cq – The Radio Ham

Not too much to update really, most of my kit is now sold apart from the ancillary kit although its all selling, slowly but its selling, I keep finding extra bits to sell as well, I would say my IC-7610 fund is getting there but other bills are taking priority so its not growing as fast as I would like, well to be honest its not growing at all, it seems to be diminishing and with Christmas coming up I fear it will diminish more, being a single parent of 5 is difficult enough but its crippling me financially but hey ho it is what it is, I doubt very much the 7610 will be in my plans for this year, more likely early next year now, but the kids come first.

For now my solitary IC-7000 and the little FT-817ND at the workshop are all I have, it would be nice to have a 100w radio at the workshop and when eventually I find the funds for the 7610 for home the remaining IC-7000 will move to the workshop, although its been fun playing with 5w to the 3 El LFA its certainly a struggle at times, especially given the poor state of 10m right now

Although its fair to say 10m has started to pickup, its been open into South and Central America for the last few days during the evening, contacts into FY, LU and PY on CW as well as CE, CX, and a few others on the little IC-7000 so fingers crossed things are starting to pickup, I have decided to swap antennas so the 3 El LFA I use on 10m at the workshop will move to my home QTH and the Moxon I have here will be moved to the workshop

`Other than that not much to report, im still coming to terms with my marriage breakup, ok im not really coming to terms with it but for my kids I have to appear to be doing just that, my hobby is something that helps more than I probably realised, its been my hobby/lifestyle choice for 30 odd years so its the one constant in my life that I still love and it keeps me sane

Couple of pics of the LFA put together and ready to replace the Moxon I just put it together as per the Diagram and didnt even have to adjust the loop ends for lowest SWR, 1.16 out of the box so to speak, happy with that so just left it, hopefully it will be up fairly soon.

Oh and as an addendum Ive been thinking about a trailer tower recently, it would allow me to chop and change antennas at the workshop but also allow me to just head out every now and then and do some /p work i can also park it up at the side of my house to put the odd larger antenna up for contests and the like, im pushing it with the antennas I have at home as it is so to have the option of just putting something up for a short period of time is very appealing, watch this space.

73 all

Adrian G0KOM

The last couple of months has been very difficult for me, the breakup of my marriage to the love of my life after 25 years has forced me to take stock and also look to the future, I decided to start afresh and try and clear as much of my debt as possible so I pretty much sold all of my equipment, my lovely 7700, 7600, 7300 and others, strangely the only radio I kept was my little FT-817ND, now as an Icom fanboy ive always loved the little Yaesu.

I also put up for sale a lot of anciliary kit and also quite a few of my antennas but I didnt remove my current little antenna farm, ive been a ham for 35 years its not just a hobby its a lifestyle and something I love so I wasnt about to give up totally, ive since picked up a little IC-7000 (ive had a few of these fabulous little radios) so for the moment im able to get on the air, I think the plan is to save some money and also let a few more bits and bobs go and maybe get one nice radio and that will be it, no more shack full of gear, ive pretty much settled on an IC-7610 as the radio that I will buy but for now the little IC-7000 and the little FT-817ND will be my shack, I previously had a 2nd hand 7610 but stupidly let it go, anyway thats the plan, a simple 2 radio shack, 7610 and the 7000 with the little 817 being used for /m in the car and any portable stuff, i take it to the workshop with me as well and do a bit of 10m QRP as I have the 3 El 10m LFA up.

I had recently decided to put up my 9 Element 2m LFA antenna thats been sitting in the shed for a few years so ive now put that up to complete the little antenna farm, ive done very little 2m stuff in my 30 odd years so looking forward to seeing how it works, luckily im able to use either the IC-7000 with 50w or the little FT-817 with 5w

So thats my little update, no idea if anyone will even read it but there you go, I will be back, my priorities are now my children but my Amateur Radio is the only other outlet I have or want, its keeping me sane and hopefully I might have saved enough pennies by the end of the year for that 7610.

Conditions initially seemed to be picking up recently but seem to have taken a dive again with the SFI dropping down to levels from earlier in the year, at least were on the up as far as the sunspot cycle is concerned.

So my plan now is to immerse myself in work from now on, something ive just not had my head in for the last month or so, too be honest im not sure where my head. has been in the last couple of months, get some more money behind me and crack on with life, its all I can do

I know this is supposed to be a radio blog so apologies for the slightly personal nature of this one.

Its not easy, I miss her every day.

Onwards and Upwards, allegedly.

Tag: cq

Quick update and all things 10m and future plans.

Lots of change and Hearbreak.