~MY INTEREST IN RADIO FIRST BEGAN: in 1965

QST. QST Nice flag for the support of ARRL.

~MY Shack:

K7ZAR and his Yaesu FT-950. Very nice radio for the price. I like it's quality. Also, my son Whiskey!

This Heathkit was probably my best radio ever!

I also like bypassing all that dsp stuff at times with the 1957 Zenith R-1000 TRANS-OCEANIC

An original Zeneth R-1000 from 1957. Leather! Yep and it's NICE I did not know it was a 1957. Original first run. Nice.

K7ZAR (black jacket) and Lloyd raising my Antenna in "Iwo Jima style".

So far, as of this date, No 70 mph gusts.

I had to add about 12 feet or so to each of the 5 above ground antenna counterpoise wires. Each counterpoise wire is 25 feet above ground. I am not sure of either my antenna impedance or my space impedance due to its elevated height. I do like the antennas performance.

At first with just the 57 footers (counterpoise wires)Antenna was resonating at about 3990 on 80 meters.

• Nowit's sitting: (3990 KC 1:1.2:1) (3930 1:1.0:1) (3840 1:1.0:1) (3800 1:1.2:1) (3735 1:1.5:1)
• On Dec. 30th 2009 at 0900 GMT I worked: G4AGN, EI6S, and NP4A on 3792 and 3799 MHz!

Before 160 meters was resonate at 1935.

• Nowit's sitting: (1912 1:1.5:1) (1900 1:1.2:1) (1877 1:1.2:1) (1860 1:1.5:1)

Before adding length to the counterpoise 40 meters was resonant at about 7250 or so. The swr was lowest at about 1:1.6:1. Nasty.

• Nowit's sitting: 7300 Kcps 1:1.3:1 and drops fast to 1:1.2:1 across band. SWR ends up at just 1:1.4:1 at 7000 KHz.
• On Dec. 7th 2009 at 0033 GMT QSO'd with K2V in St. Croix on 7155 KHz.Worked VK1GG on 7173 at 1005 GMT on 1-5-2010. Also VK7GK.At 0000 GMT worked EA7GAK and worked JO7CVU at 1055 GMT on 1-20-10.
• That is QSL

20 Meters?It's a long antenna. BUT!!!!

• Here’s the scoop at MY QTH. (14.348 MHz is 1:1.5:1) (14.290 KHz is 1:1.4:1) (14.230 is 1:1.3:1) (14.165 is 1:1.2:1) (14002 is 1:1.1:1)
• Wow.
• On Dec 27th 2009 on 14.243 KHz I did talk to F6CTT and received 5/9. He was also 5/9! That was 15:20 MST

All the above tests were done using the Yaesu FT-950 built in SWR and watt meter. The Antenna tuner was out of circuit.

~BELOW. My present home and "Dipole System". Center Mast 54 feet. A Clover (maypole) Antenna. 40 meter (N/S wires)and 80 meter (E/W wires) mono band dipoles. Feed at center with a W2DU 1:1 Current Balon and 100 feet of LMR-400 Coax. Masts are 50 foot Fiborglass from MGS antenna systems. Mounted on 2x2 steel angel iron in concreat. The bottom of center mast is 48 inches above ground.

My Sons Snappers.

~MY MICROPHONE:

The Heil PR-781 is a balanced mic. Very outstanding. Outstanding mic if you get it connected correctly. If you connect it to the Yaesu FT-950 in the Un-Balanced mode than you Will get RF Hum. Many make this mistake including me, AT FIRST! The Yaesu is also balanced. Like the telephone company. Makes since to me.

After the boys on 3825KC fetched me up on some audio settings, I can now hear paper crumbling in my monitor headset.Thank You Bob Heil for a Magnificent Mic for the FT-950!

The problem with the RF hum ended up being in the microphone connections. Some of the standard connections don't work for certin instances. If youhave the same situation as I, then this may help you. This is very important if your using a Heil PR-781 mic with the FT-950. Let me help you so you don't suffer as I have.

