Here's what you'll find here:
Stuff About Me
My name is Alan Wolke. I am an Electrical Engineer, currently working as an RF Application Engineer for Tektronix - which means I get paid to play with Spectrum Analyzers and other fun RF and high frequency stuff. Former work focused on hardware validation of read-channel circuits for hard disk drives, and also concentrated on applications support for analog, high speed, RF, and backplane/datacom/telecom circuit and integrated circuit designs for various communications and fiber optic applications to well over 10Gb/s, and involved various circuit technologies including Silicon bipolar, Silicon-Germanium HBT, CMOS, and BiCMOS processes, GaAs MESFET and HBT processes, and various 850nm and 1300nm LEDs, PIN photodiodes and Laserdiodes. Shameless self-promotion links: here are links to things I've done that are published on the web (at a previous company): Paper 1, Paper 2, Paper 3, Patent (some of the Paper links are broken, since the company has since been bought out...).
I was originally licensed as a Novice Class in the late seventies while in High School as KA2IZZ. We had an Amateur Radio Club there (Matawan Regional High School in NJ) under the direction of WA2SLK. I dropped out of the hobby when I went to college at NJIT, and then entered the workforce. Some friends at work got me interested in Amateur Radio again (N3GH, K2TW, K4MMG, W2PI), but my renewal privileges on KA2IZZ long since expired. So, I started over as a Technician with the call KC2BOG. After about a year and a half, I upgraded to Tech Plus and bought some HF equipment in September 1998. I applied for the vanity call W2AEW in September also, and received it in October 1998. I spent October working on my CW with some friendly "encouragement" from my friend and co-worker WA2NDH (now W2CSK), and upgraded to Advanced Class in November 1998. So, since my HF privileges are fairly new, I find myself working new states and countries all of the time. Great Fun!!! I frequent many of the local 2m repeaters in central NJ, and spend most of my HF time on 20m and 17m. I tested for the Extra Class license in February 2000. I passed the written test, but missed too many questions on the 20wpm code test (I did better than I thought I would though ;-). So, I became an Extra-Lite or Advanced-Plus after April 15th, 2000 anyway, HI HI!
Other interests besides the radio include MGB cars, RX-8, mountain-biking, NASCAR racing (go Mark Martin and Jeff Burton!), woodworking, home improvement, and TV/VCR repair (previous life) and of course, diddling around with circuits for fun.
Skeds and Interesting Info I've got a few regular weekly scheduled contacts with my friend George N3GH (see the tower project), Bob W3PT, Stew N2XZ and others. Look for us on Sunday mornings around 10AM Local Eastern Time on 7213kHz and also Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings at 8:00PM local eastern time on or about 3775kHz. If you here us gabbing away, please drop in and say hello! You can also find me very often, late at night, on 75m - usually on 3805 or 3830-5. I also enjoy participating in the EPARA Technical Net on Friday evenings, 8:30PM local on their 147.045 repeater in the Poconos.
Do you think its impossible to have a wire antenna that is <2:1 SWR across the entire 75/80m band? How about one that is <2:1 for 20/17/15, and another that is for 12m and 10m. Well, check out Tom's unique antennas at W9OKA's info page. We are very sorry to report that Tom, W9OKA has become a silent key - he is greatly missed, and his antenna products are being continued by some of his many friends.
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My Station Equipment Shack (old pic, needs updating!), QSL Card
My Favorite Websites
QSL dot Net, a wonderful service for all Amateur Radio Operators! QRZ Callbook Server, great US listings, many with QSL images Buckmaster's CBS, great international and US listings eHam, a really great multipurpose Ham Radio site Area Hamfests, Super listing of NJ, NY, PA, DE, etc. Hamfests ARRL, THE Amateur Radio organization AC6V Megasite, excellent and huge site of Amateur Radio Links and info W4RNL excellent website for antenna information WM7D Amateur Pages, with call server, solar info, and lots of links NJDXA, North Jersey DX Association, QSL Bureau, DX info, good stuff! NASCAR, all the news about this great sport eBaY, Online Auction site HotBot, a great WWW Search Engine Google, an even BETTER Search Engine! W9OKA, some VERY broadbanded wire antennas ManualMan, the BEST source for equipment manuals! The MGB Experience, a GREAT website for MGB Automobiles! The RX-8 Forum, a great site for Mazda RX-8 discussion and information. The RX-8 Tri-State Club, club website for local NJ, PA, etc. RX-8 owners