Grid OF88BC. QSL direct with self addressed envelope and US$2 or a current International Reply Coupon (IRC).

I was first licensed in the United Kingdom as G3ZZD at the age of 16, after a couple of years as a short wave listener. I operate from 1.8MHz to 144MHz , but my favourite band has always been 160m (the 'topband') and the preferred mode of operation CW DXing.I have 226 countries confirmed on 160m, along with 36 zones, from VK6.

I have written widely on amateur radio since 1983, producing articles for a variety of magazines in Australia, the United Kingdom and the USA, many with my good friend Phil Harman, VK6APH and in particular about antennas, propagation and software defined radio.

From 1983 to 1985, I edited the now defunct UK magazine, 'Ham Radio Today', which was enormous fun but totally exhausting. Phil and I wrote the software defined radio section of the Radio Society of Great Britain's Radio Communication handbook (9th, 10th and 11th editions).

Latterly I have redone the antenna systems and hope to be more active on 160, 40 and 20m again, which should keep me occupied when I can no longer keep up with my two (currently) teenage kids and coach soccer.

Radios: Elecraft K3, HPSDR (High Performance SoftwareDefined Radio)

Antennas: 3/8 wave inverted-L (100 feet up, 100 feet out) fed against a K2AV folded counterpoise for 160m; parallel inverted vee dipoles for 80m and 40m at 66 feet high; and a Wilson System 3 3-element trapped yagi for 20, 15 and 10 metres at 70 feet.

5 August 2012.