Page Last Updated: 07/03/2011
I was interested in Ham Radio at the age of 10!
My father was an Amateur Radio Operator, and I helped in building and installing equipment and antennas both at the QTH and in his mobile. My fathers call was K8VEB! He became a silent key in 1972.
My father's station was a HQ 180 receiver, Ameco receive pre-amps and converter for 6 and 2 meters. The transmitters were an Knight kit TX 150, Ameco TX 62, 4 stacked Finco 6&2 beams at 70 feet. He also had the Johnson Thunderbolt 6N2 amplifier. He used the Utica 6&2 in the mobile.
I earned the Novice (WB8FDB) & Technician (WA8PEJ) ticket in August of 1962 when I was 14 years old. My first ham station was a Knight kit R-100 receiver and T-60 transmitter with crystals for 80 and 40 meters. Gonset Communicator for 2 meters AM. The antenna was a 80 meter dipole and we used a home brew antenna tuner. In 1965, both my father and I were able to get the WAS on 6 meters. The bad part, the Utah station never confirmed the QSO. We did it, but no official paperwork. Upgraded through the ranks, and received the Extra Class ticket in 1987.
Through the Vanity Call Sign program, I was able to be assigned my Fathers Call!
I have been a member of the following clubs: Grand Ledge High School ARC, Central Michigan ARC, Fort Monmouth ARC, Martinsburg ARC, Frederick County ARC, Eaton County ARC and Eaton Four Forty Emergency Team (EFFECT). "EC" for Beckley County (WV) & "EC" for Eaton County (MI). Served as President of the Martinsburg ARC and Eaton County ARC.
My hobbies are: Amateur Radio, Weather Spotting, Teaching Adult Ed, Video Editing, Digital Photography, NASCAR, Surfing the net.
112th Congress 1st Session
To promote and encourage the valuable public service, disaster relief, and emergency communications provided on a volunteer basis by licensees of the Federal Communications Commission in the Amateur Radio Service, by undertaking a study of the uses of amateur radio for emergency and disaster relief communications, by identifying unnecessary or unreasonable impediments to the deployment of Amateur Radio emergency and disaster relief communications, and by making recommendations for relief of such unreasonable restrictions so as to expand the uses of amateur radio communications in Homeland Security planning and response. (This has not become law at this time, lets keep track of the bills progress.)
ARISSat-1
Please note that a new Amateur Radio satellite is scheduled to go into space in middle or late February. Feel free to follow the AMSAT link. I have hopes to make many QSO's via this bird! Stay tuned!!
Operating modes that I use.
AM, CW, Digital Voice, FM, PSK31, PSK63, SSB, SSTV analog, DSSTV, Packet, RTTY, WSJT
Scott N3FJP has a lot of Amateur Radio software. I use his programs for things like Logging, QSO Parties, HF Contests, VHF Contests etc.
I use a computer for many applications. Here on Amateur Radio, the computer software has added many options to enhance your operating.
Computer Logging - I use N3FJP ACLog to log my contacts. Scott has many fine programs available, it is worth the time to check him out.
CW - I use a straight key along with HamScope V1.56 and CW on the air Practice. These programs are true CW Keying.
PSK - I use Digipan V 2.0 for PSK 31/63, and HamScope V 1.56 also has PSK 31.
SSTV - I use MMSSTV V1.11G for analog Slow Scan TV.
Packet - I use AGWPE for the packet sound card driver program and then Winpack software for 300/1200 baud Packet.
RTTY - I use HamScope V1.56 and MMTTY V1.65.
RS-91 - Software for Memory Management & Digital Terminal for the Icom IC-91AD in digital mode.
D-RATS - Software Communications tool for the Icom IC-91AD HT in digital mode.
Satellite Tracking - I use SatScape V1.88 to track the birds.
WSJT - for Weak Signal communications I use WSJT (V597) program written by Joe K1JT.
I have a excel spreadsheet for the Michigan Repeaters. The repeaters are listed by: Freq, City, County & D-Star tabs.
The Home Station
Yaesu FT 897 is the rig I use for most of the day to day QSO's.
The FT 897 is a 160 - 70cm Multi-Mode rig. It runs 100 watts on 160-6 meters,
50 watts on 2 meters and 20 watts on 432-440 MHz.
On digital modes I use the RigBlaster Plug and Play interface.
The HF antenna is a Alpha Delta DX-CC dipole up about 40 feet.
6/2/70cm antenna is a Comet tri-band vertical side mounted on the tower at about 25 feet.
Yaesu FT 847 is used mostly on 50/144/432 MHz Multi-Mode QSO's.
The FT 847 is a 160 - 70cm Multi-Mode rig. It runs 100 watts on 160-6 meters,
50 watts on 2 meters and 432-440 MHz.
6/2/222/432 antenna is a Cushcraft 18 element Log Periodic (horizontal) up about 45 feet.
On the digital modes, I use the RigBlaster Plus interface.
The antenna connected to the rig most of the time is the Log Periodic.
I have the active satellites programmed into the sat memories in the rig.
Kenwood TKR 820 UHF Desktop Repeater.
The repeater is on 443.350 + with 100 Hz PL. Running 5 watts out of the Motorola cans. Antenna is a Diamond X500 up about 50 feet.
CAT-300DXL Repeater Controller with a RLS-1000B Remote board. I use the FT 847 as a multi-mode, multi band remote station.
I now have a Station Master antenna (in the garage), saving up to get some hard line.
DJ S41 IC-91AD VX-7R FT-33R
The Alinco DJ-S41 is a 70cm FM HT. (.030 watt & .300 watt)
The Icom IC-91AD is a 144/440 Analog/Digital FM HT (.5 & 5 watt)
The Yaesu VX-7R is a 50/144/220/440 FM HT. (.5/1/2.5/5 watt) (.3 watt on 222 Mhz)
The FT-33R is a 222 MHz .5/1/2.5/5 watt HT.
Computers
My son Scott built me a AMD Quad Core desktop.
Windows 7 Professional
It has 8Gb Memory, 80Gb Drive C, 250Gb Drive D, 650Gb Drive E, 800Gb Drive F
HP DVD RAM CD/DVD Drive, Liteon CD/DVD Drive
ATI Digital/analog TV card.
22 inch LED TV/Monitor
HP DV61245DX Laptop
Intel Core 2 Duo 2.1 processor. 4Gb Memory
Windows 7 Professional
640Gb SATA 5400 Drive C, Lightscribe CD/DVD Drive - 15.6 inch LCD Monitor Display
3 USB - HDMI - 1392 - Firewire - Modem - Web Cam - B/G WIFI - SD Card reader.
I use Synology Network Access Servers. The DS 106 NAS is on site, and the DS 107 is at my son's house. Each unit has a 700 Gb SATA drive. Each unit also have File stations, Web Station, Mail Station, Photo Station, Audio Station, RAID. I use the SyncBackSE program to automatically backup all computers to both NAS units. The units use about 8 - 25 watts.
Mobile
Yaesu FTM-10R 2/70cm FM 50 watt motorcycle unit.
I have the unit separated, with the Display Head on the dash & the unit is under the seat.
The antenna is a Diamond 770 2/70cm mag mount.
Portable
I use the FT 897 & FTM-10R & IC-91AD portable.
The FT 897 runs on the AC or internal 12v battery.
I use two portable antennas on HF.
One is the Minute Man, or the other is the MFJ Box Fan.
On VHF/UHF (SSB) I use a dipole, and on FM I use a Diamond 770 mag mount antenna.
