photo courtesy of JA1VOK.

6 Meter DXCC #188

6 Meter WAS #943

6 Meter WAC

2 Meter WAS #140 (mostly CW via EME)

Over the last few years home-brew QRP has become an area of interest. Presently running homebrew transceiver on 40m with 1 WATT output. It has a common vfo, with superhet receiver and hetrodyne transmitter using bits and peices of designs by W1FB, W7OZI, K1SWL, W8DIZ, KK7B, G3RJV and VE7BPO (among many others). Also, keyer is a homemade (K1EL chip) and antenna is a homebrew QUAD. My goal is to work DXCC QRP with a homebrew rig. Other homebrew rigs in the shack have provided QSO's with as little as 100 mw. It amazes me that contacts can be made using such low power levels. Of course, the antenna makes a big difference. Future plans include a homebrew 20m QRP xcvr. For me, the challenge of QRP has made ham radio fun again.

Primary QTH is in EM95 in Mount Holly, NC. This is a suburb of Charlotte, NC in the Pidemont of NC. Present antenna is a full size and rotatable 2 element 40 Meter Quad with an interlaced 4 element 20 meter quad. 3 Beverage Antennas used mostly for AM Broadcast reception range from 250' to 300' directed NE/SW, E/W, NW/SE.

Secondary QTH is on a mountaintop in the Blue Ridge Mountains at Grid Locator EM96 near Boone, NC. 50 MHz station is 2 x 7 el antennas on 1.2 wl booms, 1-5/8" hardline, amp 2x 4cx250b at 500+ watts

50 MHz: 138 Countries worked, 146 Countries heard. 50 MHz: Worked 50 States, Over 100 Countries and WAC from both EM95 and EM96 with both callsigns WB4WTC and W4MW.

Some Antennas in the past have been 2x 9el M2 on 6 in Boone and Mount Holly; 8 x 17el M2 on 2 meters for EME (could hear EME echoes with as little as 75 watts); full size 2 el wire quad on 75m (big antenna); full size 2 el wire beam on 75m; full size 3 el wire quad on 40m (could easily work EU QRP); five element vertical beam on 40 (another antenna that could work EU QRP).

A spin off from this hobby is making guitar amplifiers and effects boxes. Licensed in 1971 as WB4WTC, I am a second generation Ham. My Father W4AAH passed away in 2004. I am proud to say that my son is a 3rd generation ham and now he is W4AAH.

Vy 73/DX, Rog W4MW