Biography

The shack

I use all Elecraft transceivers in my shack, I built my K2/10 & the K2 kpa100, that's the K2's 100w amplfier in 2008, In 2010, I assembled the K3/100, and P3, and in 2011, I assembled the Elecraft KPA-500 amplifier. I also have as a stand-by, the Acom 1000 amp. Antenna's are the ever popular SteppIR beam, SteppIR 6 - 80m Vertical, for LF 40 / 80m Dipoles. Win-Test 4.9.1 contest logger, WriteLog, and N1MM, DX4Win dx logger, MicroHam keyer mk2 for winkey and FSK RTTY. Main modes are CW, and RTTY.

Since April 2012, I've started using N1MM, I did use it a long time ago but it never got on with it, However, N1MM has been developed and it's now a very good logger. Like all loggers it take a bit to learn all it's features, but once cracked, it should be a really good contest logger.

OTHER HOBBIES etc

Fly Fishing, mainly for Wild Brownie's,(catch & re-lease) & good winter Grayling, all on 3 miles of the River Kennet, Well, I need some re-laxation from contesting!I

If your a Fly fisher, click on my details, in the map the River Kennet is the lower river on the map just above my qth marker! You can see the River Lambourne, again chalk stream river with wild brown and excellent grayling, coming in from the upper North west and joining the river Kennet.

I first became licensed in 1990 with G7HNN, then it was a class (B) VHF only in those days, no HF use was permitted. In 1991, I passed my 12wpm Morse code exam at Harwell, the Atomic research facility, and weeks later was Issued with a class (A) HF license, G0ORH. My instructor, a very nice man who's name I forget, but he used to fly Hercules aircraft for a living with the RAF.

My absolute passion is CW, which is why I volunteered long ago as an RSGB Morse code Examiner for West Berkshire, (now disbanded) but I still teach Morse code today, so anyone reading this locally! then my email address is above!!

My Radio hardly ever has a mic in the socket, it's not really set up for the mode. Those that think they can help me in setting it up, then please don't, I like it as it is!! My Morse key is a hand built Chevron, made of solid Bronze and it's a very heavy piece of Artistic sculpture, together with Red paddles which replaced my gold colored ones, Red & Bronze definitely has that va va voom appeal. High speed Morse is effortless with this key.

If you've not seen the Chevron keys before then you must see the link below. BUT don't blame me if your bank account ends up a little light!! See the Gold, yes Gold key, and the new chrome model looks fabulous.

www.chevronmorsekeys.co.uk/

Clubs etc, I'm a member of BARTG, RSGB, Southern Counties CG, FOC, G-QRP, and my local club, Newbury & District ARS.



CONTESTS

G0ORH March 2011, Commonwealth / BERU contest. Condx Dire, 107 QSO's entered the 12hr section High power 400w, Even managed to watch the football, FA cup final at Wembley Stadium on TV, that's how bad propagation was that weekend.

G0ORH 6th August 2011, EU-HF Championship 12 utc - 23:59 etc. Worked nearly 800 QSO's.

21st August 2011. SARTG RTTY, late starting as I was away fly fishing. Made it back on Sunday morning and spent time on 15m in between cooking Sunday Roast, plus a few qso's on 10m.

G0ORH August 27 - 28 2011, YO DX CW, 260 QSO's all CW single band 15m. Definite lack of support due to SCC RTTY contest running next door! Condx were not that good especially to EU on Saturday, it was very poor with hardly a mult in the log. Sunday was a bit better with a handful of NA / SA logged JA, YB, P29CW, 5R, P43, so not all dome & gloom, oh, and a lot of YO YR mults, thanks guys.

G0ORH Saturday 3rd September. Russian WW RTTY. Single band 15m. Only 180 QSO's, Condx fair but lacking activity, I guess it's not so popular!

G0ORH IARU HF world champs 2010, Certificate winner CW 1st place single op HP in UK. (postie delivered it today 3/09/11

BARTG was interesting, fast and explosive at times! Spent to much time on 10m with nil results not good for the points. 15m band was open to W7 area with strong signals but could have done with a few more callers. Ended up with about 180 qso's so not that bad for the non expert category! The KPA-500 amp is really cool, a real power cube.ish

G0ORH - Sunday 18 September 2011, BARTG - SPRINT 75 RTTY, QSO's 148 (low activity need more op's on) 4 hours duration 1700 - 2100utc, fast this 75 baud, good runs to USA on 15m, XYL NOT best pleased, she was out shopping all day with the girls, then moaned when I lite up the radio room - well I ask yea - women!