On the Heil Mic Side make sure Heil SHIELD wire is in their Pin 3. I know this is not standard. Try it anyway. You can always change it back and that way you can't blame me!

Make sure Heil Black wire (Mic Low) is in Pin 1 of their connector. I know this is not standard. Try it.

Heil mic high (white wire) should be in their pin 2.

On the Yaesu FT-950 side of the mic connector. The shield from the microphone goes under a screw of the mic connector. Mic High from Heil pin 2 goes to pin 8 of Yaesu.

Heil Mic Low, the black wire from their pin 1, goes to Yaesu pin 7.

And you know the 2 PTT wires. Have no other wires touching or any jumpers from wire to wire or connectors. 3 wires for the audio and 2 seperate wires for PTT. Please also make sure the Microphone connector on the Mic has NO Jumpers from any pin to pin inside the connector.

Long story short is I had RF in my audio. This solvedthe problem. Passing this on to anyone who may find a similar problem.

Here are the settings for my voice EQ.I don't use the audio processor a lot. I sound moreclear with EQ only. If you turn on the processor thantry itwitha settingof 10.For meto much over drive beyond 25 using the Shure C606.

My settings for the "Processor EQ", so when engaged, are the exact same settings as the EQ. I set both the Audio EQ and the Processor settings as per the different menu item numbers. Here are my settings:

For The Audio EQ:

• Menu 064 (1-30 late nite rag chew)  (2-28 nets&etc)
• Menu 091 (100)
• Menu 092 (-5)
• Menu 093 (1)
• Menu 094 (1000)
• Menu 095 (7)
• Menu 096 (1)
• Menu 097 (2900)
• Menu 098 (10)
• Menu 099 (2)

For the Audio Processor Compression:

• Menu 100 (700)
• Menu 101 (-5)
• Menu 102 (6)
• Menu 103 (1000)
• Menu 104 (7)
• Menu 105 (1)
• Menu 106 (2900)
• Menu 107 (10)
• Menu 108 (3)

Processor Compression Drive Level: Menu 109 (10). Some people crank this to the limit. I'm getting strong action at level 10. I leave mine set at 10. This gives my station about 8db of compression.

Mic level: on front of the radio is set at 27. But that is dependent upon you.

RX Audio EQContour Filter: I set mine on the + side by Menu 069 (RGEN CNTR LV)at a +10. Menu 070 (CNTR WI) at a +10. Not as the Default setting -15. This changes the Cont Display to have a peak. I then set my Cont, with the push button (above the select knob) and rotate the select knob to 2200 Hz.I than set my Notch, with the push button (above the select knob) and rotate the select knob to 700 Hz.These actions make my radio (in my ears)sound more Alive. NOTE: Menu 071 and 072 must be on.I set a value of 3 in menu item072.

~MY VOODOO POWER SUPPLY:

~MY HEATHKIT2KW LINEAR POWER AMPLIFIER MODEL SB-221:

ABOVE: My SCOOTER.

~MY O-SCOPE:.

I use an "O-Scope"just for a little fun.RX Audiofor input "B"and input "A" is monitoring RF TX wave.

On the "B" input using the "A" trigger delay I can actually break out the different received frequencies and levels. Look ata 250 hertz component and level ofRX audio.Scope time base (1 m/s).

ON the "A" input side of the scope, SSB signal (.1 or .2 m/s) time base and adjusting the "A" level to see my audio modulate a componit of the RF carrier in theTime Domain. If I had a Spectrum Analyser I could observe the Frequency Domain. That would be nice but this Time Domain photo is Very beautiful I might say. I use about 5 inches of solder stuck in the "A" input of the scope to receive my RF wave into my scope.

Looks nice at 90% modulation.

Above: THREeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

Below: Some RX Audio.

SEE YA ON THE BANDS- 73’S

GREGORY

The Sun:I guess I did not miss much!

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