UPDATE: The NR0X Memorial Beacon is currently online, transmitting at 50.070.5 on 6 meters with 5 watts from an Icom 706 into a horizontal omni. The transmitted message is
"de kd0mnd/b en42hb"
For more info, go to http://www.qrz.com/db/nr0x
I would be happy for any signal reports sent via e-mail, to hblanken@netins.net
Jason
I got into ham radio when I was a kid, watching my father. I got a tech class license back then, but never used it for anything but the local repeater, and quickly lost interest. I let my callsign expire and never renewed it. Over the last couple of years, I got into tower climbing work, and found myself getting pulled back into the game. With a brand new General Class license, an old radio that was a gift, and a long piece of wire hanging off the roof of the house, I know just enough about hf to get myself into trouble, and probably annoy a lot of the more experienced people out there. I hope you will all bear with me as I learn the ropes. A new interest that also stems from this is the International Space Station, and other satellites that are hovering overhead. I'm working on building an Az-El rotor out of some old el-cheapo TV rotators so that I can play with the birds.
March, 2011:
I finally have some QSL Cards, and I am working on getting them sent out to those of you I've made contact with. It's surprising to me how many people I've already spoken to in such a short time. The station here is changing, too. I started with a Yaesu FT-757 gx, which I have now given back to the previous owner, and am now running an FT-1000MP, which is feeding a 40meter dipole and a 10meter vertical.
November, 2011:
I sent my certificate in to Logbook of The World today. I expect to be able to confirm QSO there soon. I build myself a 5 element beam for 10m and I now have that hanging underneath the vertical.Sadly, the 10 meter band seems to be open on the same hours as my work schedule! I also came into an Ameritron coax remote switchbox recently, and I designed a simple circuit that will let me automatically switch antennas from the Band Data plug on the back of the radio. If anyone wants to know about it, shoot me a message, and I'll give you details. I've been thinking harder and harder about going after my DXCC lately. Maybe it's the approaching winter that's making me hunker down a bit. I also got my hands on some Rohn-25g tower, and I'll be putting that up as soon as I win the arguement with the city on it. 20 feet off the ground is just too low to be reasonably effective. We'll see what happens. If I can get up 40 or 50 foot, I'll put up a tri-band beam and really start making my mark in the logbooks!
June, 2012:
I decided it was better to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission. The city hasn't said anything about the 40 foot tower in my back yard, or the 30 footer on the back of my house. I built a 5 element 10 meter beam, and 3 elements on 12 and 17, a 20m dipole, and a sloper for 40 and 80. Looking back over my past entries, I see that I'm starting to pick up some speed here! I have 50 confirmed band countries, so I am halfway to my first DXCC! I'm also working with my father (ki0ih) on taking an old camper, and turning it into a nice little field day station! I also just came into a KLM tribander that is taking up my entire backyard (much to my wife's dispair, and I'll be putting that up in the next week or 2. Still haven't finished the satallite array yet. I'm working on the phasing harnesses for the circularly polarized antennas. But I just got the rest of the needed parts yesterday, so i hope to have that running soon, as well.
See you on the airwaves!
Jason
