I became interested in radio through listening to Alan. I was perplexed that he could make such clear contacts, and that there was no time delay despite the distances covered. I slowly realised how much is involved, how much thought has to go into the setting up and improvements to the system, and how careful calculation can bring about improvement.
I received my licence at the end of 2008 and work mainly on 70cms although I do get on HF from time to time. Our garden is small, so I avoided the back lawned area when the rolls of chicken wire went down, and I had to move some shrubs to give the aerial room, but I do feel pleased when Alan gets through a pile-up or works a new country.
I am looking forward to the time when I can work all the DX with just 10
watts.
The KM4000 was designed around 33 years ago to fulfil a need for a flexible electronic morse key with a built in electronic memory that can be used for every day QSO’s, contest, meteor scatter or EME work. The KM4000 was designed with the user in mind and can be operated with a single paddle or with full iambic operation, there’s an LED memory status display and side tone generator, just add the switch options, put it in all in a case and connect your favourite paddle. . . You may need a TX to get some distance.
Many many years ago when I was eleven, my interest in amateur radio, or ham radio as its come to be known started. The idea of talking
through a microphone, and those words being heard miles away fascinated me. (Still does).
Many hours were spent reading radio
magazines and cannibalising old televisions and radios for components, some of the more ‘likely’ radios had BFO’s, ’S’ meters, additional
IF stages and RF pre-selectors added. Transmitters were made and remade. At thirteen the ‘Radio Amateurs Exam’ was taken. The result
was not what I wanted. I got round to taking it again a few years later with the correct result this time; In 1975 G8KLN was on the
air. Using modified commercial equipment and home brew my interest was 2 metre DX.
A couple of years later in 1977 my interest
turned to CW and the Morse test. After 3 months living, breathing and eating Morse the CW test was in the bag. G4GVB had arrived.
While I was working as an Electronics Engineer in the Engineering department at a local company producing Digital Temperature measuring
equipment. I designed, built and sold an electronic Morse key with memory, the KM4000 was published in the RSGB’s magazine
‘Radio Communication’ I still have the original keyer and it still works. In 1998 I was elected a 'Fellow of the Institute of British
Engineers'.
Today at my postage stamp size QTH my interest is DX both QRO and QRP also giving a few points away in contests.
I work all the HF bands with two FT-890's one is connected to a Ten-Tec Hercules II linear giving me 400 watts. My time
is spent on SSB, CW, BPSK31, SSTV, JT65 and RTTY. The aerial is a modest inverted trapped 'L' 32 feet at its highest point. It
works well on 80 and 40 with all continents worked. For 20m I have a 1/4 wave stub at the feed point and on 15 and 12 there’s
a 5/8 stub. Under the grass is 60 feet of chicken wire with another 15 radials. Another 5/8 for 10m up at 12 feet completes the farm. Best
DX with 4 watts CW to date was in February 2010 on 15m when
You can find us both on QRZ.com Check us
out.