Alaska Callsigns (30+ years): KL7J (11/1996 to Present)     ex: NL7J (8/1980 to 11/1996) & KL7EO (3/1979 to 8/1980) & WL7AFE (11/1978 to 3/1979) My name is Les and I've lived and raised a family in Alaska 38 years. I first visited Alaska in 1966 (all dirt, ~1440 mile Alaska Hwy back then). We carried extra tires, gas and headlite protectors. Later after college and getting a grubstake, I returned to stay and a 30 year career. Now retired. DX'ing is my favorite mode and I accomplished ARRL DX Honor Roll #1 in 2002 (worked all DX). Now at 338 current total countries. All worked from a modest one tower home station. Including deleted, 345 countries total countries, 343 SSB and 333 CW countries respectively. Honor Roll worked in SSB and Honor Roll worked in CW. Other operating accomplishments: DXCC = 100 minimum countries, WAS = Worked all States, WAZ = Worked all Zones. (I enjoyed working and logging these, but no longer do the papermill and mailing of applying/maintaining for all) 9-Band CW-DXCC 10/12/15/17/20/30/40/80/160, original 5Band 1989 #2777 7-Band SSB-DXCC 10/12/15/17/20/40/80 RTTY DXCC 9 Band CW WAS (10-160 mtrs) 7 band SSB WAS, original 5Band 1981 #925 SSTV IVCA-DX award #7 ARRL Satellite DX award 7-Band WAZ Mixed 10/12/15/17/20/30/40 meters completed. I need zone #37 on 80 MTRS for 8-Band WAZ. Challenge DXCC Award mode/band worked is 3112. RTTY WAS 2009 WAS Triple Play LoTW WAS Award #156 (2/2009) 5 Band WAS confimed via LoTW (3/2009), also by QSL cards in 1981 #925 HF: Rig: Yaesu FT-1000MP MARK-V with all filters. Including mods: Inrad Hiss Mod , the W8JI Noise Blanker Mod and Keying Mod. The Service Manual is here. Modified, here are the spec's: Many receivers performance ranking by W8JI's 2 KHz IMD test or by Sherwood (w/o a modified MKV). A lot of other information is at VA3CR's Yaesu FT1000MP Page. Amp: Alpharadioproducts 'Alpha model 99'. Ant Transmatch: Palstar AT4K '2.5 KW model with PEP Led meter, Sevick 1:1 current balun when needed on wires'. Antennas: SteppIR Yagi, 4 tuned monoband elements on 32 foot boom. 6 Meters thru 20 Meters at 87 Feet including built-in 30/40 meter rotary tunable dipole. *Modified 30 meters with slight forward gain. Hygain Tailtwister Rotator with Rotor EZ remote control mod. Other low band wires. Halfsquare curtain 40 meters, Directional Slopers 80 Meters, Inv L 160 meters on 45 radials, 80 vertical on 50 radials, shunt fed tower 160 mtrs and other misc "stuff" over the seasons. *Various Sense antennas out in the woods to a modified MFJ 1026 for nulling noise via active 180 degree RF phase mixing. Misc: . DX4Win logging program, intergrated with keyboard, radio, rotator and callbook. control via DX4Win. . RAC CD callbook. (for you oldies, the thick old paper Radio Amateur Flying Horse callbooks now on CD) . Vibroplex Iambic Paddles and Logikey. Electronic Keyer. . Heil Pro-Set Quiet Phone Headset. Active noise nulling and passive phase reversal. . MicroHam DigiKeyer Model USB outboard sound card and multi virtual ports interface specialized for digi modes. . HamCap and Wincap. Propagation software which is VOA driven. If you need a QSL, my card is via my QSL manager N3SL or ARRL LoTW electronic log of the world. I operate mostly CW but do spend some time in SSB and digitial modes like RTTY and SSTV. I enjoy homebrew building and modeling beams and wire antenna's strung out over a few acres and occasionally dabble in 160 meters, receiver mods, interfacing projects and some magnetic loop projects for noise DF'ing. I have built a homebrew 40 Meter QRP 1 watt TX from junk box parts (no kit) and appreciate the patience needed in QRP. I've done a small amount of MFSK16, FELD HELL, Olivia, and when traveling I used APRS (Tiny Tracker as KL7J-13). For me, some of the most fun is just running a 100 watts to a wire dipole up in some trees. That simplicity and economy of station versus brute force and money spent is still often the most rewarding when used with a little operating sleuth. Contesting interest is very minimal although some years I work ARRL Sweepstakes weekend trying for Clean Sweep. Not interested in score numbers or calling CQ contest for hours. During other contests I usually QSY to WARC bands. Current Photo QSLs via QSL Manager N3SL Former QSL's. To Main Page