Biography

UK Foundation Licence May 2017 (as M6WGH), Intermediate licence August 2019 - many thanks to Phil (F5FCH) for persuading me to get my licence and to Wythall Amateur Radio Club (especially Chris - G0EYO) for providing excellent training. I was previously a SWL - I started listening to the HF bands in the mid 1960s, initially with an AR88D receiver. In later times my SWL ID was: MA3098SWL.

I'm mainly on 17m / 20m using JT9 / JT65 / FT4 / FT8 modes on a Yaesu FT-991A, I also use PSK and JS8 on 20m / 40m. I have made a small number of contacts using RTTY and SSTV. For antenna, I mainly use attic mounted dipoles - I have fan dipoles that between them cover 10m, 12m, 15m, 17m, 20m and 30m. I also use a MFJ-933 loop tuner and have a copper loop covering 40m - I tried a loop for 80m using the outer braid of 19m of RG213 coaxial cable, but this was only making "local" contacts and has now been taken down. 6m is covered by a Comet CA-52HB2 antenna and from October 2019, 2m is covered by a 10 element Yagi - both of these are also attic mounted.

My licence allows up to 50W, but for digital I restrict the TX to 30W, on 2m usual power is 5-10W.

(For SWL purposes, I use an Elad FDM-DUOr receiver and a Wellbrook ALA1530 LNP magnetic loop antenna - I also use this combination with my FT991A as an aid to "decoding" signals when using weak signal modes.)

I routinely QSL via eQSL, but I also send out many Bureau QSL cards and a number by direct mail. A "paper" QSL sent directly to me will always be replied to with a "paper" QSL (a self-addressed envelope would be appreciated to prevent address errors). I also reply via the RSGB Bureau to any Bureau cards I receive.

My QSOs are also logged on QRZ.com, QRZCQ and HRDLOG.net (usually within a few of days of the contact). I upload to LoTW approximately once or twice a month.

Worked DXCCs: