Category Archives: Ham Radio

Bye-bye Icom IC7000

Today my Icom IC-7000 and associated separation kit sold on eBay. I have wrapped them up for posting. I’ll be sad to see the IC7000 go, since it’s been my main workhorse for a long time – It’s been everywhere, that radio; from the university office to touring around Europe! I’ve replaced it with the IC7100 for DSTAR use, as well as an IC7700 (which I have had for a while).

CQWW SSB 2014

I’ve been doing CQWW as a somewhat casual attempt to work some DX for the past few years, but this year I took it to the next level to organise an event with my local radio club.

There is a full analysis of the log for the weekend, including the KML files from which the following were taken. Where information is not available for a given callsign, the pin has been inserted into the centre of each country with an asterisk or question mark to indicate.

For the rest of the log analysis, please click 2014 CQWW SSB

Friedrichshafen 2014

From 28 June to 2 July 2014, a few of us where about and about in Europe! I drove to the Ham Radio Friedrichshafen International Exhibition for the second time, this time leaving a few days each side to recover from the long drive. In the first spare day we drove into Italy, stopping in Liechtenstein (to say we had been). Going, we drove over the Alps and returned back via the tunnels through the Alps (as it was dark). Utterly amazing drive! As evidence, I offer the pictures below!

Driving through the Swiss Alps Driving to Italy

144 MHz 1.25 kW Amplifier

Over the weekend I worked on my 1.25 kW solid state PA based on F1JRD’s design from Dubus using a MRFE6VP61K25H. I bought a complete kit at the Friedrichshafen Hamfest 2012 from F1JRD and F5CYS and built it up late 2013 but due to problems, I never had more than around 40W output. This weekend, with a new set of capacitors from ATC I rebuilt the output matching and fired it up once again. With my 1kW/50V power-supply I can get around 600W output, which his more than enough. This is still a work in progress, but things are moving forward with the project.