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Bob K5DZE WELCOME! Thanks for stopping by my website! Here you will find information about my various Amateur Radio interests, particularly my QRP (low power) operations. The 10 M BEACON page will tell you about my 10 Meter Beacon as well as 10 m beacons in general. It will also tell you how and where to listen for them. The ANTENNAS page will discuss a number of antennas to include a look at my 80-10 meter 284' Full Wave Loop, some NVIS techniques, and several other antennas. Also there is info on a Hamstick Transport Tube to keep your Hamsticks safe during transport and a Tripod Mounted Hamstick antenna for your portable operations. Check out the PROJECTS page for some ideas and projects that might work in your Shack as well. A couple of these were chosen to appear in QST's Hints and Kinks column. Visit the the QSLS page to see some neat QSL cards, as well as some unusual QSLs. You may see one you know there! Speaking of QSL cards, have you ever wished there was an easy way to make your own custom QSL in small quantities on your computer without a lot of hassle? Well, there is...all you need is your computer and MS WORD. Click the MAKE A QSL CARD page link to see how to do it and to see a number of examples, then have fun making QSL cards for all sorts of special events and operations at your station. The PHOTOS page to see some of equipment going back to 1956 as well as other pictures of projects and activities developing around my QTH. Lastly, THE BOOKSHELF page will give you information on books I have written and published. You will find some free short books that may be of interest to you, and you can read samples of the two novels I have published. One novel, Deo Vindice, is in paperback as well as being available as a KINDLE book. The newest novel, War They Shall Have, was released as a KINDLE book. In the meantime, get a preview of these works on The Bookshelf page and check it to see what has been released through the KINDLE bookstore. (If you aren't familiar with Amazon's KINDLE book reader, there is information available on THE BOOKSHELF page to get you up to speed. If you love to read, it is the way to go! I hope you find something of interest and please... drop by anytime. Comments and feedback are welcomed.
My Shack and equipment can be seen on the QRP page of this site. After holding all Amateur Licenses from Novice to Extra (including the Advanced) and having spent 54 years in Amateur Radio, I seemed to have come full circle. I began with a low powered CW transmitter and small receiver, moved on to running several different kilowatt rigs and numerous big antennas, and now I am again back to low power! While each level has it enjoyment, QRP has really put a lot of fun and challenge back into my operating. This is something you will hear again and again from QRP operators, and I can tell you it is so true! I recommend this facet of Amateur Radio no matter how long you have been a Ham! Drop by the QRP page by using the link on the left to see more details on equipment and QRP operations at my station.
Perhaps you are familiar with the NCDXF/IARU Beacon Project (info: http://www.ncdxf.org/beacons.html), but but did you know a lot of Amateurs just like you also operate their own automated 10 Meter CW Beacons on a 24/7 schedule? These beacons transmit as an aid to 10 Meter propagation monitoring to let anyone quickly check to see if the band is open and if so, to/from what area. It is not only helpful when checking the band, it's fun to see how many of these rascals you can copy! Most beacons are operating at 5 watt or less, and a few run true flea power of 250 mw or even less. When the band opens up a bit, it's not unusual to catch a dozen or so beacons announcing their presence. Information on my 10 M Beacon web page will bring you up to speed on this activity and tell you where to listen for these interesting signals. This page will help you get a handle on what the "Beacon Band" is about and it will even tell you how you can activate your own beacon on the air should you have an interest in doing so. Several states in the US have only one or two beacons, so your efforts would surely be welcome. If you are an SWL, your report would also be most appreciated and very helpful. Right now, band conditions are poor but major improvements hopefully should be coming soon as the solar cycle begins its upturn. This makes now the perfect time to start listening to catch those 10 Meter band openings. 10 meter beacons are on-the-air right now as you read this and if the band is open, you likely can catch several of them! Please tune to 28.2415 and see if you can hear the K5DZE/B 5 watt beacon or perhaps one of the other beacons operating right now.
On this page of the website, you will find a number of free eBooks available written in popular Adobe .pdf eBook format for your pleasure and information. This includes two books for Amateur Radio operators and one for newly elected church board members who have never served on any board before. Additionally, there is a sample of my novel, DEO VINDICE, a tale of people and events of the Civil War. If you are a knowledgeable student of this period of history, you will surely enjoy this novel since you will know the personalities in the book and what they would have likely said and how they might have responded in various situations. For those not so well versed in the Civil War, the story will seem so plausible as to leave you wondering what is really true and what is fiction. See how history might have turned out. Also read a sample from my latest novel, titled WAR THEY SHALL HAVE now available as an Amazon KINDLE book as is another new work titled A CIVIL WAR REFERENCE FOR KINDLE. This latter book has been released as a Kindle Book giving you a Civil War reference available to take with you to battlefield visits, research trips to the library, or to look up facts about events of the period. Another book that may be of interest is CARRYING A CONCEALED HANDGUN, which can help those of you thinking of getting a concealed carry permit. There is much to think about and a number of decisions to make if you are thinking about becoming legally armed. This little book can help. Read about these and other books on THE BOOKSHELF page. (Not familiar with Amazon's KINDLE book reader? See the link I have provided on The Bookshelf to learn about this great reading device.) As you can see, there are several selections on The Bookshelf free for the download, so drop in and browse around.
I try to update this site often, and I hope I can provide items of interest to you. Till next time...
73 and Clear Skies Bob
"A Salute To Those Who Still Fly the Unfriendly Skies..."
1968-69 1971-72
This site is always under construction... right after I have my coffee...
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