This event is in preparation for the 2014 celebration we are planning for the Battle of Baltimore. We are starting off by celebrating the Bi-Centennial of the WAR of 1812 The Blue Angels will be flying over the Baltimore Harbor and the Tall Ships have started to come into ports here. We will run as many bands as we safely can depending on the conditions. As you work us we will announce if we are on 10M, 6M, & 2M. Hope to work you on the air. We will focus on 15M 21.360, 20M 14.285, 40M 7.181, and 75M 3.850 (+/- 20Hz).

For the most up to date information please visit our website - www.w3ft67.com

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Keon in a nut shell … Here is goes. I am a Very down to earth guy. I enjoy talking on the radio. You can catch me usually on the 2 meter 146.67 repeater in Baltimore if you wanna chat. I am a member of the 3905 Century Club, OMISS, OMIK, PVRC, and the current president of Baltimore Amateur Radio Club aka BARC and we are open to new members that are interested in different things so please look up the club at www.w3ft.com.

Lots of folks talk about their rigs so let me tell you what I am running.

There are a few changes and additions to the shack. I am now running a contest station with three radios. One is the Jupiter, the Second radio in station 2 is the well liked Kenwood TS 850SAT. The newest edition and by for the one radio I never thought I would run but came to appriciate what it has to offer is the Icom 756 Pro II.

ICOM 756 Pro 2 Kenwood TS 850SAT

The Icom is primary on my higher bands - 10-15-20. Its going to be used for Contesting Heavy. The Kenwood and Jupiter will be contest ready but more for 40m and 75m nets and rag chew.

Both will have studio condenser microphones (Audio Technica 2035) and the Kenwood will also be outfitted with a Sennheiser e835 for absolute clean audio and the fidelity Kenwood is known for.

All radios will have AL 811's except the Icom in station 1 which will have an AL-80.

Mobile, I run a Yaesu 857 with a Lil Tarheel on the hatch of my Subaru.

Portable, or from the living room I use my Yaesu 897D and I attach it to anything that will load up.

The Antennas had to change with the radio change. To run a good contest station I decided to have a mixed bag of tricks. On a 1/4 acre its tough to do some things but I found this to work.

1. I have a Windom from Radio Wavz that is from 2 trees. sucks on 20M during the day for the US but DX its perfect.

2. A Mosley tribander with a 40M Kit. Its nice to have directional antenna during tough times.

3. Butternut Vertical comes in handy when the wire is not hearing the US. It tends not to be a DX machine but its the element of selectivity that counts. It gives me that edge.

4. New is a 40M loop that is much more quiet then the wire. at 15ft off the ground I dont hear the noise and the less noise the easier it is to hear signals. To work them I sometime switch to something else but you have to hear them before you work em.

5. 6 meter is a Cushcraft 3 element Beam.

6. I love 2m FM and i like to go distance. WAY up at about 48ft is the vertical 2m and 440MHz beam.

During Contest time I will take down the wire and put up an 80m cut dipole. Sometimes I will put up a 60M dipole when I want to do some 60M stuff.

I am good in the Omiss, Century Club 80 and 40 Bureau and eQSL.cc www.eQSL.cc/Member.cfm?KE3HAY

If you want a hard copy QSL card, please go to my website. the address is www.ke3hay.org and fill out the QSL card request form. You DO NOT NEED to send a SASE. If you were wonderful enough to send me a card then I can return the favor with a stamp and a card to you. God blesses me with a spare $10 for stamps every now and then. Even allowed me to print postage right from the shack. Thanks for stopping buy and good luck with solar cycle 24!!!

www.KE3HAY.org