I've been an Amateur Radio operator since 1991. I've been a wannabe ham since the late 1970s, when I was an avid CBer. I even took a license class from the West Island Amateur Radio Club. Mr Morse's code stopped me. Fortunately, the FCC (and the ARRL) came to realize that Morse code was rapidly becoming obsolete and removed it as a required test element for the Technician class license begining 1991-02-14. I took the first test I could find, which was at the hamfest in Springdale, Ark, in May of that year and got my license 10 weeks later (1991-07-16). I used to believe the long delay was due to the FCC but subsequent experience -- 30 years as an accredited volunteer examiner including 14 as a team leader -- points to the VEC that coordinated that session (not the local team, the accreditation body that processes the resulting paperwork). In very late 1999, the FCC issued new Amateur Radio Service rules that further reduced the Morse code requirements. As a result, I upgraded to Amateur Extra class on 2000-04-29. Over the years, I had tried several times to pass the old Element 1C (20 word-per-minute telegraphy exam), but just couldn't get motivated enough. Now, many years later, I find that I need to pass a Morse test again, this time at 5-words-per-minute, send and receive, so that I can get my Morse qualification which allows me to become a Canadian Accredited Examiner. I'd still like to qualify for an ARRL 20-wpm Code Proficiency Certificate, too. - plaws- Basic With Honours, earned 2022-09-06
- Advanced, earned 2024-03-06
I am assigned VE3UWY for operations from home and VE2UWY for operations across the river or down the 417.
I am also licensed in the US as an Amateur Extra class, assigned N5UWY.
- Icom IC-746Pro
- Icom ID-4100A (D-STAR)
Icom IC-910H (144/432/1296 MHz)- no antennas upIcom IC-3210A- pending repairIcom IC-37- no antenna- Spi-Ro trap dipoles:
- D-44 at ~10 m for 40-10
D-314 at ~10 m for 30-17-12D-52 at ~7 m for80-1080-40 (sold as 80-10, only resonant on 80 and 40)
- Workman Electronics T734 Discone at 3 m.
- MLA-30+ Active Loop (LW/MW/SW)
a homebrew dipole for the 10- and 6-meter bands.Cushcraft A148-10S 10-element beam for 144 MHzhomebrew ground plane for 222 MHzPA0RDT Mini-WhipK-180WLA Active Loop (LW/MW/SW)
FSK RTTY is available via the MMTTY engine within the DX Lab Suite running on an Intel NUC (Core i7 w/32GB of RAM) via a homebrew interface that includes a Mortty kit for FSK RTTY. There is another Mortty for CW sending. For 'phone, there is a Heil Sound BM-10 headset (HC-4 element) or an Icom SM-8. I have another homebrew interface for the IC-910H that has channels for both the MAIN and SUB receivers.
VHF/UHF receivers include the following:
- Uniden Bearcat BC780XLT w/discriminator tap for UniTrunker, etc
- Uniden Bearcat BCD996P2 (and another in the car)
- Bearcat BC300
- Allied Radio Shack Pro-7
LF/MF/HF/VHF DXing, receivers include the following:
- Realistic DX-160
Sangean HDT-1X- Sangean HDT-20
General Radio Service (known as Citizen's Band in the USA)
- President Thomas FCC (FM/AM) - can work on Discone.
Midland 77-112- pending repair
Portable radios include:
- Uniden Bearcat BCD436HP
- Icom ID-51A+ (D-STAR)
- Icom IC-705 (D-STAR)
- Tecsun PL-606
- XHDATA D-219 (original flavor)
- Worked All Continents (Digital, 15-m endorsements)
WASI have 50 US states (mixed, digital) confirmed in Logbook of the World but have not applied.
I also like to participate in amateur radio contests.
- 2024
- ARRL RTTY Roundup
- 48/31//1,457
- ARRL November Sweepstakes (SSB)
- 124/57/14,136
- ARRL RTTY Roundup
- 2025
- ARRL RTTY Roundup
- 114/50//5,650
- CQ WW RTTY
- ???
- ARRL November Sweepstakes (SSB)
- ???
- RAC Winter (SSB)
- ???
- ARRL RTTY Roundup
Will need to wait for antennas ...
- IS-100 - Introduction to Incident Command System
- IS-200 - ICS for Single Resources and Initial Action Incidents
- IS-700 - National Incident Management System (NIMS), An Introduction