Biography

I'm born in Italy (Savona) in 1976.
My first QSO was with a simple 23 channel AM CB radio founded in my father's cellar in my early age of 12....
I toke the "virus" after my first DX with USA in AM mode, 5 W and a mobile antenna temporarily installed out of the window!

From 1988 to 1998 I worked many countries in the 27MHz band (AM, FM and SSB mode) then, in 1998, I obtained the licence and the callsign IW1RCT. F1VJT is my newer since 2004, year when I leave Italy from France.
I started my activity with a Yaesu FT-73R and a FT-290R.

Actually I work HF bands from 3.5 to 28 MHz and 144 MHz, only SSB or CW, no digital modes.
My shack is powered by solars panels, 12V battery, only the power of my transceivers (100W) on good weather conditions, otherwise 50W or less.
I'm attached to old transceivers which I find fascinating and higly efficent...and easy to repair!

I'm training to CW....OM be patient, I'm still QRS!!!

I fight against "pumped and excessives HiFi modulations", please don't pollute the frequency!
Remind and respect the bandwidht of 3kHz!! (and narrowest is better for DX...)

So I don't leave the Citizen Band, I'm still active on AM and SSB.

I like repair and modify transceivers, microphones, build aerials... I like gardening, hiking, trekking, backpacking with (or without) my transceivers.
I build somes of my electric guitar and all of my tube amps, overdrive pedals...


I manage two Beacons

The 10 meter beacon: http://www.qrzcq.com/call/F1VJT/B (actually OFF)
The 6 meters beacon: https://www.qrzcq.com/call/F1ZGD (actually OFF - DEAD)


in memory of I1XOI Isido, who guided me into the world of ham radio

Worked DXCCs:

Equipment

HF:
Kenwood TS-850SAT
Icom IC-730

KENWOOD MC-80 (modified for dynamic microphone - SM-57)
TURNER +3B

HI GAIN TH3-JRS (thanks to F4ENG)
Home made FD4, 40 meters long
Home made 1/4 wave dualband 3.5/7 (only for contest)
DIAMOND CP6
DAIWA CNW418 Antenna Tuner

Clansmann vertical key

VHF (DX):
Icom IC-290D
200 Watt linear amplifier (SSB Electronics TLA 144-200)
Home-made 6 element DK7ZB Yagi antenna (10.24 dBd) with T-match dipole

VHF (Local):
YAESU FT7800 or Icom IC-290E
Diamond X-300

@ /P FM:
Yaesu FT-60 (VHF/UHF FM)
MOTOROLA GP380 (29MHz FM)
MOTOROLA GP380 (50MHz FM)

@ /P digital:
HYTERA PD-685 V and UHF (DMR - Job and HAM frequencies)
MOTOROLA DP-4800 V and UHF (DMR - Job and HAM frequencies)
Yaesu FT-70DE (thanks to F6GLS)

QRP, @ /P and/or @ home:
Yaesu FT-290R (my first VHF transceiver purchased on 1998, I never quit since my licence)
QUANSHENG UV-K5 (with DSB IJV firmware)
µBITx (HF all mode, max 20W)
µSDX (HF all mode, max 5W)

/P Antennas:
5 elements VHF Yagi (8.5 dBd)
Foldable V/UHF whip (1.25 m long)
HF Whizz Whip
Homemade light EFHW QRP (20.5 meters long)
Homemade light Windom (40,20,10)

Energy:
Rechargeables lithium battery pack (12V 6800 mAh), 15W foldable solar panel

Others rigs that I use occasionally:
MARKO CB-747 (10/11 meters) with Arduino DDS VFO, 12W
HENDRICKS DC20 with DDS VFO, 1 W
ROCKMITE 20 with DDS VFO, 1.5W
Pixie 10M, Pixie 20M, Pixie 40M (QRP frequencies xtals, 1W)
Forty 9er (7030 CW), 2W
Yaesu FRG-100
Yaesu FRG-9600 with homemade HF down converter inside
Yaesu FT-77

Others microphones that I use occasionally:
KENWOOD MC-85 (with audio compressor SSM2167 board and Sennheiser electret mic)
YAESU MD-100 (with Shure dynamic element)
PELTOR Aviation headset (one with dynamic mic, another with a noise canceler electret mic)
DAVID CLARK headset with M-77 mic element
ASTATIC D104M6

@ /M:
Yaesu FT-100
VERTEX VX-1400 + YAESU FC-30
ML-145 for 10,11 and 12 meters
Outback antenna (80-6m)

@ Emergency or Field-Day:
VERTEX VX-1700 with ATU-100 inside
DIAMOND DP-CP5 (80 to 10 meters) and 6 meter mast
Home made FD4 antenna (80 to 10 meters)
Home made EFHW antenna (40,20,10 meters)
TYT TH-9800
DIAMOND V2000

CB SIDE:
MIDLAND 4001 AM/FM (12W, 25W PEP AM)
CRT SS3900 - SS360 (Uniden)
ZETAGI B300 Junior (about 150W)
Home made 1/2 wave antenna (Ring-O)

Thanks to PA0RWE for help me to compile a new DDS VFO sketch for resuscitate my old IC-25!