In this section, I will go over some of my amateur radio projects and experiences. I plan on creating subsections on antennas, ARES, digital modes including FT8, Winlink, and others, and POTA.
Prior to becoming licensed in Amateur Radio, I was heavily involved in CB in the 1990s. Some of the things that I enjoyed doing were helping people set up their radios and antenna systems in their cars, and SSB. I had even gotten a “license” from the SSB Network (SSB 132Y), although I never put it to much use. In 2018, I passed my Technician Amateur Radio license and received the callsign KE0RSX, which I changed to a vanity call W0PCD shortly after. No one could get the RSX right, and I wanted my initials (although I did consider ‘WTF’ for the suffix). In October of that year, I passed the General License exam and have been a General since. Slowly, I’m working on passing the Amateur Extra license, just so I don’t have to worry about band privileges.
My experience with antennas started with the “Tape Measure Yagi,” which I made and was able to hit a repeater about thirty miles away. To be fair, you should be able to hit that repeater with a wet noodle, but still, I did it with a homebrew antenna. In my apartment, I put up two Slinkies stretched out on some dowels on the ceiling. Between that and a tuner, I was able to make contacts around the US and even into Europe once for a Sideband DX contest.
Ever the experimenter, I made a folded dipole using the same dowels and some 16 AWG wire. It had quick disconnects that were supposed to get it on various bands, although it was more hit and miss on some of the bands. It did like 30m though. I made contacts as far away as Europe and Asia on FT8.
Antennas and Radios for Amateur Radio
My current antenna is an AlphaDelta DX-CC that is mounted on my roof. Also, I have an Ed Fong DBJ-2 hanging in a window for local VHF/HF repeater contacts, and a Diamond NR770HA on a magnet in a skylight for my Winlink station to use. I have a few off-brand verticals that I plan to use for portable operations, including a Radioddity HF-010, which I just purchased.
As for radios, I have several. Yaesu FT-847 is my HF rig in the house. Yaesu FT-857D is my HF/VHF/UHF rig in my car. I have a Yaesu FTX-1 (Optima) that I plan on using for portable operations, as well as an Icom IC-756 MarkII (not the G, sadly) that I can use for portable operations as well. I have an Anytone AT778 for my Winlink Station, an Anytone AT-D890 (and 878) for HT’s, as well as my first HT–a Baofeng BFF8HP.
And sitting in a box, I have a Kenwood TS-440S/AT with the matching power supply. I used that until I bought the FT-847. Aside from the Anytones and the FTX-1, everything was used when I bought it (and in some cases, broken).