Ham Radio Operator - M0YKS

Well that was all over a bit too quickly was what I thought as I returned to the workplace after my summer break. We enjoyed our time on the isle of Anglesey and had lots of good wx. I also made a few nice qso using my DX machine on 2 meters and 40 meters which was something a little bit different as I nearly always operate 20 meters from the mobile. The island is a great location for radio and holidays as it is very quiet and peaceful with excellent radio reception due to zero noise and qrn. M3TLL - Louise also enjoyed the location as she gazes across at Pen mon Lighthouse and Puffin Island with the assistance of my grandfather's binoculars. At the present moment I am at work staying back a couple of hours as it is a brand new college year next week and I have to be here incase we receive more enquiries regarding enrolling onto one of my engineering courses. I will be out in the car park into the DX machine straight after I'm done and will be tuning my radio i...

It's 8 years since I constructed the IO - 10 El Sat antenna that is still holding up well in the moor top winds and winters. It just goes to show how well homebrew projects can work as well as the comercial ones that cost an arm and a leg. I have been working a few lighthouse stations that are currently on the air and managed to catch a couple of nice DX station last night from the cabin. I also had some good contacts on VHF using my old YAESU FT-2600m where I made contact with a special event station, a new operator practising from a radio club as well as some local stations that I haven't made a qso with for a couple of years. The WX up here on Baildon Moor is sunny with showers and plenty of wind as our summer holidays continue for another week or so. I will be active as MW0YKS mobile from the beach next week. 73

Back at the home QTH. The homemade loop has been down a while after a storm took it from it's tree supports. I jumped over the garden wall into the woodland at the back and managed to get the wire delta loop up into the trees nice and high. After a couple of goes I ended up with a very good triangle with equal leg proportions which I secured well. The SWR reads 1:5 so I'll leave it at that and give it a blast. The delta loop antenna is used with my old FT-890 which I have on when I'm hanging out I in the dining room which just so happens to be a lot. Maybe I should bring the main shack Into the dinning room but to keep the peace I better not! I already have a nice corner filled with hifi amplifiers, turntables big speakers and a neat second station. 73

I'm entering week two of my summer holidays and so far it's been great. We made it to GM Scotland last week and enjoyed excellent weather whilst camping in the Mk7 DX machine. I worked a few stations on 20m and enjoyed the zero noise levels whilst listening to some nice DX. I'm up at my cabin on the Yorkshire moor this evening and have worked into Canada earlier having a nice qso with VE3YJ,  I heard VK3MO and LU3MCJ as well as CO8NDZ coming in loud and clear on my favourite band 20m. Listen out and keep an eye on my blog for the next outing. I'll be on air from Baildon Moor tomorrow morning. Best 73. Thanks M0YKS

Here is a video of my latest mobile amateur radio station in action!

I made a better head mount for my mobile YAESU FT-857. The unit is much more secure with my new improved version which is once again made from aluminium sheet. I shall get around to making a much better detailed post regarding the ham radio install but here is a quick preview of how I installed the main unit. Listen out for M0YKS /mobile over the next few weeks as I start my summer holidays. 73

Some of you may have noticed on the post about MX0KSC the vehicle used to support the antenna mast was a different ford transit. It just so happens to be my latest DX machine. The old mobile served me so well I decided to get another to convert into a DX Mobile and family day van/camper. Next week I will have rear Windows installed and today I installed my FT-857 & maldol HF antenna. I just have a bit of tidying up to complete and decide where I want to mount the head unit. I will be making a video of the new DX machine in the very near future which will include a demonstration of the radio equipment in operation. 73