"Click the Changing Logo Above to Read the DX Code of Conduct"
ABOUT ME: First of all, I go by my middle name "Cliff" because my Dad was Floyd.I am age 51 and have been a ham since October 16th, 1996, Extra Class since April 1997. I enjoy many facets of the hobby, CW being my most favorite mode, but also operate HF digital modes and I have recently set up a VHF packet node using the alias of BRTMTN:KU4GW-7. I also operate a little on single sideband. Scroll on down for much more info on my packet node which is also accessable via the Internet.
Station Information:My station is located on the NE slope of Barretts Mountain in Alexander County at 1,454 feet (443 meters) above sea level. My station equipment consists of a Yaesu FT-1000MP Mark V exciter for HF and I use a 260 feet (79 meters) doublet antenna up about 60 feet (18 meters) fed with 450 ohm ladder line which is connected to a homebrew balun and a short piece of coax coming on into the shack and am in the process of installing a ground-mounted Hustler 5BTV vertical antenna. I also use a Solarcon A-99 vertical antenna better known as a Antron 99 on 10 and 12 meter bands that is on a telescoping pole at 30 feet (9.14 meters) high. I use a Ameritron AL-80B amplifier mostly on 75 meters and a Palstar AT1500CV antenna tuner. I use a Rigblaster M8 digital interface for HF digi modes. I also use a Yaesu FP-29 power supply for the Mark V and have the SP-9 Yaesu external speaker, a Heil Proset Plus headset, Yaesu MD100A8X desk top microphone, and a Daiwa CN-801H SWR/Power Meter.For VHF I use a Radio Shack HTX-242 mobile rig for the BRTMTN packet node running 50 watts on 145.090 into a Cushcraft A148-10S 10 element yagi antenna mounted on a roof tripod. I rarely do any 2 meter phone operation, but when I do I have a second HTX-242 mobile for that. I power the 2 meter rigs from a Icom PS-55 power supply and a Pyramid PS-15K power supply. The only equipment I currently have for UHF operation on the 70 Cm band is a TYT TH-UVF1 handie talkie.
QRP in the Field equipment:I have both a Ten-Tec R4020 2 band (20 and 40 meters) rig and a Hendricks PFR-3A 3 band (20,30, and 40 meters) CW only transceiver and just recently purchased a Flying Pig Rig kit and a Ten-Tec TPC-19 enclosure for the rig. For my portable ops antenna I use a 44 feet (13.4 meters) long dipole fed with 450 ohm ladder line and a Emtech ZM-2 antenna tuner I built from a kit.
CW Keys: My favorite and most used straight key is a J.H. Bunnell CJB26003A Navy Flameproof that is mounted on a ½" thick steel base custom made for me by W4CUX Bill Worley SK. I also had a Begali Camelback straight key, but recently sold it on a Ebay auction. I use a MFJ-564 iambic paddle and also have a Vibroplex Chrome Vibrokeyer wired as a cootie/sideswiper key that was willed to me by W4CUX Bill. Bill also willed me the Hendricks PFR-3A QRP rig I speak of above, a BBW (Baby Black Widow) iambic paddle that attaches to the front of the PFR-3A, and a Hendricks 10 watt 50 ohm SMT resistive dummy load. W4CUX Bill constructed the PFR-3A from a kit. I have photos of all my equipment on down this page.
Clubs and Membership Numbers:SKCC # 652, FISTS # 16001, NAQCC # 1491, Flying Pigs QRP Int. # 1183, Great Outdoors Radio Club # 399, 4SQRP # 536, Club72 # 46, 2013 NJQRP Skeeter Hunt Skeeter # 43, 7240 Club # 171, Feld Hell Club # 062, Southcars # 1967, Grit # 171, Zombie # 867, Ambassadors for Christ # 1184, 30MDG # 865, HRN # 5468, SOC # 952, A-1 Operator Club member since April 11, 2012.
I upload all contacts to both ARRL LOTW and to eQSL.cc!
and to
A Few Photos of My Station, etc
"Yours truly in the hamshack"
A close-up of the Yaesu FT-1000MP Mark V
FISTS CW Club 25th Anniversary Tee Shirt
Warning! Looking At This Photo For A Long Period of Time May Be Hazardous To You Health As Most People Cannot Stand To Look At This Much Beauty All At Once For A Long Period of Time!
Picked this banner up on Ebay from Elpincel Creative Signs
Ameritron AL-80B 1 KW Amp & Daiwa CN-801H Meter
My QSL Card by UX5UO Printers
My HF rig control software, Ham Radio Deluxe version 5.0 Build 2893
My packet station consists of a Radio Shack HTX-242 mobile transmitting 50 watts into a Cushcraft A148-10S 10 element yagi antenna pointing ENE and is powered by a Icom PS-55 20 amp power supply. I have this hooked up to a MFJ-1270B TNC in KISS mode, allowing the PC to handle everything. On the PC I haveBPQ32 Console Version 6.0.1.1and Outpost Packet Message Manager Version 2.7.0 c21
To view an updated Google Map of the Packet Nodes of NC, Click Here
Connect to my station for a keyboard to keyboard QSO by connecting to KU4GW if
you can hear my station direct over RF on 145.090
Connect to my station through my node for keyboard QSO's by
connecting to KU4GW-7 and then type HOST at the prompt (or C KU4GW)
Connect to Node KU4GW-7 in order to access all other areas of
packet radio including the Charlotte BBS, World Wide Chat, World Wide
packet nodes, and all things packet radio across NC/SC and VA.
