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Author Topic: Introducing W2MW  (Read 724 times)

Offline w2mw

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Introducing W2MW
« on: February 18, 2014, 15:23:36 UTC »
Greetings all;
  Where to begin??? For starters I've been a ham for about 27 years now.  In the past I would operate mostly 100w first starting with an old Heathkit HW-101 (my very first rig, second hand).  From there I had developed a nice station which included my current Yaesu FT-920 and a series of HF beams.  I also operated HF mobile, mostly CW with an ICOM IC-706 MKII G.... then I got divorced and moved.  No more antenna farms.  Rigs sat in their boxes for several years but the itch never left me.  I was looking for a solution to get back on the air...

This is what I came up with.... 

  A few years back I convinced my Fiancee into having Santa look into a Vechtronics VEC-1330K QRP 30 meter rig.  http://www.vectronics.com/Product.php?productid=VEC-1330K.  Looking for a suitable antenna I came across the LNR end-fed dipole - EF-30.  http://www.lnrprecision.com/endfedz-specs/

  The rig assembled in a few evenings with no issues.  I managed to get the dipole strung up into a tree towards the back of my condo.  I was back on the air.

  Well after several evenings of trying and knowing I WAS getting out I became frustrated only because I wasn't sure if the new QRP rig was properly adjusted I opted to getting my IC-706 MKII G back on the air.  After a trip to a service center I had the rig back home.

  First think I did was dial back the RF to 5w.  Again, since I have restrictions where I live I didn't want to be blasting out over everyone's TV due to the proximity to my neighbors. 

  What a blast... It was like when I first got back on the air with my old HW-101.  I was working all sorts of DX.  I was into Western Europe, Africa, Russia, Central and South America, Canada.... to name a few places. 

I was hooked.... again!


  With such great success I needed more.  I had a Force 12 Sigma 5 - 5 band vertical antenna in storage.  Last fall I dug that out and was able to rig a few brackets to mount the antenna on the handrail of my condos deck.  Now with 10m-20m along with my 30m EFD I was working all sorts of phone & cw contacts including New Zealand.  All on 5w!!! 

  Now some background.  As mentioned before, I have been a ham for about 27 years.   I got my inspiration from my Grandfather who was a ham for over 60 years.  I am fortunate that I was eligible to receive his call sign, which  are his initials..... W2 (M)ilton (W)alker - W2MW...

  I may not be on the air all the time and normally hunting and pecking looking for what ever is on, but I am so glad to be a part of this great and wonderful community!

Best of 72/73;
Kurt - W2MW
  The

Offline w3tim

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Re: Introducing W2MW
« Reply #1 on: February 18, 2014, 16:11:18 UTC »
Great story thanks for sharing