Here are a few pictures of my shack as of this date. The HF equipment shown here are an Alinco DX8-ST using an external speaker and an MFJ-945E Tuner (manual). There is an Ameritron ALS-600 amp pictured, but it was not connected at this time. There is also a TYT TH-7800 pictured to the right for 2 meter and 70 cm communications. I can regularly hit the Beesting repeater (N7GGN at DM39wb) with the J-pole on my roof at a distance of 154 km (96 miles).
This shows my enitre station including the soldering area to the left
The Alinco set to 3923.5 kHz, the frequency of the Wyoming Cowboy Net
A little clsoer look at the equipment
Myself in the shack staying on the warm side of the door
A look at my outdoor antennas. The G5RV is in an inverted V (and folded back) with the apex at about 25 feet (7.5 m). The random wire antenna is 20 feet (6 m) at its highest point. The J-pole is 10 feet above the roof. The size of the lot is 18 m x 30 m (60 x 100 feet)
I purchased a used HF rig, a Kenwood TS930S.
Participated from y home QTH (DM40cj) as K1LOK. I made 30 contacts.
There were two entries from Utah, and I came in 2nd place with three contacts and 18 points.
I also made 2 contacts for the Minnesota QSO Party. This was enough to win first place for Utah.
Made 2 contacts with South Carolina. Both contacts were on 20 meters.
28 contacts total. 6 on 80 meters; 22 on 20 meters.
18 contacts total: 9 on 40 m; 9 on 20 m
3 contacts from Virginia, half 20 meter and half 40 meter.
Also had one contact from British Columbia for the Russian DX contest.
17 QSOs: 10 20 meter, 7 40 meter. Furthest contact: JO3JIS in Japan at 9152 km
3 into Mississippi and 3 into Louisiana. I also made 6 contacts into Missouri.
A portion of these contacts were made from a protable location near Fairfield, Utah County, Utah (DN30wg). The rest were made from the home QTH. In the case of Ontario, I have never seen so many people be happy to hear from Utah.
Working some HF from Fairfield, Utah County, Utah (DN30wg)
Certificate from the Ontario QSO Party
I made 24 contacts all on 20 meters. The distances ranged from 2432 km to 3332 km.
Participated in a few contetsts
Won first place for Lincoln County, Wyoming operating from DN41rq just south of Kemmerer. Also won 2nd place 7th-Area Open Expedition.
4 DX Europe contacts from Lincoln County Location. The furthest away was IK0ETA in Italy at 9055 km (5624 miles).
Submitted logs for the Indiana QSO Party, New England QSO Party and the Italian ARI-DX contests. For the ARI contest, I won third place for single operator low power from the US.
7th Area QSO Party: South of Kemmerrer, Lincoln County, Wyoming
Received my letter making me a volunteer examiner for W5YI.
3 contacts in the Arkansas QSO Party. 2nd best from Utah (out of 2) with 9 points.
Due to the COVID 19 situation, I decided not to go with any club this year. The past two years I went with the Skyline Club. I assigned my point earned to them.
My station was totally operated out of my back yard with the antennas set up in the park behind my house. I operated on battery power charged by solar panels. The daytime temperature was 35 °C (95 °F). Plenty of water was consumed.
In total I operated off and on for about 10 hours. I had 63 contacts (52% 20 meter, 44% 40 meter and 3% 80 meter). My furthest contact was N2BJ in Illinois at 1997 km (1240 miles).
Back Yard Field Day Setup
For this contest, I operated just 3 hours. I had 16 contacts all on 20 meters. The furthest way was VA3ISP at 2998 km (1862 miles).
A picture of my home setup. The radio appears to be tuned to the FARM Net. It is a Kenwood TS-930S with a MFJ-989C tuner.
I drove down to Dallam County, Texas for the Texas QSO Party. The QTH was the Thompson Grove Picnic Area (DM86oj) in the Rita Blanca National Grassland 46 km (29 miles) northwest of Dalhart.
Contacts were made for the Texas QSO Party (56), the Alabama QSO Party (5), and the DARC Worked All Europe Contest (10). The furthest contact was US1Q in Ukraine at 9915 km (6158 miles). The furthest TQP contact was K1JB in Maine at 2864 km (1779 miles).
Texas QSO Party: Thompson Grove Picnic Area, Dallam County, Texas
Certificate from DARC for my 10 contacts into Europe
The Salmon Run was the first contest I participated in a couple of years ago. This year, I had 13 contacts in 10 different counties. All but one were on the 40 meter band. The outlier was on 80 meters.
This went very well this year. I failed to make a contact on 20 meters. The band was too long. I had 25 contacts on 80 meters and 48 on 40 meters for a total of 73 QSOs. This was from 33 different counties (out of 58).
I participated in communications support for the Moab 240. I worked The Island (DM58fb) and Porcupine Rim (DM58ho) aid stations. Besides ham radio, I got to serve food, sharpen knifes, provide transport, and help with vital temperature measurements. In addition to the run, I participated in the Scandinavian Activity Contest (10 contacts) plus a 2 other DX contacts.
Set up at The Island Aid Station (DM58fb)
Set up at Porcupine Rim Aid Station (DM58ho)
I only participated for a few hours on Friday night. I was too busy to devote a lot of time. I made 9 contacts, all in the US and Canada. All were on 40 meter except for a nighttime 20 meter contact with K5TR in Texas. My furthest contact was VA2EW (FN35) in Quebec at a distance of 3103 km.
I participated in my first Esperanto Contest for Radio Amateurs (La Esperanto-konkurso por radioamatoroj). All of my contacts were in Esperanto via Echolink. I made 10 contacts in 7 countries and 3 continents. Not bad after learning Esperanto for five months.
Mi partoprenis mian unuan Esperanto-Konkurson por Radio-Amatoroj. Ĉiuj miaj kontaktoj estis en Esperanto per Echolink. Mi faris 10 kontaktojn en 7 landoj kaj 3 kontinentoj. Estas bone post kvin monatoj lerni Esperanto.
La Esperanto-konkurso por radioamatoroj
I participated in Skywarn Recognition Day this year. Due to COVID, I participated at home due to the COVID restrictions. I made 25 contacts. All were via Echolink except for two on HF SSB (20 m) and on VHF FM. I set up my own thermometer outside. The box I had experienced some radiative heating due to sunlight. It was my first attempt to build anything close to a Stevenson screen.
The readout (Fluke 1595A) was used to read a PRT (Fluke 5615) inside the box outdoors. The humidity was monitored by a Fluke 2626 sensor in the same box. In addition, a bead thermistor was placed in the box.
This was the first time I ever made a contact on 10 meters. I didn’t try too often, and the band was open even fewer. I had five contacts total, 3 in the United States and 2 in Brazil. The farthest was PU5FJR at a distance of 9985 km.
I participated in the RAC winter contest. I had 29 contacts on 3 bands. 16 were on 20 meter, 6 were on 40 meter and 7 were on 80 meter. My farthest contact was KC1KUG in New Hampshire at 3355 km (2085 mi) on 80 meters. My farthest Canadian station was VA2EW in Quebec at a distance of 3103 km (1929 mi).
created by:
