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I have a new website on Windows Spaces.Live with 11 photo albums of clear HD digital photos of me, my radio gear, the antennas, my home, some friends and family, ham radio jokes, and QSL cards. There is also a new photo album just for the guys. To see all of this and more, visit my website by clicking on this link.... http://k3dav.spaces.live.com

My Primary Station Equipment:

* Icom IC-746PRO.  HF / 6M / 2M -- 100 Watts

* Heil PR 30 Studio Broadcast Microphone.  40 to 18,000 Hz. response.

* W2IHY 8 Band EQ.  50 to 3,200Hz.

* MFJ-874 SWR/Power meter.

* Optimus CS-5 Speaker. 

Back-up Radio:

* Icom IC-706MKIIG HF thru 70cm. (Always hooked up.)

HT Radios:

* Icom T90A HT  5W on 6m, 2m, and 70cm.

* Icom T2H HT  5W on 2 Meters.

Antennas:

* Comet CHA-250B HF vertical for 160m, 80/75m, 60m, 40m, and 20m.

* Solarcon I-MAX 2000 for 17m, 15m, 12m, and 10m.

* Comet GP-15 Tri-band antenna for 6m, 2m, and 70cm.

   (All 3 antennas are fed with LMR-400 Coax, and earth grounded.)

* Comet SBB7 2M/440 Mag mount, indoors connected to 706 for secondary use on local repeaters.

I live in Middletown PA since August 2008, about 9 miles SE of Harrisburg, our state capitol.  Right near Three Mile Island. (No jokes please.  I've heard them all)

I have been an avid short wave radio fan since I was a kid. Since age 11, I have always had a SW radio, and used it.  A long time good friend, (Elliott K1MF) got me into radio and electronics back when we were just becoming teenagers in the late 1960's.  At age 14, I remember listening to "Radio Netherlands" at 11.730 MHz in Elliott's attic. I also remember getting a good laugh from the propaganda on "Radio Moscow" from the old USSR on my own SW radio. I still get a chuckle from the propaganda on "Radio Havana Cuba".  

I have built more antennas in my life than I can remember. Dipoles, endfeds, randoms, slopers, verticals, single and multibanders....you name it.  As a kid I had wires strung all over our yard from tree to tree and to each corner of the house. My parents used to complain sometimes about the yard looking like the home of Spiderman. But they never told me to take them down. They always encouraged my hobbies. 

Since I was a kid, I was in and out of CB radio for many years until that band started to become the horror show it is today.  Our first radio back in the mid 60's was a Courier 23+ with a Ringo 1/2 wave antenna, and a CushCraft 4 element beam. The original calls were KCN-8957 in my dad's name. I later had a Johnson 123 mobile, then my first 40Ch a Royce SSB mobile.  Much later on I got a Cobra 148GTL, and a Galaxy II. My own last CB licensed callsign was KBGI-8711. CB used to be a well run family oriented band with good people. I made a lot of good friends through CB.  I still check it out from time to time, but it's nothing close to what it used to be. It's actually a shame as to what that band has become today. 

I had been a radio tecnician since the mid 70's repairing all types of 2-Way radio until about 8 years ago. In 2003, (with a little kick in the pants from buddy Elliott), I decided I had waited too long, and it was time to get my ham license.  So on May 16, 2003, I studied and finally took the test for my Tech class license and passed. I enjoyed using the world above 50 MHz for 6 years. Especially 6 meter DX. Then on Feb. 21, 2009, I figured it was time to go the limit. I studied hard and took the general and extra class exams together, and upgraded my license straight to Amateur Extra. Now I am having a blast on HF.  I should have done it a long time ago.

One of my main interests is 6 meter SSB DX. HF conditions on VHF? No wonder they call it the "Magic Band". You never know what to expect.  I can also be found often on the 53.030/52.030 PL-123 repeater which belongs to my good friend, Monte, (N3TVL), located in Spring Grove, just a few miles west of York, PA. We have a great bunch of guys who show up randomly on Monte's repeater to rag chew, have fun, or get serious.  We have been trying to revive the 6 meter band in central Pennsylvania. Not much luck though. We need to spread the word about the advantages of 6 meters.

20 meters is also a favorite band of mine. Usually good DX conditions day and night, all year round.  Talked to Europe, Australia, Africa, Central and South America, and Japan a few times now.  I like 60 Meters too.  Everyone is on an even playing field.  No big power stations to walk all over you.  Everyone is equal. Talked to Denmark on 50 Watts.  I have a feeling I will be spending a lot of time on 20M & 60M.

Some of the best fun is when 10 meter SSB opens up. It is a little more laid back with a lot of good contacts and friendly conversations. I have even had some good 10M FM DX contacts. 10 meters reminds me more of CB back in the early years when it was not crowded with idiots, and there were just good fun QSO's.

I still frequent some of the 2 meter repeaters in the area. Like the new 147.075 (PL-123.0) PEMA repeater in Harrisburg. Or the 145.470 (PL-123.0) machine operated by the Central PA Repeater Association in Harrisburg. Great coverage and very friendly people on both machines.

I sometimes hang out on 3805 KHz (75M) with a bunch of guys that have been (kind of) taking over the frequency in the late afternoon, and early evening.  There are about 10 to 15 guys who show up at random and have a nice time.  Most of them are scattered throughout PA, and the others are in central NY state, W.VA, Ohio, and Maryland.  We just rag chew and have a little fun.

For those of you who came here from my website, click on this link to go back there. http://k3dav.spaces.live.com/ 

73 from Dave. K3DAV