I'm a good Southern boy, and go by my 'middle' name - TIM. Not Patrick.

If you're hearing me on HF, I'm using a 180 foot doublet up about 75 feet, with about 150 feet of 450 ohm window line fed directly into a balanced line switch and a Palstar AT-auto tuner. My next antenna will be an older doublet mounted vertically in the back yard. Then maybe another horizontal doublet that's only about 30-40 feet high.

If you're hearing me on VHF (at home), I'm using a small discone (100 Mhz and up) mounted in the highest point of my attic. It's fed with high quality coax and does an excellent job from my fairly high location, just North of Atlanta. I also have a home made hybrid 6 meter/2 meter dipole in the top ridge of my attic. Maybe I'll mount an outside antenna in the future? I've got the antenna and hardline to do it, but with the little work I currently do on VHF from home, the extra antenna capability wouldn't get used much.

My HF rigs are a Kenwood TS-2000 and a Flex-3000. I have a Perseus software defined receiver that is outstanding! Also operate on 6, 2 and 440 all modes with the TS-2000. At the last club Christmas party, I won a radio, and swapped it out at HRO for an Icom IC-80AD D-Star HT. D-Star seems like it has potential, but the cost is still too high (if you ask me), and so many hams have nothing deeper to talk about than the weather. Come on guys.

I love to operate CW, SSB and digital modes. Played around with digital voice on HF too. Just wish there were more folks doing the same thing.

I enjoy using a hand held Arrow multi band antenna for satellite work. I've made a few contacts with my 5 watt HT and this antenna on FM birds in orbit. LOTS of fun. Also used my TS-2000, arrow antenna, laptop with HRD software and battery on the tailgate of my truck to make SSB satellite contacts. Busy work, but still fun. Now I have two eggbeater antennas (VHF/UHF) along with ground plane accessories. I plan to mount them on a sturdy tripod, along with preamps for both and a battery system. Using my TS-2000, I can use this system at home, Field Day or any demonstrations we see fit.

I'm still looking for a local ham that also works the satellites. I want to work him/her through the satellite when we're standing next to each other! The fun never stops :)

Best of luck to you.

Tim