Ham Radio Operator - M0YKS

I moved the 40m delta loop over the weekend and managed to get it higher up in the air by an extra 5 meters. I have been checking it out across the bands and so far it seems hopeful with QSOs into the Azores on 40m as well as Iceland and I just worked Puerto Rico up on 20m. CU2CO - Paulo, Signal Report 5/9. Band 40 meters. TF8KY - Keli, Signal Report 5/9. Band 40 meters. KP4DKE - Peter, Signal Report 5/7. Band 20 meters. I will be experimenting throughout the week with the delta loop where I will check it out against the other antennas which are Hustler 6BTV, Cobwebb and Carolina Windom 80. I hope to be about in the shack this week after 20.00 utc on the HF bands so keep your ears on standby. 73,   Happy DXing!

It has been a while since the conditions have been any good during my usual HAM radio operating time which is normally when the kids are in bed fast asleep. However the past week or so has been very good, I have had some excellent DX contacts on the 17m, 20m and 40m bands where reports have been 5/9+. I got to talk to Mike - W2YP as I made my supper using my dining room shack which is currently hooked up to my trusty old YAESU FT-890 and homebrew 20m Delta loop, as mentioned in the video below. The qso was a solid 5/9 pipeline quality across the atlantic with both stations on less than 100 watts. Sunday Eve 21.50 utc: Another night of good conditions. I just worked into ARUBA up on 14.168 MHz with another 5/9 signal both ways from P45A Jean Pierre, this time I was in my main shack running the FT-1000MK V and 40m Quad loop that I recently made. Lets hope the good conditions and big DX signals are here for a while or a few more evenings at the very least, you can be sur...

I fancied a last cup of of coffee before I went bed and as the kettle boiled I powered up my dining room mini station to see if anything was happening on the HF bands. My Yaesu FT-890 pictured below is one of my original spare transceivers that I have had since the beginning of my Ham intrests  and works great especially on receive hooked up to a full wave 20m delta loop. This evening/morning at around midnight the coffee was smelling good when I tuned my FT-890 onto 14.209.5 MHz where I heard CP6XE coming in loud and clear from Bolivia. Normally I would have rushed to the main shack station which is my FT-1000MK V but the signal was so clear peaking at 5/9 I decided to call Miguel - CP6XE on the dining room listening station my little FT-890. To my pleasure the home brew delta loop and 100 watts of old school FT-890 did the trick and I made the contact into Bolivia with a 5/3 signal! A great way to end the evening, the only snag is I am feeling thirsty again and fancy...

Apologies for my absence....... It has been too long since I posted on my blog so I thought I would put you in the picture as to what has been keeping me from my beloved radio antics. You may remember I started installing a new central heating system which ended up taking me quite a few weekends of crawling about under the floorboards with my pipe and blow torch. After that I proceeded to rip out the original lead pipe work and then I successfully switched over to my new copper pipework system.  I was assisted by a very beautiful pipe bender and screw passer who helped me on numerous occasions which was especially helpful when I was running out of enthusiasm!  No holding back as I let loose on the old bathroom. Phew! I can get a shower again and a bath. But better still I have finished! Work has been busy, last month I sat lots of exams and carried out some welding practical examinations and became a coded welder and welding inspector. Th...

The kids are asleep, the dog is asleep, Louise my YL is asleep. It's M0YKS Ham Radio Shack Time! It's been full speed ahead since the new year where I have been off to a fine start when it comes to getting my finger out and cracking on.....Especially when it comes to keeping the family sweet with a bit of home improvement. There is something about bending pipe that gives a you a special kind of happy feeling when you do it. Before I got into teaching I worked in the industrial sector where I maintained lots of plant, industrial and technical equipment as well as the buildings and workshops. Needless to say I am multi skilled which always comes in handy for keeping the costs down. As for getting on the bands it will be business as usual which means most evenings after 9pm local and /Mobile, as for any other opportunities I will take them when they appear. I still have got quite a bit of pipework to run and a few radiators to change before I am done and not forgetti...

I was very pleased to find the 20m band wide open this morning as I drove to work  /Mobile, I was straight into Sydney Australia as I worked VK2DX giving him a juicy 5/6 signal.  Nick VK2DX was booming with a genuine 5/9 signal. Well that's all for now time for some work. If you can get on 20m right now its wide open.