Benton, Louisiana USA
Parish of Bossier
Grid Sq EM32
Please use ARRL LOTW for QSL, if you want to QSL Direct then you must send an SASE to
Steve
138 Amy Lane
Benton, LA 71006 USA
Station Updates as of November 2011
The left Xcvr is a Yaesu FTdx5000MP, with an ETO 91b (although the above image shows the two FT1k's)
The right Xcvr is a Yaesu FT-1000MP and a QRO Technologies HF-2500DX amp
Tri-bands KLM KT-34xa at 40 feet on a Rohn 25g guyed tower
40 meters KLM World Class 4 el 40m Beam at 24 feet on a short 25g Guyed tower this antenna is close to the ground on purpose,
also on 40 a Four Eelment Double L Double D from M2 on a 90 foot Rohn 55G tower
80 meters currently Four antenna choices
1) 80m Four Square
2) Hy Gain Hy Tower Vertical with a 1/4 wave length ground screen under it
3) OCF Dipole hung at 55 feet and slopping from the tower towards the North West
4) Inverted L Hung from 70 feet on Rohn 55 G tower located due West of the shorter 45 foot Rohn 25G tower that supports the KT-34XA Tri-bander
Early in 2004 I was able to get a pair of Telrex Beams formerly owned by Wes Attaway N5WA
these antennas provide me with 3 elements on 40m and 5 elements on 20m,
they are mounted on 90 feet of Rohn 55g with the 40m beam inches above the rotor, which is a Telrex Prop pitch style. In November of 2011, the three element 40 was retired and the 4 ele M2 took it's place, The prop pitch has also been replaced by an Orion 2800 positioner.
The 20m mono bander is aprox 15' above the 40m beam.
All antennas are selected automatically using Green Heron Everyware wireless remote switch controls Green Heron Everyware
Antenna switches are a combination of WX0B Six Pak (SO2R) and DX engineering "Bullet Proof" switches again all of these are controlled as of June 2010 with Green Heron EW remote switch boxs and software.
Lighting Protection is afforded through the use of an I.C.E. surge suppressor on all coax lines that enter the shack. As well as two protectors mounted at the tower
Just prior to ARRL SweepStakes 2007 we installed the WX0B Six Pak Two Radio control antenna system,
allowing either radio one or radio two to use any antenna in the antenna farm - Safely !
Since we are SO2R we also use ICE Model 419B auto Band Pass filter boxs at each radio
to protect the front end of each radio
Also just prior to November SweepStakes in 2007 we installed a set of INRAD filters in one of our FT-1000MP
and saw much improved usability of this great radio in the contest versus past years
The folks at InRad are awesome !
Dailey Logging is done with DX4WIN, if you use windows for your computer, you should really be using DX4Windows, fantastic program and you can visit his site at ttp://www.DX4Win.com
All contest logging is done with N1MM and logs are up loaded ARRL Log Book of the World within a few days after each contest
I am a former WriteLog www.writelog.com User
but have shifted to N1MM, RTTY is with the MMTTY plug-in RTYY is amazingly slick with either WL or N1mm in a contest
My Station is evolving since I have moved towards SO2R
adding Coaxial Stubs, Band Pass Filters etc is wild !
I still use an Icom 756 Pro II for my emergency Goto radio * as well as 6 meter work
having a rig ready to go with the antenna and coax is why I deployed after Katrina in 2005 assisting the US Coast Guard
Email may be directed to me using KG5VK at arrl dot net
My Callsign at the Top of this page was designed by Jerry K9MY