NO BUREAU QSL!! eQSL only!
I don't collect QSLs, but I know that a lot of folks do. If you are desperate for a QSL from Northern Ireland I will send one if you cover the postage. The UK Post Office do not sell or redeem IRCs anymore so if you send me $2 I will return. Sorry, but with my health issues I'm not working or earning so every penny counts, so PLEASE, don't send IRCs, I can't use them! Thanks for your understanding.
Another possibility is, save your own card and email me to confirm that I have you in the log, them Paypal me the $2 to martinedwards@bigfoot.com. make sure that you have your callsign in the message so I know who to QSL!!
I log all QSOs on eQSL, and on Clublog using winlog32 or Log4om as my logging software.
.ooooo00000xxx00000ooooo.
I'm learning Morse. please be gentle with me if you hear me calling a CW CQ!
lets be honest, I'm rubbish at it and still need a lot of practice, but I use a decoder as backup, so even if I'm too dumb to get all your transmission down, hopefully CWGet will manage it!! thanks for your understanding!!
after 4 months with a straight key, I'm experimenting with a home made paddle. the results are. MIXED!!!
after working 20 or so QSOs with the paddle (made from a knife) I made this touch keyer. full details on my blog.
I've also just started into Digimodes.
So far, PSK31 and RTTY. see you there!
What counts as a QSO?
Well I don't chase the DXCC certificates so if you repeat my call, then I know the signal has made the trip.
If YOU don't think that that's enough, then that's fine, let's not fight over it, OK?
I'm not one of the BIG stations, just an old rig and a wire antenna, so I know what it's like to be the little guy! if I can hear you, I WILL try to answer. if your RST is 209 on CW, or if I can just hear you through the mush in SSB, keep trying! I'm very grateful to ZL2IFB in New Zealand who just wouldn't give up until we had confirmed the QSO and so gave me my longest ever contact. That taught me a real lesson, to keep trying!!!
I Passed the exam is 1985. it only took me 28 years to find a stamp to send off the application!
MI0OIM issued on the 9th of October 2012.
My shack so far:
VHF: Baofeng UV-5R & Philips PRM8020 for /m
HF:
Yaesu FT747GX
vintage 1974 Yaesu FT 101B with some crystals changed to give some WARC bands
Antenna consist of the rubber duck on the Baofeng which gets very hot with lots of use and a longer Diamond RH771 antenna
G5RV jr for 40, 20, 10m
Carolina Windom CW 80 Special 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m
Long wire for all the rest
So far I have mainly used 20m and 2m FM through the GB3NI repeater, Now that I've caught the CW bug I'm really trying hard, so most of the time I'm on 20m CW, with occasional trips to 17m. 80m is a dead loss with S9+20 QRN 24/7. If I'm calling CQ it'll most likely be right at the band edge at the bottom of 20m though when the conditions allow I do try ther other bands
I recently worked my 135th DXCC , and 440th Slot.
as well as Ham radio, I have made over 90 guitars, mandolins, bouzoukis and bass guitars
This is an electric mandolin I made.
I am currently suffering from lower back problems so I am off work until I can get something done about it. This seriously reduces my mobility and while thankfully I'm not in need of a wheelchair, it greatly curtails my ability to climb ladders to rig antennae!! As I always look on the bright side of life, this means that I have lots of time for Ham radio!!
