Hello and welcome to my world. My name is Richard and I am KT4OR. I got into amateur radio as Tech-Plus KF4HLW in March 1996 and recieved my Extra that December. Amateur radio isn't just another hobby, it's an obsession. I am active on 2 through 160 meters using SSB & CW. I'm not a net or repeater junkie but I have nothing against those who are. I enjoy ragchewing, DXing, paper chasing (awards), contesting, building antennas, kit building, QSLing, and the occassional satellite contact. My favorite bands for SSB are 6, 10, and 15 meters. I only work 40 and 75 meter SSB during contests or if another op asks to work me there. Although I am a paper chaser, most of the time I'll be found ragchewing somewhere. I enjoy playing in contests as they are a golden opportunity for a paperchaser. So far I have acheived a DXCC, WAS, WAC, and the 1000 Mile Per Watt award. I have worked New Zealand using 2 watts which equates to about 4,000 miles per watt.
I built my first kit radio (a NorCal 40A) and was amazed how easy it was. I had so much fun building that one as well as operating QRP that I wanted more. The more I desired became the Wilderness Sierra CW QRP kit. It is also a fun little kit to build and uses band modules that plug in that you also have to build and gives it multiband capabilities. I also built the KC2 add on for the Sierra which has an LCD frequency counter, S meter, watt meter, and an electronic keyer. Want to learn more about what makes a radio work try building your own. Most of them aren't very hard and it's really a blast to tell the person your chatting with that you built it. Telling that can also turn a would be Name, RST, QTH, NEXT contact into a good ragchew. So if you get into one of those need to do something different moods, try kit building. I also had the pleasure of getting a Kent Dual Paddle kit at the hamfest in Shelby, N.C. which is an outstanding key. Haven't touched the Benchers since I got it. Excluding a few antenna projects I have planned, the next project I am planning on building is the Elecraft K-2 10-160 meter QRP CW/SSB transciever. I would have already started it but my niece and nephew need a computer more than I need another rig so I built that instead. Time to start saving again.
There are so many aspects to amateur radio, you could not really do them all and do them well. How many other hobbies can truly say that? There is only one thing that bonds us all together and that is radio. You can get into digital communications, working satellites, emergency communications, kit building, antenna building, DXing, handling traffic, IOTA chasing, elmering, become a Volunteer Examiner, QRP (low power), EME (moon bounce), paper chasing, and well you get the idea. These just scratch the surface as there are many subgroups beyond what I mentioned.
Icom IC-706 MKII
Bencher RJ-1 Straight Key
Bencher BY-1 Paddles
High Sierra Screwdriver Antenna
Antennas:
Commercially Built Antennas:
Antron 99 vert. at 40'
Cushcraft A3S tribander at 28'
Diamond F22A at 34'
Homebrew Antennas:
G5RV at 35'
In the process of moving so I'm down to the minimum.
Other Homebrew Antennas With Nowhere To Go:
2 meter Quadrifiliar Helix (Satellites)
4 el 2 meter Yagi
4 el 6 meter Yagi
10 meter turnstile (satellites)
30 meter dipole
40 meter "Cage" dipole (8 14ga. wires, 18" spread)
80 meter "Cage" dipole (8 14ga. wires, 13" spread)
160 meter dipole
6 el 2 meter Quad
2 meter Vertical Phased Array
2 meter Hentenna
6 meter Hentenna
40 meter "Fat" dipole (2 14ga. wires, 18" spread)
80 meter "Fat" dipole (2 14ga. wires, 36" spread)