Us Two Hams

Paul K7VIQ: I have always liked how radio from childhood when I had a HeathKit shortwave radio and MFJ key and HeathKit tone oscillator.  I later got into CB which led to better radio access.

Kathy KD7PJW: I was first introduction to ham Radio was via shortwave Radio.  I was awed at how these broadcast and ham ham stations could talk to each other from such distant places.  When my future husband at the time "hinted" that he would like to see me get my ham license I was in full agreement and got my license.

My General Ham History Google doc  TLDR Google doc

Here is my wall art including our certificates and QSL cards

OM ~K7VIQ

Kilo Seven Viqtor India Quebec

     I(Paul) love science, math, radio, space but being a slow learner with disabled memory I can do none of it to any scale past being wow that's cool.  I had to become a ham by cramming for each level for a month.   My interest in radio started as licensed CB user(KBPN-1418) and I went by 'Little John' (Paul means little and my middle name means John).  I was rather discouraged by the language and lack of courtesy though and wished for an alternative.  Ham radio was the ticket, although it was several years till I got around to studying for a license, and the code requirement was gone.  I was first licensed as KB7VIQ on June 6, 1993 when the no-code technician was available.  On March 14, 2007 my wife became KD7PJW and I (became K7VIQ) as we both  took and passed the General exam together.  We never were able to get real HF equipment at the time.  My Brother Cecil (KB7ZXH) and I had a repeater for years but due to inactivity we took it down.  After that we did not get on the air anymore for years due to local friends moving on from Ham radio.  

   My wife Kathy(KD7PJW) and I(K7VIQ) had dropped the ham radio hobby do to local disuse among local Friends, time, health, complexity and cost of it.  The other VHF/UHF Friends in the area were  KB7ZXH(My Brother Cecil),  KB7SYB(Ryan-HF Active),  Silent keys KB7IGZ(Chris) and LLoyd Sherwin(N7KLC).   KB7VIY(Jeff-Former Ham).  

Re-Upping Our Hobby

  My buddy Jay L. was wanting a ham radio license, so in order to support him I studied and took the Extra exam.  Alas, he has not been able to spend the time to get a license yet.  Without my buddy Jay though, I would have never even tried for the Extra.  On March 30,2019 I took and passed the test to be an Extra Amateur.  Yup, past a test to to prove I am an extra amateur at something. 

After each exam I QUICKLY forgot it all but I met my challenge to meet each level. 🙂  I passed all three tests but I am extra amateurish. 🤯 If I had not been able to cram for these tests I would not have made becoming a Ham possible at any level.  After a life since a child of having an interest in Morse code, I still have an interest in learning it.

 Our Station

   Kathy and I set up a basic station using our DMR VHF/UHF handhelds.  I got my DMR ID: 3135605 for digital communications.  It's not that easy,  DMR has a steep learning curve and has been hard to keep our hotspot online.  DMR Currently offline.   Still not working yet as of 10/21/23

    The closest DMR repeater in Oregon are all to the north from Salem up and are slated primarily for Emergency communications(ECOMM).    Our best usage is a hot-spot connected to the internet.  Here is our digital projects(blog).

Nov, 20, 2019  - To really get into HF communications we obtained an HF radio but have had a terrible time getting it to work.  Not working yet as of 10/21/23

Nov, 2020 - A whole year later and nothing has changed, our HF still does not work.  I also have a terrible time keeping the DMR programed and online.  Still not working yet as of 10/21/23.   I started to slowly try to learn Morse code.

10/1/23 - A new hope.  I was able to get a new  NANOVNA NANOVNAH4 antenna analyzer.  10/6 -  Antenna Analyzer was delivered.  It will be a steep learning curve to use it.  

10/21/23  - The isotron antenna not working yet as NanoVNA measures antenna as around 6.3(so 1:6.3?) and is way out of SWR limits and out of my learning curve to fix it.

12/17/2023 - I bought an EFHW-8010-LP from MyAntennas.com.  I hope it gets me online or I may as well sell my IC-7300 that we bought Nov, 20, 2019 and have never been able use it.

Equipment

We Currently Own

2 - GMRS Motorola Talkabout T465 handhelds for emergencies - WQYS231

2 - 2m/70 cm Baofeng UV-82HP  DMR HT's - DMR hotspot Offline

2 - AnyTone AT-D868UV Dual Band DMR Handhelds - DMR hotspot Offline

1- PI 2 wearing a stylish MMDVM hat(Non functional)  and 1- MMDVM bridgecom box(Non functional) from bridgecomsystems.com  - DMR hotspot Offline

I thought about getting a newer better hotspot but they are now ridiculously priced.  $424.99 

 I did not pay this much for our Anytone Radios from them.  Pi boards are ridiculously priced now.

~~~

1- Signal handheld antenna, and a VHF/UHF car antenna. 

~~~

1 -ROHN H50 Telescopic Antenna Push Up TV Mast. 

(I did not need a ridiculously expensive permit to put up the tri-beam tower that I was given and sits it the backyard)

~~~

HF Isotron array on a 39ft Rohn mast slowly being set up as health and ability to figure it out allows.

As of  December of 2023 the IC-7300 is also still unmatched to the isotron array.  I am retiring it as it is to complicated for me to use.  I will recycle the isotron array to make the Rohn H50 mast lighter to raise back up.

~~~

My only hope to getting on the air was to purchase and install a simple MyAntennas.com 10-40M EFHW-LP.  Even though it requires a long wire.  I can lower and raise one from the ground.  A 80M EFHW would fit on property but will be complicated by needing a dogleg.  I recycled the isotron array to make the Rohn H50 mast lighter.   This plan is likely rather optimistic considering my decades of being a ham but only having ONE HF QSO with local ham KB7SYB.

~~~

1- XTenna Antenna - Variable Ratio End Fed Half Wave Antenna 49-1 / 56-1 / 64-1 windings PLUS 70'ft Wire.  I had hoped to use this with perhaps a small radio kit.

Have owned

Kenwood 2m/70cm handheld(Gave to KD6RRR),  Kenwood 2m/70cm(Gave to KB7ZXH My Brother Cecil),  12v PR25 Tripp Lite power supply(Gave to KB7ZXH My Brother Cecil),  2 Motorola M125LS and repeater controller rack(offline)(Gave to KB7ZXH My Brother Cecil),   Old HF tube portable in a case(Gave to John N. (KF7WJL),  Isotron Array.

 K7VIQ and Morse Code 

From childhood I have continued off and on during my lifetime to continue try to learn morse code and tha held me back from becoming a ham operator.   Since 2019 I have pressed on more regularly with learning Morse code using Long Island CW club online course methods to become a 'Know code ham',  or an Amatuer Extra +Code.  In the end knowing code is a skill to use ham radios oldest mode.  I am now practicing at 16/8 training for short QSO's using Morsecode world QSO trainer.   I have had hard time weaning myself off Farnsworth some days more than others.   Even if I have a problem learning it, I consider each small step a success and keep at it. 

K7VIQ Learning CW  These pages chronicle my latest efforts to learn Morse code since Dec 2019.

LICW Club Page 1 Study History 

CW Page 2 Study History 

CW Page 3 Study History 

CW And My Keys  My keys and equipment to use upon success to learn code.

91 73's K7VIQ@Allens.Place.    Here is my QRZ.com listing.