For thirty years my main rig was a Drake T4XC transmitter, R4C receiver and a Drake L7 amplifier. The old standby rig was a Johnson Viking Ranger II transmitter with a Drake 2B receiver and a homebrew linear amplifier that uses a pair of 813s.
In April 2007 I decided to replace the Drake Twins with a Ten Tec OMNI VI which was factory upgraded to be equivalent to the OMNI VI Plus. I am planning to add some Sherwood mods to the R4C. I have the kits and hope to do the work soon.
This year, 2012, I decided to upgrade again. The new rig is an Elecraft K3. Can't wait for the next contest!
For mobile I use an Icom 706 with a Hustler antenna. At last count I had worked 93 countries mobile.
The 160 antenna is an inverted L. Overall length was extended past a quarter wavelength to bring the impedance up to 50 ohms resistive plus some inductive reactance. I have about 200 MMF of capacitance between the coax feedline and the antenna to cancel the inductive reactance resulting in a near perfect 50 ohm load to the coax.
The 80 meter antenna is a full size half square. It may be the best antenna I have ever had. It is arranged to be broadside to Europe. I can usually work Europe in the afternoons as early as a lot of the W1s! The only other antenna comparable to it is my full size 4 element 20 meter monoband yagi. However, it is in it's original carton in my garage waiting to be called back into service when the sunspots rise again!
40, 20 and 10 meters is covered by three halfwave dipoles connected to the same feedline using small PVC pipe as spacers. KG4ZYY, Richard gave me this idea.
For 17 meters I use a separate dipole. For contest operations I drop the 17 meter dipole and replace it with a 15 meter dipole.
Click on my "Antenna Projects " below. It has pictures of various antennas and current projects. I also have a page dedicated to the Half Square antennas I have built (80meters) and have planned (160 meters).
I operated from my Dandy Point location for almost exactly 8 years and 5 months with only wire antennas. Thanks to computer logging it was easy to get a summary of my results with these antennas.
Total QSOs 15,354
All 40 zones
235 countries
Countries by Band
160 meters 101
80 meters 146
40 meters 169
20 meters 197
17 meters 80
15 meters 181
10 meters 110
Most DX was worked with about 700 watts output, but I also worked all 50 states running QRP.
My best contest results were: 1.6 million points in the 2010 CQ WW CW contest with over 100 countries on 40, 20 and 15 meters and 1.5 million points in the 2011 ARRL CW DX contest.
In September 2011, I started up at my new New Kent County location. Along with the wire antennas I plan to have my 20 meter monobander back in action. It was last up at my first Dandy Point QTH in 1992 on a 70 foot Rohn 45 foldover tower. My plans this time are to have it on a Universal self supporting aluminum tower like I had in the 70's and 80's. I expect to also have the homebrew 10 meter yagi up in time for the next sunspot cycle peak.
As of the present time I have my 80 meter half square back up as well as my dipoles for 40, 20 and 10 meters. I just beat last years CQWW CW Score with 1474 QSOs for 2,512,036 points and working 100+ countries on 40, 20 ,15 and 10 meters. The antennas are working good at my new location.
I also have a bent half square up for 160 meters. A little late for this seasons 160 contests, but ready for next season!
Contesting Some of the highlights of N4DJ/WA4DUS contesting over the past 49 years.
Top Band at N4DJ Pictures of antennas and station 1964 to 2011
OSCAR from FS7 This is an historical note about W4PRO, W4GSM and N4DJ (then WA4DUS) DX pedition to FS7 in 1976. We were FG0CXV/FS7. Did we work you?
Recent Satellite operations
TEN METER BEAM Information on a two element 10 meter beam I built.
Virginia Tech Amateur Radio Association Pictures from 1966 through 1970
Eyeball QSO with Barry
Goldwater K7UGA
Antenna Projects Recent antenna projects here, as well as some past antennas.
Half Square Antennas 160 and 80 Meter Half Square Design
Rig pictures over the past 50 years
UMBC softball
My son Chip (KC4RKO) finished his first feature film as a writer and director. Check out the website for his film "In The Pines" Chips new film In The Pines
©2011
Visitors since 8 September 2008