Soon To Come QSL Cards

Soon to come are some of the QSL Cards that I have received in 2015 and 2016 as well as the current year. I'm also in the process of learning how to develop and improve my HTML skills to design a brand new web page that will be hosted at some point when I feel comfortable with how it will look in the future.

Station Update for W9SUN March 3, 2017

Over the past year or two things have been rolling along pretty good with the W9SUN Station with some new equipment and setup of the station versus using some of the same equipment for several years. In June 2016, I was able to purchase a new Kenwood TS 480SAT HF Transceiver to add to the current lineup of vintage equipment as well as the Alinco DX 70TH, Yaesu FT 450, and other rigs that have been in use for many years. I've also been upgrading the audio components and equipment surrounding the station first with buy a couple of new power supplies for the new rig as well as some new station accessories. I've also been in the process in adding to the audio side of the station in buying some professional grade microphones from Electrovoice, Behringer, and Sterling to add to the station. Another addition was the purchase of a Behringer 802 USB mixer that I am now using for the audio output from the Sterling ST 51 Condenser Microphone that I currently use along with some Electrovoice Microphones, Behringer Condenser Micrphone, etc. This is all fed into the the Behringer Mixer although I may have to upgrade to a mixer with a few more microphone inputs and outputs for audio to feed into the amateur radio. Soon we will be adding a new HF Amplifier to the station to boost the power up to a maximum of 800 watts that will work well with some of our redesigned antenna systems and also clean up any stray RF in the shack. One of the antenna systems that I am looking at for my limited space station is from Isotron which will probably replace the wire antenna that is currently in use as well as a couple of vertical antennas that should be fun to work with especially with longer range DX work in contests and special events. Right now looking at adding a Ameritron 600 or 800 watt amplifier with some various verticals especially perhaps a Butternut or Gap Vertical. These are exciting times at W9SUN with the station changes, new audio setup with the mixer and condenser microphones and also using a new compressor for audio adjustments as well as a station recording module for recording audio both via the HF bands as well as that what is available via shortwave radio and other communications. One of the next projects to be completed will be with a professional grade audio rack as well as a recorder that uses USB and SDHC cards to record audio and various transmissions on air. One of the fun things that I have been doing over the past few months is working with professional audio and learning various techniques for recording and broadcasting professionally produced audio as in one would expect out of a broadcast studio. One of my eventual goals is to learn more about professionally produced audio and recording. Fun fun fun times.

ARRL International DX Contest March 4 and March 5 2017

One of my favorite contests happens to be the ARRL International DX Contest which this year occurs on March 4th and March 5th 2017 from 0000 UTC on March 4th until 2359 UTC on March 5th 2017. It is probably one of my favorite contests because of the ease of operation and free flowing communications contacts that you can make in relatively quick sequence using only the signal strength of the station that you are making contact with as well as a serial which in the case of US and Canada operators is the state or province that you are currently making contact from. Non US/Canada stations will use whatever power they are using at the time. Which in the case of some countries might be 100 watts but can also be 400 watts, 700 watts, 1000 watts, etc. The easy part of the contest to me is obviously recording the callsign and power of the station you are working. Sometimes though it is a challenge due to QRM and QRN on the bands in the contest. Usually I work 40, 20, 15, and 10 meters unless I can get somewhere to put together a 80 Meter Loop or 160 Meter antenna. Usually my small longwire loop gives me adequate results and allows me to work from 40 meters all the way to the 10 meter band with the use of an antenna tuner and ladder line. Not always the greatest way to communicate especially as a small antenna but it seems to render contacts. Anyway, I haven't been logging in here to my Blogspot site much as of late and haven't had much to say but will be updating this site in the spring of 2017 and adding new information, pictures, QSL cards, etc.