My first interest in radio communication was more than likely inspired as a very small child by the Apollo missions. I found it fascinating that people could talk to each other from so far away.

As I grew up I "experimented" with transistor radios that we had around the house, unfortunately, none of the said radios ever worked again!

With the emergence of mobile telephones in the mid 1980's I was once again taken with radio communication & in the early 1990's I took my first steps on Citizens Band with 40 channels of FM & 4 Watts. I learnt a lot about radio from the many good people I spoke to, several of whom were already licensed amateurs or would later become so. Becoming more aware of the capabilities (& also limitations) of 27MHz when at sunspot maximum, I yearned for more & along with a few other more dedicated CB operators enrolled on the R.A.E. course at Blackburn College.

I gained my first Amateur licence in 1994 after passing the R.A.E & was granted the Class B callsign G7RRG. HF communication was always my goal & after passing the 12 words per minute Morse test later that year I was allocated the Class A callsign G0VOF & could then operate below 30MHz.

I am now active to some degree on all UK permitted bands between 1.8MHz & 440Mhz.

My main interests at present are not much different to when I started & the main HF bands I frequent are 80m 60m & occasionally 40m & of course the wonder that is 10m when conditions allow :)

I also operate on VHF/UHF & recently have acquired equipment for the 6m & 4m bands, both of which I am finding extremely enjoyable. I am active in the RSGB contests on these bands & also 2m & 70cm.

When in my "Shack" I usually monitor 145.500MHz & my local 70cms repeater GB3PF on 433.000MHz or one of the usual Summits on the Air frequencies on HF.

The equipment I use can vary, but my main station comprises of:

Icom IC-725 For HF.

Yaesu FT897D for HF/VHF/UHF & Portable work.

Yaesu FT5100 Dual band VHF/UHF FM mobile.

Yaesu FT290R QRP multimode for portable work.

Yaesu VX7-R VHF/UHF Handheld usually carried with me at all times.

My low band HF Antenna is a full wavelength 80m horizontal loop, chopped in a couple of places & fed in an unbalanced way so that 60m is driven & the remaining 20m acts as a counterpoise. This works very well between 80m & 20m but performance drops off significantly on 160m.

For 17m through to 10m I use an Antron-99 10m half wave vertical.

For 2m/70cm FM I use a Diamond X-50 vertical.

For other bands or modes I am still experimenting so the antenna I use will vary.

Thank you for looking me up & I hope to work you soon.

73, Mark G0VOF