Grid square OF88cf. VK6GX since September 2008, formerly VK6ABL

QSL via LOTW preferred, otherwise direct, but please enclose return addressed envelope and greenstamps. No IRC please. Buro ok also but very slow and sorry, I'm years behind.

I am located on a 15 acre block, on a plateau 300m ASL, in Gidgegannup (known as Gidgie to the locals), a rural area in the Darling Range Hills, 45km ENE of Perth, 50km inland from the Indian Ocean. My main interest (since 1962) is 160m CW DX. My home station consists of :- FT-1000D, TS-850SAT, TS-830S + VFO-230 + AT-250, IC-765 + IC-2KL/IC-500AT, FL-2100Z, VK3ZL GS-35B 160m Linear Amp and a much loved BC-348-Q from childhood days. I also operate mobile, CW and SSB, on 160m using an IC-706 and portable, out on the patio/deck/poolside, using an IC-720A. I have fitted Inrad CW filters and roofing filters to my FT-1000D, TS-850SAT & IC-765. I have carried out many other performance enhancing modifications (no rig is perfect), but I have made them as good as I can. To further improve intelligibility I employ several additional measures as required:- A homebrew four stage variable Q and frequency, switched capacitor audio bandpass filter, plus equalization and customised DSP filtering through a PC. Other very effective CW enhancing devices are a couple of "canspeakers" with an intentionally huge resonance, one less sharp than the other, set at my prefered sidetone frequency of 500Hz, (cheap and nasty PC speakers soldered into small tin cans and positioned for maximum effect, experiments continue, e-mail me for details). I align all the rigs passband tuning, external audio/DSP filtering and sidetone to 500Hz. In addition, with my TS-850, I use a homebrew VK5BR RF noise canceller to minimise noise or reject unwanted signals and a LP-Pan fed from the 8.83MHz IF. All of which, along with a quiet location, makes for very good, weak signal, CW reception. I can switch keying (straight keys), microphone, audio/DSP filtering, headphones/speakers, antennas and linear to any rig. Antennas are a160m Inverted V @ 27m, a Windom and a WH2T Bi-Square/Loop for 40 & 80m. A 160m vertical is under construction (has been for several years), also 4 Beverages above kangaroo height are planned. I mainly operate on 160m CW, with occasional excursions onto 40m and the WARC bands. I also enjoy listening on MF/LF/VLF and look forward to operating on MF/LF one day. To encourage greater 160m activity in VK6, I broadcast the WIA news on 1845kHz LSB, Sunday mornings at 0600 & 0700 local time during summer and in winter at 0700 & 0800. Coverage extends to several hundred km, all callbacks/email reports gratefully received.

Give me a call, I hear pretty well, 73, Phil VK6GX (ex VK6ABL).

Lots of VK6GX labels to remind me when I changed callsigns from VK6ABL in September 2008.

I1QOD Deluxe Swedish Key, a masterpiece by Alberto Frattini. My favorite key.

GHD Telegraph GT501A Key, yes, that's a built in micrometer to set the contact gap! Great if you use a very small contact gap as I do. Love at first sight, just had to have one, it's a beauty!

VK2DLF 102, great compact key, used mostly for portable operation.

GHD Telegraph GF601A single paddle key. I have mine configured as a "Cootie" key, still learning to use it, never tried a paddle before! I prefer to use my left hand for this key, whereas I send right handed with a straight key. Bought it when I had an injured right shoulder.

One of my "Canspeakers" tuned for maximum output at 500Hz.