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08:06:42 UTC 27 May 2012
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My radio history started as a Novice in 1959. Upgrading and moving led totendifferent callsigns over the years including NA8M, K8HJ, AA8FP, KD8QL, WB8CIY, WA8EIY, WA2VBF, K3IVT, KN9QMQ. I received my Technician license in 1961,Advanced license in 1968 and Amateur Extra license in 1992.
My interests include CW and DX (333 countries / 326 towards Honor Roll). I am net control on Wednesdays for the Seagull Net (3.940mHz) and Pine Tree Net (3.596mHz), the Maine state-wide SSB and CW traffic nets. After 35 years as a school administrator in Michigan, I retired in July of 2001. In April of 2005 we moved to Waterford, Maine and renovated an 1860's farmhouse and barn. My shack is in the family room in a roll-top desk. If I roll down the top, the radio equipment disappers. 
On the top shelf above the monitor, from right to left, is LP-Pan panadapter, LP-100A Wattmeter, and the remote head for the Ten Tec Hercules II solid state amp. On the desktop, from right to left, is a Ten Tec Orion, K1EL Winkey in front of the monitor, a Kent single lever paddle, an MFJ-998 auto-tuner with a K3 on top, and a remote knob pod that can be used for either the Orion or the K3. Real estate on the desk is at a premium and I am adding the new Palstar HF-Auto tuner in a few weeks. Either the K3 or the Orion will have to be put away since the HF-Auto is much bigger than the MFJ-998 it will replace.
I keep the amplifier in a desk drawer shelf and use the remote head on the desktop to turn it on and off and change bands. If the amp will be on for a while, I open the drawer for better circulation. The Hercules II is solid state, instant on, and 500 watts.
I have two antennas, a center fed 135 foot doublet up 80 feet and a center fed 44 foot vertical dipole up 66 feet at the top end. Both are fed with home brew open wire line. Here's the 135' doublet.
It's hard to see the doublet.
The open wire feeder comes into the shack. You can also see my ground strap.
Once in the shack, the feeders go to knife switches for quick disconnect.
Then to baluns behind the desk and to the tuner.
I use a lot of software - DXLab Suite for logging and spotting, N4PY for rig control, PowerSDR-IF for the panadapter, my own program to control the MFJ-998 tuner, and C-Typer to control the Winkey.
My Paddle collection includes a Kent single lever, K8RA P-2, Bencher, Vibroplex Brass Racer, and a Brown Brothers BTL-A.
73 de K1ESE Last modified: 2011-09-05 14:14:23, 3477 bytes cached
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