Connect to my RMS Gateway KU4GW-10 in order to access a "email
gateway through packet radio" that allows users to send and receive
messages over packet radio and also import/export email messages over
packet radio.
If you wish to leave me a message via packet radio from anywhere WORLD WIDE connect toyour closest Full-Service BBS and send me a message at KU4GW@W4BFB.#CLT.NC.USA.NA
A TRIBUTE TO MY ELMER - KF4LLF
This is to show my appreciation to the person that finally got me involved in the world's great hobby of amateur radio. At age 35 I had spent the past 20 years operating on 11 meter single sideband with a local group of friends until KF4LLF Seth came on one day and announced to the group that he had gotten his Technician Class amateur radio license. All of the guys in our group had discussed ham radio, but that's about as far as we ever went with it. Single sideband operation on 11 meters was just about exactly the same as 75 meter phone with the exception that we didn't have to ID every ten minutes. We did go by our first names and not a handle. When Seth announced that he had gotten his ham ticket my first thought was he's only 16 years old and if he can do it I can too!I had purchased the "Now Your Talking" book at the local Radio Shack but it had only laid on my bookshelf gathering dust until then and I credit Seth as being my elmer because him getting his license is what finally made me take down the book and start studying. Seth came 3 weeks later and took me to a V.E. Test Session in Yadkinville, NC where I earned my first license. I was on cloud 9 when I left there that day! Over the next 9 months I kept studying and in only 9 months I passed the written exams for General, Advanced, and Extra Class as well as the 5, 13, and 20 word per minute Morse Code examinations. I had reached the pinnacle of amateur radio! Thank you Seth for your encouragement and great friendship for all these years! I am forever grateful!
The certificate below is to me, my most outstanding achievement in amateur radio!
In Memorial of W4CUX William "Bill" Worley SK
This is in memory of my great friend Bill whom I had worked a weekly CW schedule with on 80 meters for 3 years and 3 months until his recent death on December 29th, 2012 from pancreatic cancer. Bill was only diagnosed with the cancer a few weeks before his death. Below are pictured some items that Bill willed to me. I was contacted by W4CJV Wayne shortly after Bill's death and Wayne told me that Bill had asked him to send these things to me. I will treasure them for as long as I live and will think of Bill with fond memories each time I use them. Heaven is a better place with his presence!
*Note: There is a story about this on Page 2 of the June 2013 issue of the SKCC Rag Chew Newsletter available for download at
Vibroplex Chrome Vibrokeyer Deluxe wired as a Sideswiper/Cootie Key
Hendricks QRP Personal Field Radio Model PFR-3A Three Band CW Only Transmit on 20,30,& 40 meter bands. Receives SSB. Bill built this rig from a kit and also attached a Hendricks 10 watt 50 ohm SMT resistive dummy load and a BBW (Baby Black Widow) iambic paddle that attaches to the front of the rig.
"Yours truly holding the items that Bill willed to me.
In Memorial of another great ham radio friend I lost to cancer, K4KCS Paul "Slim" Copeland SK.
My other QRP transceiver, a Ten-Tec R4020 that was received as a gift from my friends on 3.895 Mhz.
Emtech ZM-2 QRP Antenna Tuner I built from a kit.
CW Stuff, Keys, Clubs, Etc
MFJ-564 Iambic Paddle "A exceptionally good key for only 70 dollars!"
My favorite straight key! A J.H. Bunnell CJB26003A Navy Flameproof I purchased from NOS (New Old Stock) from the manufacturer in New York.
The base it is mounted on is a 1/2 inch thick steel base custom made for me in his machine shop by W4CUX Bill Worley SK. Adding this key to the steel base completely changed the feel of the key for the better! I like it better than my Begali Camelback straight key!
My Favorite Digital Mode is Feld Hell also called Hellschreiber. I like it best mainly because the duty cycle is much less than other digital modes which means a lot less heating of the rig's finals. For info about the Feld Hell Club check out their website located athttps://sites.google.com/site/feldhellclub/
Feld Hell Videos Courtesy of K7AGE Randy
Check out, in my opinion, the best camaraderie phone net on amateur radio!
I'm Old F.A.R.T.S. # 1009!
"Mickey Mouse" the hamshack dog!
GORC#399
2013 MIQRP SKEETER HUNT SKEETER # 43
4SQRP#536
#46
# 5468
A Few of the Different CW Keys I Have Owned
This page is a work in progress! More to come!
Thanks for visiting my QRZ profile and I hope to catch you "on the air"!
Last modified: 2013-05-10 12:36:43, 44361 bytes cached
