I am a major contester with a mega-station - NOT!

I was first licensed as WA2LSI and my licensed lapsed during my military service. No stations in North Vietnam to operate, HIHI. I, as were many, was unaware that I had a grace renewal period from date of discharge. So ham radio languished while I raised a family and pursued a myriad of other interests. I really missed it so I relicensed as KE6RJW a few years ago and when the opportunity to get my uncle's call arose, I took it.

My modest station is perched on the fault-line of the 1989 Loma Prieta, California earthquake in CM97. If I walk to my front fence, I walk across the 37th parallel! I built a shack separate from the house and while it has AC going to it, powering the lights for guests and the adjoining office for my wife, the station is on 12VDC. I have 1590Ah of battery capacity which is charged by 600W of solar panels. I have an 1500 VA inverter for the rotors and computers, all else is 12VDC powered. That limits the IC-756PROIII to 100W output which I find more than adequate to drive my KT-34XA at 20M height for HF work and a homebrew 3el 6M beam above the KT-34XA for 6M. The low bands are worked via a TS-850SAT into a horizontal wire loop at 15M. For VHF/UHF work, I have an IC-910H into a pair of KLM 2M-14C and a M2 436CP30.

I just wired 220V into the shack and now have an ICOM IC-2KL into the KLM, 500W, when needed for those contacts with mucho QRM.

I also had an IC-706MKIIG as a mobile rig in my 1968 MGB. Well, in early 2003 I moved that to my "new" daily use vehicle, a 1994 Saab 900S convertible with 144K miles on it and I installed a Kenwood TM-D700 in the MGB. My 1965 Jaguar E-Type FHC, the fastest ham station on the earth, makes do with any of the handhelds I have. The vintage & new Triumph motorcycles have been free of a ham radio "invasion" so far. =!8^)

I make vacuum tubes for a living. Pretty cool, eh?

You can also go to my other web sites for all kinds of fun stuff.

http://www.georgebadger.com

http://www.badgers-british.com

http://www.yo-photo.com

Thanks for reading this. I hope to work you on the air.

Site updated 23NOV2008

©1996-2008 George Badger