Welcome to the KC8QDR Ham Radio Web Page!


(Mice don’t respond well to RF.)

 

 

A little Bio info for you:

Hello! My name is Bill, and I have been a licensed ham radio operator since January of 2001. I’m still new at this, and there’s so much to learn in this great hobby. I’ve been listening to scanners since I was about 13 years old, and that’s when I fell in love with radio. I used CB a little bit, but then I got interested in HAM (amateur) radio when I was bored during a Christmas break. I studied and got my “no code” tech ticket the next month. So far, I’ve enjoyed working 2 meter and 440 FM. I’m going to study, learn code, and eventually get my general so I can give HF a try. My family is full of HAMS, so I figured I’d join them. My grandpa is WB8YFS, my uncle is W8DVM (he’s a veterinarian, with a cool vanity call!) and my other uncle is N8JNT. My dad was formerly WA8TAX, but he let his license expire L, so he’ll have to re-test sometime. My other grandpa hates radio amateurs as he is an avid TV watcher and had to put up with TVI for about 5 years before he finally got cable (or the ham moved away, HI!). Here’s my e-mail address: [email protected]

 

UPDATE: Well some stuff happened and I quit going to OSU. I now go to the Franciscan University of Steubenville in my hometown of Steubenville, OH. I have joined SWARC (the Steubenville-Weirton Amateur Radio Club) and they are a pretty cool bunch. It's nice to be living at home again, where I can put up some serious antennas!

My car won't fit in the garage anymore, too many antennas.

 

My gear: I've been buying and selling gear lately. I now have a Yaesu FT-847 as my main base radio. I also got an MFJ-969 antenna tuner which I use to feed my W8DYF Lowes antenna (thanks Joe). I have an older MFJ TNC-2 for packet and I power this all with an Alinco Dm-330 MV 32 amp power supply. In the car, I've got a Yaesu FT-2500 2m mobile (I love that rig) and an Alinco DR-M06 6m FM mobile rig. I also have the Alinco DJ-580 HT.  For antennas, I use a cushcraft 3 element 2m/70cm dual band beam mounted vertically, and a KMA log periodic 6m antenna, horizontally polarized. I just put the Lowes wire antenna up so I am all ready to go on HF, just as soon as I pass the code test.

 

Here's a picture of the shack:

 

Ham Radio Activities:

            Amateur radio is also more than a hobby; it’s a public service. I’m not talking about picking garbage up off the street public service; I’m talking fun, exciting public service!! We do fun things, like testing air-raid warning sirens!

 

Here’s a categorized list of links I’ve found useful. There are a lot so they get their own page.

 

You are visitor number since 05/07/01

A BIG thanks to the people at QSL.net for hosting this page!