Almost back on the air!

So I purchased a used OEM mic for my IC-706MKII and my dad tested it for me, confirming that the little 706 is working fine.  A good friend of mine, Walter WY4Z, recently gave me a Tak-tenna which is a spiral dipole that can be mounted horizontally as a directional dipole or mounted vertically with the "cold" side aimed down to be used as a vertical.  Thankfully I still have my large MFJ 300W antenna matcher so I could use the Tak-tenna for 10-40 meters, which is my "normal" operating range anyway.  I am hoping to purchase a Comet CHA-250HD "vertical" antenna as it provides coverage from 10-80 but having no need for an antenna matcher to run muklti-band like the Tak-tenna.

This makes for a nice birthday present to get back on the air as I turn 52 on 27 August.

Here's a recent picture of the 706 along with my Yaesu FTM-3100 2m rig:

Nothing fancy but I will be very happy to be back on the air!  I've missed it so much.

Bad news

So it looks like I'm still off the air.  One of my HF rigs is dead and the other has issues working with my computer.  A new HF rig is going to be in my future someday.  With ICOM suddenly discontinuing my beloved IC-718, I'll be looking for a used rig.

Almost there!

I'm nearly complete getting my station set up but I still need a few more items and to permanently mount my antenna...

Slowly returning

It has been a very long time since I have provided an update.  A lot has happened since my last update.  I'm now medically retired and living in a small apartment which presents its own unique challenges to operating on the air.  I recently purchased a good used HM-103 mic for my IC-706MKII rig which I am hoping to get up and running soon.

Installing Pat (open source Winlink client) in FreeBSD

I decided to tinker around today and installed Pat, an open source Winlink2000 client written in Go, on my FreeBSD 13-powered desktop.  It's quite simple.  The directions to install Go under FreeBSD do not exist on the Pat website so I'll put them here for you.

The three-step process:

1. Install Go:
   # pkg install go
2. Set up needed paths in ~/.profile:
   export GOROOT=/usr/local/go
   export GOPATH=/$HOME/goprojects
   export PATH=$GOPATH/bin:$GOROOT/bin:$PATH
3. Run this command to download the code and compile it:
   go install github.com/la5nta/pat@latest 

Note on step 2: you can use whatever name you want for the directory.

Your binary will be hiding out in the bin directory in the GOPATH path.

Then configure Pat and you should be good to go.

Webpages used for this little FAQ:

• https://github.com/la5nta/pat/wiki/Building-from-source
• https://www.jeremymorgan.com/tutorials/golang/how-to-install-go-freebsd/

I hope this helps!

Still off the air

 I haven't been on the air since April 2021 when I lost my IC-718 to lightning.  I'm still waiting on Social Security as I can't work anymore.  One of these days and hopefully soon I'll get back on the air!

Waiting patiently

I'm still around...just off the air.  Since my radios got hit by lightning April 9, I've simply not had the money to fix them, sadly.  I have also moved into Johnson City in a small one-bedroom apartment and can't put an external antenna up so once I can get a radio going, I'll figure out a way to get back on the air.

New QRM

So I have found that there is some sort of new RFI bleeding into my receive signal.  I'm not sure what it is exactly but it sounds like some sort of 60 Hz tone.  It's a rough, pulsating tone and I am wondering if it's from some sort of wallwort in my shack.  Unfortunately, I have all of my computers and everything plugged in my shack but I am hoping that, with the purchase of a "new to me" used HP Z210 workstation to put the BBS on, I can put it outside of the shack or that with a newer computer there will be less RFI.  I will just kill the electricity to the entire shed and run my IC-718 on a battery to listen to what might be causing the issue.

New headphones

I decided to splurge with this stimulus and bought myself a Heil Sound Pro Micro dual side headset.  It was $120 after tax with free shipping so not a bad deal.  I really need a better headset and mic to work DX with and for the price, I'm looking forward to much better listening and clearer audio output.  This headset has a microphone element designed to work with ICOM radios.  My dad gave me a footswitch so now I will me able to operate with both hands free.  I really like that; it will make it less stressful for me when I participate in contests, especially Field Day.  With an additional adapter, I can use this headset with m IC-706MKII which makes me happy as I will be able to get outdoors and operate.

