The first shack, located at my father's house, included a YAESU FT-401DX transceiver, a Heathkit SB-200 linear amplifier and a 3 element triband yagi at 12 meter high, plus dipoles on 40/80 meters. No VHF rig at the time. This setup was used to work my first 200+ countries and so earn DXCC and WAS.
In 1991 (after XYL "authorization"), my "back to the air" station was based on a second hand Kenwood TS-440S, the old Heathkit SB-200 linear and 3 element tribander on a 20 meter self supporting tower with dipoles for 40 and 80m. On VHF/UHF for DX spotting, I had (and still do) a Kenwood pair TS-631A/TS-731A and a Comet vertical antenna. Shortly after setting the new station, the Kenwood TS-440S was replaced by a YAESU FT-1000D.
The old Heathkit linear was replaced by a younger (but not much) DRAKE L-4B, and added some support equipment like a MFJ-989C antenna tuner, a Kantronics Kam Plus TNC for digital modes, and a home assembled PC which is constantly updated up to its current configuration based on a Pentium IV - 1 GHz - 256 Mb RAM.
In 1992, right in time to finish
my 5BDXCC, the antenna system turned into three self supporting
towers, home-brewed monobanders, with 5 el. on 10m., 4 el. on 15,
4el. on 20m., a brazilian made 4 trapped elements for 40m. on a
10m. boom, 80m. dipole, and a Cushcraft A3WS for the WARC bands.
After a very pleasant time
working DX stations on the WARC bands, 1993 brought me the 12 and
17m endorsements for the 5BDXCC.
While waiting to reach the "100" level on those bands,
I had some activity on the 6m band, using an ICOM IC-726 loaned
by ZP5ZR-Gary,
my elmer on 50Mhz, with a home-brewed 5 el. yagi, based on the
Cushcraft A50-5S design.
Later, the Icom was replaced by a YAESU FT-680R, which was
previously own by ZP6CW, a top six meter operator and now is my
second option on the "magic band". As many as 75
entities (countries) were worked with this 6m setup before the
solar cycle declined to an almost absolute silence.
Some SSTV and a lot
of RTTY have been the main activities until 1998 when the 6m band
recovered much of its charm. Several homebrewed antennas were
used during those years until the last project which is my
current system.
A Ten-Tec 1208 6m band transverter was added to the YAESU
FT-1000D, and later a MIRAGE A1015G amplifier, which is the setup
I use until today. The transverter is a very nice and
"CHEAP" piece of equipment for not so modern radios,
without 6m as most of the newer rigs, and in combination with the
FT-1000D resources, this is a very hard to beat setup.
By now, after very good propagation days on 50 Mhz - 6m band
during 1999 thru 2001, and a hard battle trying to get all cards
on hand, 6m DXCC was completed and mailed to the ARRL which
returned the award as a new year gift, besides turning my 7BDXCC
into his bigger brother 8BDXCC (6-10-12-15-17-20-40-80).
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| The operating position with all equipment | The SIX meters setup | The VHF-UHF and packet setup | The HF power area and rotor controllers | The cables behind scene (messy ?) |
Current antenna system is based on a mixture of comercial and homebrewed monoband yagis, designed with Brian Beezley, K6STI's YO software.
Most of homebrewed antennas have been built with the valuable help of Laca (ZP5CGL), a fine Dxer and very good friend, who gave me a lot of ideas and actual help at his metal-works facilities during these years. He also built two of my towers.
Current antenna system is as follows: (click on picture to see a bigger one)
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TOWER 1: self
standing 20 meters of height, seen before 2m yagi
installation
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TOWER 2: self
standing 12 meters of height
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TOWER 3: self
standing 8 meters of height, on a second floor balcony
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AUXILIARY
ANTENNAS:
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As many others, I had my
"close-encounter" with a wind storm on April-96, which
left my antenna system needing some repairment. Fortunately, only
the steel pipe and the 40m. yagi boom resulted damaged. Antennas
the day after.
Page designed and built by MGA-ZP5YW © 1998-2004 - Last update 24-Apr-2004