2012 -- Celebrating 40 continuous years as a HAM!
Started as WN9JFO on March 14, 1972

After our move from Los Angeles in 2007, I'm loving life out here in Northern Colorado. There are so many fun things to do out here with land to spread out and plant antennas!

ANTENNAS:
I have a big loop that is about 1100 feet of #14 CCS wire held up with four 70' utility poles spaced 280 feet in a square. Fed with about 200 feet of 450 ohm ladder line. This antenna works incredibly well on all bands but I use it mostly on 160-30M. Read my write-up in WIREBOOK V pages 180-185 published May 2009 by Press Jones N8UG, the Wireman. I got most of my materials for the loop from the Wireman.

On 20-6M, I use a 3 element SteppIR that is partially homebrewed from parts. It is the same dimensions and operates just like a "store bought" SteppIR. It is perched atop a crank up tower behind my shop/shack.

My latest antenna projects are:
K9AY receiving system for 160M and 80M is completely homebrew using 4 foot fibreglass military surplus antenna masts (25') for support (completed 10-09)
Also homebrew, a full size 80M 1/4 wave vertical and radial field is up and running. now with 40 radials .35wl (90 feet) long and adding more as time and wx permits. This vertical I made with those 4 foot green aluminum "Military" masts (1.75" diameter, 1/8" wall) and the top 25 feet made from Ted Henry's (W6UOU) old Telrex 20M monobander I took down a few years ago.
With the suggestion of Steve WB2WIK, I added a 101 foot wire horizontal wire from the top of the 64 foot 80M vertical for use as 5/8 wave inverted "L" on 80M and .32 wave inverted "L" on 160M. Quick testing the night before the 2009 ARRL 160M contest shows it works well on both 160M and 80M. I have more testing to do but am encouraged so far by the QSO's I have made on 160 and 80.

My latest proposed antenna projects for 2012 are:
4 square verticals elevated for 40M
Phased verticals for 80M (1/4 wave each, ground mounted)
Relocate and revise 160M vertical as capacity hatted ~75 foot vertical, ground mounted

Results from 2009 CQWW DX CW are 164 Q's, 26 zones and 75 countries all on 80M single band high power assisted, score 43,632 points.

Results from 2009 ARRL 160M contest are 997 Q's, 98 sections for 202,174 points in high power class. I worked 79 of 80 USA/VE sections (NT was not on) and 19 DX countries

CW and SSB DXing, light contesting and ragchewing are my main interests and I occaisonally listen on 14.185 some mornings. I do miss Jay K6MB (sk) who was the "glue" that held 14.185 MHz together.
I can also be found regularly listening to the High-Fivers and WARFA nets on 3.908 MHz Su-Tu-Th starting at 0100Z

Stop in to say hi.

Current main radios are ICOM IC-756PROIII and Ten Tec Omni 6 (option 2) with mods and Inrad CW roofing filter. For data on what radios are best, see Rob Sherwood (NC0B) website info on "Receiver Test Data"

My company website is www.radiodan.com

Associations:
ARRL LIFE member, QRP ARCI 8064, Norcal 91, AMI 734, YL-ISSB 8903, 10-10 47908, NAQCC 924, FPQRP 1145, WARFA 832, ARSQRP 2175, SKCC 6043, NRA LIFE member, past President WARC (Westside ARC) twice, Past member board of directors SCDXC (Southern California DX Club), Past President NCARC (Northern Colorado ARC)
While having never applied for DXCC, I have about 320 total Countries and over 100 on 8 bands. Still need a few for 100 on 160M.

LOTW updated 12-29-09

Other activities:
If I'm not on-the-air, I'm playing Ice Hockey (Summer 2012 is my 47th (consecutive) hockey playing season or boating/swimming/water skiing/fishing on Boyd lake. I have a 21 foot Regal 2100 LSR with a Mercruiser 240 HP Fuel injected V8, and a Kawasaki Jet Ski.

License history:
First licensed in Chicago in March 1972 at age 13 as WN9JFO, upgraded 7 months later to General with WB9JFO and a year later to Advanced. Moved to Los Angeles in late1979 and in 1980 I got my Extra and changed callsign to KV6I. With the vanity callsign program I was in the first batch of internet filers in November 1996 and got my first choice of W7RF. I have been active continuously since 1972. Active mostly CW and SSB on 160-6M and play a bit on 2M SSB on Monday nights RMVHF net 144.220 MHz at 8PM Mountain time.

73, Dan W7RF
ARRL Technical Specialist, Colorado Section
Rocky Mountain DX club W0PA, President
NCARC, member and past President