Busy busy

I have not been on the air very much lately.  I have been busy with a lot of other things but I am going to try to get on the air and work some DX this weekend.  I need to get up on my shed and fix my HF antenna.  I bent the aluminum conduit that the antenna is mounted on by cranking down too hard on its support line and not putting a countersupport line on the other side.  Saturday it's supposed to be sunny and 57F (14C).  If I am feeling up to it, I'm going to try to get that done.

CQ CONTEST

So after a long hiatus, I decided to run a contest again.  This weekend, from 7 PM EST Saturday to 7 PM EST, was the ARRL International DX Contest.  This one is where all of the stations in North America, save for Alaska, Hawaii, and a few other places (these are treated as DX for the contest), try to contact stations in other countries.  The premise of the contest is to improve operating skills and I do enjoy that aspect but I also enjoy the thrill of the chase, if you will.  I won this contest in my state and in my ARRL Division (Delta Division which is Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi) in 2016 "by accident".  I'm hoping to win this year also though in in a different operating category.

Got the 706 set up

I set up my ICOM IC-706MKII in the old motorhome I live in currently.  So far, it's working nicely on HF.

Still alive

I haven't been on the air too much lately because of the cold (my shack isn't heated) and physical issues with getting in and out of my old motorhome and the shed my shack is in.  I am hoping to change that by setting up my ICOM IC-706MKII in the motorhome.  I updated my ham radio website today.   I added manuals for my two older Kenwood and one of my KEK 2 meter mobile radios.  Surprisingly enough, two of the three radios works great and I have to find a microphone for my Kenwood TR-7400 then I can test it.  Hopefully when I get the IC-706 set up I'll be a lot more active on the air.

Been busy

I haven't been active at all on the air lately.  I have been dealing with a lot of health and personal issues but I am hoping to work the ARRL Sweepstakes this weekend and SKYWARN Recognition Day on Friday/Saturday December 3/4 (owing to UTC time).  I've not done any work on the station lately and the antenna's support is bent ... I need to get up there and fix it but the weather is getting colder quickly and I am loathe to get up on the top of the shed but I guess I should do it soon.

Back again

 I've decided to start using this blog again for my ham radio activities.  I am now officially medically retired (I am permanently disabled and unemployable) so I will have more time soon to enjoy amateur radio.

New blog!

To celebrate my new callsign and give me additional functionality with my blog, I have registered ks4td.com and set up a WordPress blog.  Please visit my new blog as I will no longer be updating this one.

KS4TD

I checked my email this morning and my new amateur radio license was waiting for me.  I am now KS4TD.  After 23 years, I decided to change my callsign since I have lived in 4 land for close to 20 years now.  So I am beginning the process of changing everything over ... and there is a lot to do.  The FCC public database is lagging behind so if you look up my new call right now, it will show that it's expired from a ham (former ham) in Columbia, TN.  I'll start to use my new call immediately.  Yes, those are my initials ... STD.  Yes, haha, I get the joke but remember when I was born, those initials didn't have a negative stigma attached to them.  But still, I'm proud of my name, so my callsign is mine.  Now I won't confuse people by being a 5 call in 4 land either.

SRY NIL

I have been receiving a lot of QSL requests for contacts I made in contests or in weekly nets, especially via eQSL.  I do not count contacts made during contests or nets as part of my normal contact log so please do not send me confirmation requests for those types of contacts.  If, during a contest, we're in a QSO, please ask me to do a separate contact for your purpose (DXCC, grid square, et cetera) and I will be happy to do that and log it.

Week of contests

So, after Field Day, I've participated in the RAC Canada Day contest (my first time; enjoyed it; adding it to my calendar) and am now in with the 13 Colonies contest which is going well.  I've worked 11 out of the 13 stations and the bonus WM3PEN station ... now to work VA and NJ then try to grab the GB13COL (in England) bonus station ... another clean sweep!  I've participated in the 13 Colonies contest since it started twelve years ago off and on and, save for the boorish behavior of way too many contest participants, have had a lot of fun with it.

Field Day 2020

I was going to join my local club for Field Day this year but I wasn't (and am still not) feeling so well with my broken foot.  I decided to stay home but I had the most successful solo Field Day operation yet.  I submitted my entry form online and have a total combined score of 284.  Not a huge score but I worked hard for with with the lousy propagation and working conditions during the contest.  Keep reading for a full breakdown and a map of the sections I worked.