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Click for more detail... New & now principle callsign for VA7CRH and the latter is inactive, save for QSL card swapping. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * QSL INFO: I QSL (in response) 100% - Prefer direct mail, but deal with the Bureau. I really don't like eQSL.CC, so that's not a good way to get a QSL from VA7QB. I am quite active with QSL backlogs. For those in desparate need of VA7/VE7 please be patient! Please send the equivolent of US$1 to cover the costs of QSLing. If not, I'll do my best from this end, with the goal to answer all inbound QSLs. SASE envelopes with US$1 get priority.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Please see my page for a listing of 220 MHZ transceivers. If you know of one not listed please be in touch by e-mail. WTB - Icom IC-375a * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
HAM HISTORY - Wrote the Industry Canada test on Dec 29, 2003, and passed 5 WPM CW with VE7JH in Parksville, B.C., my Elmer! Licensed by Industry Canada as VA7CRH on Jan 12, 2004. Received callsign of VA7QB on Jan 13, 2009. ** A used Icom IC-718 was purchased from Chris Nowak (WX1SVR in RI) and the SEC-1223 power supply and SCG-239 tuner arrived at the end of March 2004. That radio worked 6,523 QSO's before being sold in Feb 2007. ** In February 2007, purchased a Kenwood 480SAT from K5JN, Ralph Marrs, in Houston, Texas. The 480SAT is one skookum radio! It went 2,428 QSO's in the next fourteen months before being replaced by a Kenwood TS-2000 in April 2008. ** However, in June 2008 had to give up on satellites and went back to the 480SAT after 368 QSO's on the TS-2000. It's now my main and portable rig. Right now the station consists of: Kenwood TS-480SAT Icom 91A, VHF, UHF handheld, not the D-Star version Alinco DR-235 for 220 MHz Standard c228a 2M / 220MHz dual band / crossband repeater HT Kenwood TM-621A VHF/220 MHz dual bander for mobile operation MFJ 812B SWR/power meter for VHF and 220 MHz K8RA P-2 iambic paddle Alinco DM330MV power supply MFJ 914 1.8-30 MHz AutoTuner Extender Windom 40Plus antenna up 30 feet homebrew Moxon Yagi for 17M up 22 feet Buddistick antenna package for portable 40-10 HF operation MFJ 259B antenna analyser for HF and VHF * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Completed WAS on 23 August 2004 working W1MK/0 in Fingare, North Dakota. Got WAS in CW on 3 Oct 2006 working W2ILA in RI. Got WAS in SSB on 4 Oct 2004 working KL7GKY/0 portable in Lehr, North Dakota. Got WAS on PSK working KB1PSP in NH on 6 Oct 2008. Missing CT, MT and DE on RTTY. DC is still elusive on all four modes.... maybe IRLP will have to suffice! * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * MODES - In April 2005, purchased sound card interface so finally on PSK31 in 2005 as a ham, after years on the mode as a SWL (below). WAS on SSB, CW, and on PSK. Up to 20 WPM on CW. Work PSK31, RTTY, IRLP and SSB, too. Just recently got Olivia working. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * SWL BACKGROUND - I got into ham after 20 years of SWLing. WAS as an SWL on PSK31, confirmed by QSL cards from some very nice hams! It's what got me involved, the character of amateurs as discovered SWLing. Yes, you ARE being listened to. SWL RECEIVERS - Have been a SWLer for years, most recently as VE7005SWL as registered with SWARL. In 2004 sold an Icom R75 receiver with the DSP unit (coverage of 150 Khz to 60 MHz). It's what got me interested in ham. A Yaesu VX-6R handheld replaced a Kenwood TH-F6A because of intermod problems. Never got used to the Yaesu so sold it on eBay and bought another F6A but sold it to a local ham because of intermod. (Although a triband tx, it is a decent all band Rx all the way to 1.2 GHz. Also 5 watts on the 220 MHz band is desirable given my interest in that unused band.) Presently the only handheld I have is an Icom 91A and it brings in Aviation and Utes very well.. Great little HT, but lacking 220 MHz! Once owned a Sony 2010 one of the best portables ever made, a Yaesu FRG-8800 and a Realistic DX-302. As an SWLer received ham-PSK31 QSL's from 50 states (missing only the District of Columbia), 7 provinces (missing VO1/Nfld, VE8/NWT, VY0/Nunavut, VY2/PEI, VY1/Yukon and VE5/VA5/Sask) and 50 countries. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ANTENNA HISTORY - A home built T2FD (folded dipole) for SWLing was used as an 86 foot dipole with 1:1 balun, and further reconfigured an an end-fed up about 30 feet. The T2FD was very quiet as a receiving antenna, even as much as hams pooh-pooh it as a transmitting one - hence, the tinkering. The original transmitting antenna was an 86 foot long-wire, fed into the ICOM AH-4 tuner. However, I got a G5RV Jr. dipole from eBay for $10 and used it for a year - sometimes the AH-4 didn't want to tune the impedence mismatch; esp. on 75 metres. So purchased an MFJ 993 autotuner on eBay. (I sold the 993 with the IC-718 in Feb 2007, the Kenwood 480SAT has an on-board tuner.) Upgraded the Antenna in June 2005 to a 150-foot loop, generally following the perimeter of the house. It's up 25 feet. In July 2005 went back to the G5RV Jr when ground problems developed with the loop. Constructed a 70-foot attic loop as a back-up antenna, since discontinued. In February 2006 installed a Carolina Windom 40 Plus (up 28 feet) as the primary antenna and retired the G5RV. The Windom is a very good antenna. In January 2008 constructed a 17M monoband Moxon Yagi from the Cebik webpage. It is my first high gain HF antenna and now that the sunspots are getting better, I am working some more DX. Portable antennae: purchased an MFJ-1664 screwdriver antenna for portable work. It can be used as an 80M antenna, ground mounted. A Buddistick is is the principal portable antenna. You may be being worked by any of the antennae! 73s and hope to work you soon. On CW, SSB, RTTY or PSK31. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * SPECIAL EVENTS - Operated as CF7CRH (Dec 2006 & Jan 2007) to mark the 100th anniversary of the first AM voice broadcast by Reginald Fessenden on December 24, 1906. Industry Canada allowed special event call signs for all Canadian amateurs during that period. Also was CJ7CRH in Oct and Nov 2008 to mark the 50th Anniversary of the Province of British Columbia. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * DXPEDITIONS - In July & August 2007, operated portable as VA7CRH/7 from Okanagan Lake in B.C.'s interior and from Qualicum Beach on Vancouver Island, B.C. Antenna was a Buddistick for from 10M to 40M. From May 31 to June 3, 2007, operated as VA7CRH/VE3 portable on a Buddistick (below) from Lyn (Brockville), Ontario. Had opportunity in Apr 2004 to work from Baffin Island in the high Arctic of Canada as VA7CRH/VY0 in the Canadian territory of Nunavut. Thank you to VY0QL for letting me go portable with his rig. (Boy, talk about 'pile-up'! He had his antenna pointed to the eastern seaboard of the USA, and he's one of the few active HF hams in VY0.) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Last modified: Tue Sep 22 18:18:09 2009 Does this page contain inappropriate content? If so, Report this page... |
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