Hi all,

I have always been interested in radio, radio signals and how they travel etc and I have always been fascinated by with using just the simplest of communication devices one could talk with other people around the world. In my youth I would listen and transmit on CB (citizen band) radio but I slowly lost interest due to immature operators and worked more with shortwave listening and using various scanners for listening to local UHF/VHF frequencies as well as HF bands and found it vastly interesting.

I also work a lot with computers and enjoy the new technology that is continually being released with regards to amateur radio and always thrilled at seeing what's new for the future.

Working Conditions

Yaesu FT-DX3000 with Yaesu SP-2000 speaker. I'm also using a Heil PR40 Microphone into a W2IHY 8 Band Graphic Equalizer.

My antennas are a 9 element 5 band Yagi (Optibeam OB9-5) covering 20m, 17m, 15m, 12m and 10m and an EAntenna 40MDY1 Rotary Dipole (41ft) for 40m, these are all running on top of a Yaesu G-1000DXC rotator and 10.7m Tennamast. I 'm also using a 260ft homebrew end fed wire antenna running straight North/South from a 24ft pole over two 60ft trees. It consists of a 1kW 9:1 Unun and has a bonded earth with a 1/4 wave length counterpoise for each band, this is used for 160m, 80m, 60m, 30m and 6m and levelled off with a Palstar AT2K Antenna tuner (2kW)

I also use an Acom 1010 amplifier capable of 700w output

I don't use an ATU for my Yagi and 40m Dipole as these antennas are all pretty resonant plus the Acom 1010 can handle any reflected power up to 240 watts anyway so nothing gets back to the rig, so the ATU is set on bypass for these antennas as I still use the power meter function.

For 2m/70cm bands I use a Yaesu FT-8800E with a Sharman X-200N antenna as my base station. I use a Yaesu FT-100D for portable work with an ATAS 120A which covers 40m, 20m, 17m, 15m, 10m and 6m but for 2m/70cm I use both a Diamond SG-7200 and an SG-7900 for better results as the Atas 120 can be a bit temperamental when it comes to tuning on 2m, I also have a YT100 tuner with a long end fed wire into a 9:1 Balun which comes in handy when there are trees near by to throw up and gain some height although I also have a 33ft aluminium mast with a fibre glass SE HF-360 vertical fibre glass antenna so everything is covered.

 

I also have a TYT MD 380 and a Yaesu FT-60. These are all handhelds I use for the DMR/VHF/UHF bands when I'm out walking on the many mountains of Ireland or just locally when walking around Craigavon lakes.

 

 

My wee rescued buddy in crime

I am also a member of MUARC (Mid Ulster Amateur Radio Club)

++++++ QSL Information ++++++

I do NOT use Bureau! Direct QSL, QRZ logbook & LoTW only. 

If QSL's are sent direct to me I will reply with my own QSL card. There is no need to send any money or a stamped addressed envelope:)

I will always reply with my own QSL card when you send your QSL card to me and normally post all QSL cards out twice per month, sooner if possible.

I DO NOT USE eQSL!

 

WAB (Work all Britain) Square: J05

 

 

Craigavon lakes when they were frozen during winter time

 

 

 

Many thanks for the contact and thanks for stopping by......73's too all the family!