Humble beginnings
Welcome to the humble beginnings of my future website. The purpose of this website is two-fold.
- Provide a website for you to learn more about me and my ham radio activities because I enjoy the hobby and like to share my experiences.
- WordPress is new to me. This will be an educational experience.
As time allows over the winter months, I will be adding content to the website. There will be articles describing my equipment as well as the digital modes I use.
Radios
The radio equipment consists of a Kenwood TS-590SG for digital modes, a Kenwood TS-990S for SSB and CW and a Xiegu G90 for field portable QRP.
I also run a Kenwood TK-790H (110 watt commercial VHF radio) and a Kenwood TM-255A (All mode VHF radio).
Digital modes are primarily JS8, Contestia, FSQCall and gARIM. These digital modes run simultaneously, commonly referred to as “Quad-Mode”.
Field portable QRP operations are on hold because it is winter time here in southwestern South Dakota. Aside from Winter Field Day, I much prefer the warmth of my shack during cold months.
Antenna
The current HF antenna is the GAP Challenger DX, which is a 43 foot vertical. It operates on 80m, 40m, 20m, 15m, 12m, 10m, 6m, and 2m, although the bandwidth is only 130 kilohertz wide on 80 meters.
Plans are in the works to replace the current vertical antenna with a DX Commander Classic antenna with an 80 meter inverted “L” add-on. The antenna has been on the shelf for nearly a year. The new coax and 1000 feet of radial wires are now on the bench awaiting install. I am not sure I can get this done before the ground freezes so it may become a springtime project.
I live in a little house on the prairie so I struggle with antenna options as there are no trees here but there is a 50 foot tower in the works.
So there you have it, the humble beginnings. There will be many changes coming to this site over the winter months. Please stay tuned and check back often.
73 de W0FW
