HAM Biography

NL4196-PA2112-PD0CJH-PE1BQP-PA3ANG.

The young NL4196, PA2112 a short-wave listener.

Starting in 1972 as 14 year old boy listening with a simple solid state radio, I heard special signals and wondered myself. Radio got me and I became a official shortwave listener NL4196 as member of the VERON (June 1972). My first “big” receiver was the B40 ex-navy and after a couple of years I bought my first commercial receiver, a Kenwood R599D. In combination with a Fritzel vertical GPA-3V all amateur bands where monitored and lot’s of hours where spend “playing” with the radio.

That time two Amateur Radio Societies where existing (and still are). I could not choose so I became member of both.That’s why I got two Short-wave Listener Callsigns:
NL-4196 (VERON)
PA-2112 (VRZA)

The novice PD0CJH

In 1977 I obtained my first licence to operate on 6 fixed channels in the 2 meter band. 145.250,275,325,350,375 and 145.400 MHz. This so called D (Novice) licence was the start to get the C licence.

The equipment I used was a fixed channel Kenwood TR-2200GX. The antenna system consisted of a 9 element Tonna X beam and a 5/8 lambda GP. Home brew equipment was not allowed and we where restricted to 10 Watt FM only. My callsign was PD0CJH.

During this period I kept using my ex-equipment B40. I even bought one back after selling my first B40 receiver. But the ‘boatanchor’ is no longer with me.

Other surplus radio’s I used where R-209MK2, R-77, GRC-9, BC-728, BC1306, CPRC-26, A-510, FSE 38/58, BC-611, PRC-6, PRC-9.

PE1BQP is born!

In 1978 I became PE1BQP. A licence to operate VHF and higher bands. My beauty-machine the TS-700G.
The antenna system remained the same.

The radio virus weakened a bit when the YL Lida came into my live. But she got me as a Ham operator, that was part of the deal. I continued practising my Morse Code and passed the CW exam in 1979.

PA3ANG the final callsign.

Being now an A licence Ham, new equipment was needed to explore the “real”  radio amateur frequencies: the “HF” bands. I got myself a Kenwood TS-120V. I could not effort more RF power due to lack of money.
Was this the start to become a more QRP focused operator?

Some rigs I had during the first 15 years being a full licenced PA3ANG


Kenwood TR-9000
2 Meter all mode

Yaesu FT790
70cm all mode

Cloned 23 cm Transverter
(Home brew)

I changed my QTH a couple of times. Voorburg, Berkel & Rodenrijs, Muntendam, Emmen and always had my radio stuff with me. Here are some pictures of my radio shack.

For VHF (2 Meter) I bought a TS-9000. I had many years of pleasure with this rig. In the mean time i started building equipment for UHF (70 cm) and even SHF (23 cm), had my first Aurora and Sporadic E excitements and started to make equipment for Packet Radio (Nodes and BBS). In 1997 I built the local 2 meter repeater PI3ZOD in Emmen.

An other activity has been 10 Meter FM. Using modified DNT and HYCOM CB equipment, remote DTMF control and patching the 10 meter signals to 2 meter was one of the experiments we conducted during the 80’s. During this period I developed and produced a ‘small footprint’ CW Callsign generator and sold this to many Hams. This happened also with Baycom modem i developed for the Commodore C-64 computer. It wasn’t a booming business but al lot of Ham operators where activated with Packed Radio.

To suit the need in being a mobile Ham operator I had a variety of portable gadgets.


Kenwood
TR-2300

Standard
C101/C401

Kenwood
TH79

Yeasu
VX1R

The QSL card which is still used and has been send all over the world:

Antennas mainly used in Emmen:


VHF- SHF plus 10 Mtrs
(1984)

HQ1 – Hybrid Quad
for 20, 15, 10 and 6 Mtrs

Cushcraft R5
(1988)

After 18 years having Emmen as our QTH we left and moved to Zwolle where we have a house with 4 floors and a roof terrace. A perfect opportunity to place and maintain a proper antenna system.

Currently (2009) I have the following antennas:
Cushcraft R5 (20/17/15/12/10 Meter)
Comet CA 2×4 Super II (2 Mtr & 70cm)
Diamond X50-N (2 Mtr & 70cm) or 4 el 70cm beam
Sirio SD1300-N (Discone 50-1300 MHz)
WL-1030 Magnetic Loop (10KHz – 30HMz)
G5RV Wire antenna (mounted on the other site of the house)


I have changed in 2005 the equipment again.
After succesfully using the Alinco DX-70T for a long period, I exchanged the DX-70 for an Yeasu FT-840. This rig has a better ‘Base Station’ look and feel compared to the ‘Mobile’ Alinco. The FT-840 is fully equiped with FM-Unit, AM & CW filter and FC-10 automatic antenna tuner.

An other gadget I bought (especially to go portable and for 6 meters):


Yeasu FT-817

In 2007 I bought the Elecraft K1 en K2 rigs. These rigs can be obtained in Kit form, but due to lack of time I bought them assembled. The rigs are full loaded with all possible accessory.

The Electraft line. K2/100 including KAT100 and the K1-4band.

30+ years being a Ham resulted in

  • Working more than 250 countries on HF when hunting DX stations and participating in contests.Operating CW, Phone, RTTY, PSK31, ATV, Vintage AM. Using Repeaters and Satellite UO14, RS12/13. Lots of QRP operations using QRP and QRPP    
  • Buying and selling equipment. I had more stuff than mentioned on this page (hi)
  • Constructing equipment including 1296MHz transceivers and antenna’s.
  • Offering the Ham community a helping hand in starting Packet Radio
  • Being able to build the local repeater PI3ZOD
  • Developing repeater control logic (H/w + S/w) for 3 other repeater groups.
  • Recently having my first QRP DX expedition
  • …… and much more

AMSAT UO-14.
Went Silent Key in 2003!

Nowedays, i’m still changing equipment regualarly. Especially technological new HAM gear is purchased and evaluated voor HAM Radio useability.  Below a picture from 2013, so it’s hopelessly outdated with a Hytera DMR mob.,  a FLEX-1500 and the Kenwood TS590S. All sold again for newer and modern gear.

pa3ang

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Most pages are in Dutch. Some trending subjects are written in English.

vy 73 de Johan, PA3ANG