Home QTH

My home shack is pretty simple since I moved to an apartment. I use the TS590S Kenwood transceiver in combination with a SDR receiver (see project info). Sometimes I use the homemade Linear MosFed 600W amplifier.(https://www.dxworld-e.com/). (see project info)

My radio is connected to my computer through an USB cable and is used most of the time in Digi modes (RTTY JT65 FT8/4).

Up to 12wpm I enjoy the paddle, but spatially on dx contest, most hams using computer driven high speed CW calling, I use Ham MRP40 software to catch some exceptional DX.

Early Jan 2015 I repaired my old TS930SAT Kenwood with the help of W3AFC. John had the same power supply problem and broken drivers in the PA too, but ... he took note about everything and wrote a very interesting paper. Thanks John for the help and motivating me to fire-up again this old Flag ship of Kenwood. See https://www.qrz.com/db/W3AFC

I am using 3 antennas for HF communications:

My primary antenna is a End Fed Long wire of 158 m (518 feed) lenght,  covering 1.8 to 30 MHz and mounted about 8m up with the line strung started top of the roof through a few steel poles in the garden ending in an oak tree. (see project info 1 2 )

The second antenne is also an End Fed wire of 42m covering 3.5 to 30 MHz.
Entering the shack after a home made 49/1 balun (2xFT240-52), followed by a home made current balun (FT240-31) and finally matched by the MFJ-993B antenne tuner, in the shack) to the TRX.
(see project info)

I have a clear area and run the antenna wire straight north-south. It has been working just fine for me, considering the low height for the wire and the fix direction. Airview_wire_antennas

The third one is a small vertical End Fed : Vertical Diamond CP-5HS II
The CP-5HS is designed for five bands on shortwave: 40, 20, 15, 10 and 6 m. Depending on the band, the antenna can handle between 200 and 500 watts of transmit power, more than sufficient for most current shortwave transceivers. The vertical radiator of the CP-5HS is only 360 cm high, the rigid radials are 180 cm long. Like the radiator itself, the radials are also constructed with traps, thus achieving good efficiency with a short length - ideal for confined spaces. The vertical radiator also uses hat capacities to electrically extend the antenna length.

My discone antenna is a Sirio 1300 - Specs, mounted 8m height and can be used for the SDR RSP1A receiver, combined the SDRplay software.

Logging Software

I use the Logger32 software as semi-manual logbook. On hand *.ADIF files these info is auto-transmitted to LOTW, e-QSL, Clublog, QRZ and HRDlogs. So far so good.

WSPR hardware

Using the Ultimate3S kit (QRPLab's) 200mW/5W combined different antennas, magnetic loop 90cm, double loop 1.4m.