Originally from Scotland I've been ZL1AAO since 1987.
DXing is in my blood since the bug bit in 1979. 
I first licensed as GM1KNP for a few years before the shift to ZL.
My second call allocated July 2011 ZL1YE is used for contesting. E51 guys lunch August 2011.
Look out for ZM90DX celebrating 90 years of Amateur Radio DX achievements. 1st October 2013 until 31st October 2014. I will be taking a turn with the special event call at various time during the 13 months. Check out "Kiwi DX Group" and ZM90DX.com
Station Equipment.
Yaesu FT2000 and Kenwood TS570D both 100w. I use a Heil HC4 Headset i/c Boom Mic.
Amplifier is Emtron DX1d which I mostly use for low band work.... that extra s point when it is needed.
Mobile or Portable I use my Yaesu FT857D or Kenwood TS570D with mobile/portable antennas depending on the focus of my activity. ie. Local or DX and which band etc
My antenna farm is small compared to the big contest stations but I try. I have a few certificates for CQ WPX and CQ WW SSB all bands and have fun whilst adding new ones to my DXCC tally!
I now have 1 tilt over homebrew mast. Supports my homebrew 2 Element 5 Band Cubical Quad. (uses Qtenna hub) Mast is a crank up job sits at 7m and winds up to 11m. July 2014 Unfortunately the Quad is in bits currently due to wind damage!
I use homebrew dipole for 80m and I also now have a 80m loop which tunes on all bands and is my main antenna on 40m. A ground mounted Hustler 4 band vertical with up to 8 radials on each band is somewhere in the trees as a back up. It's always interesting to have some projects in mind and I always seem to have antennas on the go with the winds that come through this valley!
The most recent project is my 80m rectangular horizontal loop. Trying to get the corners supported at 18-20ft. Would be interesting to have this antenna modeled as it never ceases to amaze me with the contacts I can work with it.
My QTH is 70-75m above sea-level and to the north west looks over the Hauraki Gulf towards Waiheke Island and Auckland. I have a hill right behind me to the south so don't point my Quad that way! There is good take-off from West, North & East.
I am registered with LOTW and with eQSL. Check there and see if you have any QSLs. If you are curious follow the link for my web page. (Its nothing flash!) http://brucezl1aao.webs.com/index.htm And probably a bit out of date!
Pacific island DX Holidays. Rarotonga, Cook Islands in August 2011. E51AAO was available so from a simple holiday style operation I used my Kenwood TS570D and wire zep dipole. I also took along a fibreglass mast which become a multi band 1/4 wave vertical but the dipole performed best. If you need a card from E51AAO please send direct or bureau via ZL1AAO. ( Photo above was taken at lunch in Rarotonga. All Hams!)
Sept 2011. Thanks to all for the 432 QSOs with 47 DXCC Entities.
I'm impressed with the performance of the dipole and 100watts!
Thank you again for working me and hopefully you are happy to have South Cook Islands confirmed in your logbook!
EQSL and LOTW have now been upoaded with E51AAO log.
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This antenna and mast is now in pieces :( Sadly :(
Please QSL direct via my home call address. Send SAE with $2 or if not in a hurry use the QSL bureau.
(Sorry from December 2012 will ceasing use/acceptance of IRC. No more IRC!!!! )
73s de Bruce.
Be a Happy DXer! You can check out for QSOs at http://www.clublog.org/logsearch/ZL1AAO
Thanks to all that worked me as ZL1YE in the Contests 2012 & 2013. My logs are now loaded on EQSL and LOTW.
I always try to upload asap after the contest in question.
