|
|
I was first licensed in 1969 and have my Advanced Amateur license with callsign VE3BUC giving me all the operating and frequency privileges of amateur radio. In December 2002 I was given a second call VE3XD. I mostly engage in contesting or radio sport as it is called using phone (voice) CW (Morse code) and digital modes. To date I have contacted radio amateurs in over 250 different countries using a variety of modes. It is possible to contact over 300 countries as some have done. Kitchener QTH
Here is the antenna used for the 2011 CQWW CW contest. It was a single band 15m QRP effort. As of summer 2012 I have Par end-fed dipoles for 15 and 20 meters in the attic.
Brampton QTH Prior to September 2011 my shack was located in Brampton, Ontario. The following makes reference to that location.
Check out the pages listed in the upper left margin for more of my activities. |
If you
are already a ham then this first paragraph will be old
hat to you but for newcomers here is a brief introduction.
Amateur radio, better known as Ham radio, is not to be
confused with CB radio. Radio Amateurs need to pass
several tests depending on their class of license. Tests
can involve operating theory and regulations, radio
theory, and Morse code. A first license is generally easy
to get as the testing is not too demanding but a new ham
is restricted to certain bands and modes of operation.
Moving up the ladder of license classes (3 in Canada)
requires more of a commitment but the extra time and study
is worth the access you get to more bands and modes of
operating.
In
late summer 2011 we moved to a new location in Kitchener Ontario. As
permanent outdoor antennas are not permitted here I have made do with
some temporary setups. The shack is still under construction so photos
of that will come later. 
Here
is my radio room (shack) with a Yaesu FT-1000 MP
Mark V which
transmits a maximum of 200 watts into either a
Cushcraft X7 7-element yagi for
10 through 20 meters, an Alpha Delta DX/DD for 40 and 80 meters
and a DX-B for 160 meters. The X7 was installed in early June 2003.
Before that I used a TA-33 Jr on a 12m tower. The map on the left shows
countries I have worked and have received QSL cards
from. The red pins noting this are barely visible in
this picture.
The X7 is seen here mounted on a 56' (18m) tower behind the house. With this
setup I have contacted other hams in Europe, Africa,
South and Central America, Australia and the South
Pacific, Japan and China.
Some
of the contest results on the contests page show a mobile operation as
VE3XD/W4. Here is my setup in
the car which was used for these contests and for other
operations. On the left rear trunk area is a Hamstick antenna
(barely visible in the picture). The radio is set up
temporarily on the
console between the front seats and the computer sits
on the armrest in the back seat.