Pure Fun playing Ham Radio

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Greetings once again, I've been playing radio quite a lot since I repaired the ft-100 /mobile rig, making many successful DX and local QSOs on 40m, 20m and 2m. The next stage of improvement for my mobile station is to fit the heil base mic that I recently acquired from Ron 2E0DOG.
This should be an easier way to operate hands free as well as maintaining top quality audio. I tried a hands free kit from Watson last year but the quality of audio was poor, so I've been using the standard fist mic from Yaesu ever since.
I shall fabricate a bracket to mount the mic in the Toyota at the side of the steering wheel close to the dash. The mic has a separate PTT switch that will fit at the side of the hand break. I am awaiting a mic lead which will convert the round pin plug to the ft-100 mod type plug this should hopefully be arriving soon allowing me to begin operating the new set up.

The other equipment has also been working well, especially the old ft-767gx which I have been running on HF the last fortnight. It was collecting cobwebs after a 2 year rest and I had forgotten how truly great it was to use. The ft-767gx still performs as well as ever with a quality RX sound produced through the matching ext speaker and good audio quality provided through the MD1 desk mic. This rig still seems to work really well and with the new delta loop on 20m I have been having some excellent results and hours of fun.

The home brew Delta loop which is horizontally mounted works exceptional well giving me a new Country to add to my list which was Alaska when I spoke with Joe KL7LF.
The loop regularly brings better reports than the 6BTV and G5RV, I can strongly recommend the design posted previously. I am looking forward to getting the chance to try it out some more during the World Wide CQ contest this coming weekend. This weekend also celebrates meeting my lovely Lady Louise M3TLL which is the best thing that has ever happened. I am a lucky guy!

Last weekend I got to play /portable with my hand held radio whilst taking in the breath taking views of the Yorkshire Dales from the summit of Beamsley Beacon near by to Bolton Abbey in Wharfe Dale North Yorkshire.
I made some 50 mile to 80 mile distance QSO on 2m with 5 watts from the Kenwood th-f7 hand held rig. The little rig lives up to the name of "Handy" proving to work well with the Diamond SRH771 antenna for 145/433 mhz and wide band receive capabilities which I replaced the standard rubber duck with.
During my operations the bands were quite busy for a change and I worked quite a few different Stations on 2m and 70cms during my walk about with Louise and Dudley our Dog.

Radio has been good fun lately and I have met some nice people on the bands and I am looking forward to meeting many more the next time i switch one of my radios on.

Thanks for the visit 73 de 2E0HTS

Comments

Phaze58 said…
It was Nice to "Meet" you on that sunny sunday simon, and congrats ,You lucky divil.I was Up at Brimham rocks as you know ,frightning poor Franca to death standing on the edge of some of the bigger stones :).

I Might try the delta Loop before I sink a couple of hunderd quid into a 6BTV Glad to see my old 767 is OK.

I am quite happy with the IC-746 and I cant see me getting rid of it yet. I am still after the Speaker and PSU to go with it though.
Speak to you later M8
73's & *88's
de M1PAC
12:50 pm
MØYKS Simon said…
Hi Phil(M1PAC) you never know who's listening in on your QSO lol.

Always a pleasure to meet up with you on air and of course in person.

Brimham rocks is an interesting place I hope franca enjoyed herself
:-)

As far as the rigs go you have a great set up and yes the ft-767 is still doing the biz.
73 all the best good friend. Simon
9:27 pm
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