK around 1987-1991. I got first class amateur radio license some time in 1980's. Maximum power of my station license became 500watts output.
I work on CW mode most of the times. I am also interested in low power QSO. I made some 40m to 15m SSB/CW under 5watts radio, some of them were home brew and the other was a KIT. I like kitting QRP RIG. I made NorCal20, NorCal40A, Oak Hills Research OHR-100A, Small Wonder Labs DSW SW+ WM RockMite, KN-Q7A and Elecraft K2. Those radios are simple, easy to build, low current, light weight and they are useful for reducing Co2 but working very well. Of course I love them. I am a member of JARL QRP CLUB #508.
Now I am using Yaesu FT-2000D (200W) + 3kHz NS Roofing filter and DMU-2000 RF scope unit for overseas communication. My linear amplifier is old Yaesu FL-2100Z 572Bx2 tube. However, my linear amplifier takes long holiday. Because 200W is enough power to communicate with foreign countries. My HF antenna is Nagara T59GX-3040 multiband trapped type which works on 40-30m for Dipole and on 20-17-15-12-10m for four elements yagi. My antenna tower is crank up type which is about 28m high at the mast top.My 50MHzantenna is Create DesignCL6A five elements yagi using 12D-SFA coax cable. I made contact with Europe on 50MHz under SSSP propagation in 2012. It was very lucky.
I like old TRIO/Kenwood Rig, too. I am using TS-830S + VFO-240, TS-520X + VFO-520 + TV-502 + TV-506 + DG-5.
My QTH is south of Sayama hills.
http://www.sayamaparks.com/english/
If you have D-Star RIG, let’s try Gateway call.
Select Gateway CQ
Selecting your “TO” repeater as
Repeater group11: Japan
RPT LIST GROUP 11: West Tokyo 430 439.310 JP1YIW State: Japan Module A: 439.3100 -5.0000
73 and 88 my friends and I look forward to meet you on the air soon.
Thank you.
JG1RVN Toru Kato
