Introductions

Hello and welcome to my page on QRZ.com!

I am a relatively new amateur, transmitting since February 2008, and enjoying very much. You may hear me on any of the HF bands (10, 20, 40, 80 m) or on 6 m.

I enjoy SSB and the digital modes mostly; CW if I get to use my computer. Also interested in SAT and QRP. Enjoy making special QSL cards for the various special events and contest that we participate in.

Hope to run into you during one of the many contests, or for a leisurely QSO during a quiet time.

What's NEW?!?

I've just ordered, and am waiting for, the imminent arrival of my RigExpert AA-230 Antenna Analyzer!

I'm really looking forward to this fine addition to my test equipment 'toolbox'! This has been a long time in coming and will prove very useful in the coming days of antenna building and mobile amateur operations for this station. Check out their web-site for yourself by clicking on the image. Rapid check-out of an antenna Tuning an antenna to resonance Antenna SWR and impedance measurement and comparison before and after specific event (rain, hurricane, etc.) Making coaxial lines or measuring their parameters Cable testing and fault location Measuring capacitance or inductance of reactive loads Check this great ham product out for yourself!

Well it's winter again, and the hamshack gets kind of cold, so it was time to get out the "heater-rig". Yes that old Yaesu FTdx-400 sure comes in handy at warming up the place while we QSO through the evening!

Recovered from neglect at the hands of an unnamed amateur, this fine example of a by-gone era (also known as a "boat anchor") was restored to full operation on 20m, 40m, and 80m. Putting out almost 200 W at times on SSB, it doesn't have all the bells-and-whistles that my Yaesu FT-857D has, but it does have a rich, and full-bodied receiver audio and. . . . . .well, it keeps the shack warm, anyway.

I hope to catch you on the bands this winter using this rig, and we can both experience a classic together.

73's Walt

When I was just a lad. . .

I began my interest in amateur radio in the late 1970's when my brother got his licence (VE3LHA). At that time I operated as a third-party under his supervision.

However, my original contribution was the 'artwork' for his QSL card (shown below). Ahhh, those were the good old days when we did everything by hand and typewriter. Sure have come a long way since!

(Let me know if you happen to have one of these in your collection!)

Blast From a Past QST Magazine

Now here's an interesting perspective that I came across in the February 1948 issue of QST Magazine.

As a relatively new ham, I just assumed that the CW vs. phone battle was of recent origins, and that in the 'golden years' of amateur radio, all respected the holiness of CW as the only true way to communicate on the bands. The following "Correspondence from Members~" seemed almost anachronistic when I read it.

Older stuff from here on down. . .

IARU-HF 2009

Great to participate again in the IARU-HF Contest (2009) as a QRP station. Below is a plot of azimuth vs. propagation distance for contacts made during the contest. Definite groupings/clusters and trends can be seen and are identified as geographic regions.

My antenna is a 20m horizontal dipole, oriented 120/300 degrees azimuth; the centres of the two perpendicular lobes are shown by vertical dashed lines on the plot, at 30/210 degrees.

RDXC 2009

Weparticipated in the Russian DX Contest, 21 March/09. Enjoyed contacts with many of you then. Managed a 2nd Place show for CANADA in the Single Op 20 m Class!

Here'smy special event QSL card for the contest.

Ontario QSO Party 2009

Thanks for all those who provided contacts to us when we participated in the 2009 Ontario QSO Party (18/19 April) as a multi-operator "Rover" station. Please send us a QSL card--we would be pleased to send you our special event QSL card, shown below.

Dutch PACC Contest 2009

VA3WPV placed 1st in the "SINGLE-OP, 20M, HIGH, SSB" category for Canadian entrants in the 2009 Dutch PACC contest.

Canada Day Contest 2009

Our second year of participating in this great Canadian amateur contest brought our QRP score up from last year's 6th place showing to a new personal best (4th place):

Thanks to all with whom we had the pleasure of a contact! See you in the 2010 running!

2009 MDC QSO Party

Have you ever participated in "The FUN Contest"? Well maybe you should!

VA3WPV was the certified 1^st Place winner in the Canada QRP category in 2009, the 20^th anniversary of this contest. Join in the FUN next year!

World Wide WPX Contest 2009

As luck would have it, we came across a small 10 metre opening into South America during the running of CQ Magazine's 2009 WW WPX SSB Contest. Managed a few contacts which gave us a *win* for "1st Place Canada, Low Power SSB Single Operator - 10 Metres"!

QSL Info

I love to exchange QSLs and will always reply paper QSLs.

Please QSL direct or via the bureau. SAE, postage, funds, etc. appreciated but not expected.

Also reply to all eQSLs and LOTW.

Thx and 73's, Walter V.