• Update 05/2012 = I moved to a new QTH, the Grid is EM50gg, Hancock County, MS. Will update address info as soon as possible.

• About Me:

I was first licensed in early 1988 with the callsign KB5FSV. In 2006 I upgraded from Technican to General, and then in 2008 I upgraded to Extra class. On 14 April 2009 I gave up my original 2x3 callsign for something shorter that would help me in the DX pileups. So I was granted K5OP.

• On-Air Operations:

October 18, 2008: Operated as K5S/K5Z - East Ship Island, MS. I was part of the team of MDXA members who is credited with qualifying and activating USi # MS009S for the first time ever. East Ship is also listed under IOTA NA-082. The station I used is a IC-756PROIII, and SteppIR two-element yagi.

May 30, 2009: I will be qualifying and activating a new island in the USi Awards Program. Be looking for K5OP/P on-air during the last weekend in May from Singing River Island - USi # MS010S. The station will be an Icom IC-7000 (100 watts) with the Heil Proset, Using a Buddipole Deluxe for 20/40 Meters, and a Wire Dipole for 80 meters. Check back for more updates.

• My Station:

My station consists of an Icom IC-7000 100 watt HF radio which is fed into a home-brew T2FD (Tilted Terminated Folded Dipole) in the back yard. I have one end of the antenna hoisted up a tree about 25 meters (70 feet) above ground, and the other end of the dipole is about 7 feet above ground attached to another tree. The antenna does not require a tuner except on 20 meters and 10 meters. Everywhere else the SWR is 1 to 1.5 I also have a VHF ground ground plane antenna attached to the IC-7000 for local 2 meter operations. My IC-7000 is also connected to my computer via the SignaLink for multiple digital communication modes, PSK31 being one of my favorites.

In the vehicle I have a Yaesu FT-8900 Quad band Mobile running 2 meter, 70 centimeter, 6 meter, and 10 meter FM. I also have an Icom IC-91AD HT for dual-band and DSTARS operation, and a Yaesu FT-60R Dual band which I use for working OSCARs on an ARROW II Satellite Antenna.