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Focusing on VHF, EME (Moonbounce), and Satellites

Bill Dzurilla
Plantation, FL 33324
USA
Broward County

UPDATE October 2020: Just a few notes, as this site has not been updated for 5 years. I'm no longer active on EME in Florida or in Slovakia. Pete N8PR sadly went Silent Key last month. My AO-7 record with Wyatt has been surpassed by Joe KE9AJ and Jerome F4DXV, 8204.6 km. Right now I'm in Slovakia and working QO-100 as OM3BD.

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Hi, welcome, my regular home is in Plantation, Florida, EL96uc, and my summer QTH is in Bratislava, Slovakia, JN88mf. My Slovak station OM3BD is on the air again in summer 2013, at least when the antenna is not exploding up into the air. I also operate from different places, such as OE/OM/HA/NZ5N, transmitting in 3 countries at once. My current ham radio projects largely involve VHF, primarily EME, satellites, tropo and meteor scatter. To the right is my Florida 2 meter EME array (construction photos and story). Wyatt AC0RA and I hold the record for the longest distance QSO via the AO-7 satellite. My VHF interest goes way back to my novice days on 2 meter AM, and my newest project is working on my first rigs, a Heathkit Twoer and Gonset Communicator.

I've been a ham since 1966 (age 13) but have had several long stretches off the air. My novice call was WN2YRD in Carteret, New Jersey. Here are some old photos from my novice days. Later calls were WB2YRD, WB4RSF (after moving to Holly Hill, FL), WD5HRO (after moving to Louisiana), KF5DD (after upgrading to Advanced), and finally NZ5N (after upgrading to Extra).

My latest period of activity runs from December 2006, when I got a new Kenwood TS-480SAT and a Collins 30L-1 600w amp for myself as a Christmas present and got back on the air after 9 years of inactivity. It was my bad luck to get re-interested in ham radio just a few months after buying a nice new home in an antenna-restricted community.

In March 2007 upgraded the amp to an ACOM-2000a, the most expensive piece of ham gear I have ever bought, but worth it. Also picked up an ICOM 756 Pro II. Due to the community antenna restrictions, my only HF antenna was (and still is an MFJ-1793, 33' high, full 1/4 wave on 40, top-loaded on 80, and with a separate 1/4 wave element for 20. I've added monopoles for 17, 15 and 10. I got so interested in this inexpensive, high performance antenna that I started the MFJ-1793 Yahoo Group for photos, files and other info about this antenna.

My first love, however, dating back to my novice days on 2 meter AM phone with a Gonset Communicator II, has always been VHF. After borrowing a rig and getting back on 6m, 2m, and 70cm from Slovakia in summer 2007, I tried to figure out a way to work meteor scatter and moonbounce in Florida with stealth antennas. The solution was a 2M9SSB on a push-up pole that I took down during the day and pushed up at night. I've really enjoyed the WSJT modes for EME and meteors and am always trying to think of ways to upgrade the antennas. My friend Pete N8PR allowed me to put up on his property an array of four 2MXP20s, so I finally have a real EME station. I have been experimenting with EME reception on a FunCube Dongle.

Enjoy golf, travel, Star Trek. Age 61, married with 2 sons ages 7 and 14. Have been an attorney since 1981, now a partner in a law firm.

I now have 465 initials and 94 countries (DXCC in 2015???) on 144 mhz EME (update 10/2020: now 655 initials and 124 countries).

My Novice Photos

The 2m EME antennas at OM3BD pointed at the moon.
More photos of the OM3BD antenna farm.

Photos of the construction of my new 144 mhz 4x 2MXP20 EME array in Florida.

The case of the Flying Antenna - an unfortunate accident at OM3BD 2013.

I made this screenshot and video about using the FUNcube Dongle to receive EME with MAP65-IQ.

Here are recordings, photos, and info about the world record longest distance QSO via the AO-7 satellite.

Last updated 4/27/15

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