G0ORH - RSGB 21 / 28 Sunday 2nd October, CW Single OP, high power 400w, 239 QSo's, Condx were mostly long skip and some sporadic e as the GM were very strong on 10m. 15m had good runs to JA, KH6, YB, etc, while 10m just one JA. Not a lot of activity from dx contest stations but I guess the so called TRC contest who tried to muscle in on the RSGB traditional dates didn't help much.

G0ORH - JARTS WW RTTY, decided at the last Mo to do a single band 10m only, pity theirs not a SOSB category. Well, I was not disappointed and had a ball working lots of DX especially JA, NA, SA, in fact had 102 DXCC on 10m so things must be good! Worked the band both Saturday & Sunday in between grass cutting chores, shopping, and general runabouts for the XYL, yea I know, but it has to be done!! Total for the weekend was 607 QSO's FSK RTTY. So a good weekends sport indeed.

M3i - CQ RTTY 22-10-11 certificate arrived for CQ RTTY 15m band 1st place UK, #5 World, #2 Europe

G0ORH - 5-6th November 2011. Fun weekend, Ukranian DX, 10m SB CW 500 qso,s

G0ORH 13-11-2011 OK-OM contest CW, Part-timer, fun time working the OK's and OM's, 140 qso's S & P 10 - 80m HP.

G0ORH, 19-11-2011 RSGB 160m contest. 9pm - 1am. 145 QSO's 1 NA, plus 1 VE3 gotaway! not bad for an antenna with its ends virtually on the floor. This is not a high scoring event as you can tell.

G0ORH 19-11-2011 I will be QRV LZ contest, Most likely a single band 10m, may change dependent on band condx, etc etc. Well condx were good on 10m 535 qso's CW, No JA, or ZL, plenty of BD's few VK's Lots of NA / SA, tks for the mults, Not good on sunday morning but opened to NA at 11:25am with the big boys coming through first. Good event.

19-11-2011, Just put on the MAP counter today and looks pretty neat but then perhaps not to everyones taste!

CQ WW CW - Now I've the top band antenna up I will be qrv SOAB un-assisted call will be M3i - unless!!

UBA contest results out today QSO's 756 SOAB HP 1st UK, 46 world, 14 EU.

24-11-2011 - Big storm depression affecting EI - GI - GM - OY area's for CQ WW CW. I'm hoping it's not going to reach me in West Berkshire but will be keeping a eye on things just the same. We await and see what happens. CU in CQWW CW SOAB HP 400w un-assisted.

19-12-11 Started the build of my x2 5B4AGN TX band pass filters, The SMD's (their were many 0805 devices) were once familiar with the soldering tecnique was easily done. The winding and tuning of the toroids will be another challenge. More later.

G0ORH 25-12-11 Got up early while the xyl was still zzzzz, joined in with the RAEM xmas day contest. Strange traffic reports, serial nr, and lat/long. Worked the 10m band on CW and was full of signals, mostly UA but DX also. Stopped at 11am with 140 odd qso's single band.

I will be qrv G0ORH/P in RSGB low power Field Day, 10w with my K2. This short event starts at 9:00utc - 12:00utc - LUNCH - 13:00utc - 16:00utc end. Bands are 40m 80m only. Traffic is RST, and Power.

29 June 2012, Plaque received from Bulgaria winner of the 10m section LZ DX CW contest 2011. Thanks Savi LZ1UK.
RSGB 21/28MHz 7th October 2012, Starts 0700 - 1900utc CW, SSB, or Mixed mode. See rules at RSGB contests. Mult is UK Districts ie G0ORH IS RG So Traffic is = 599 001 RG.


M3i CONTEST INFO

M3i was issued by OfCom under Application via NoV in January 2011.

Only certain contests are allowed with this call-sign.

Active Contests M3i with dates, bands, modes, qso's, Placings, Certificates, etc.

M3i -12/13th February 2011 CQ WPX RTTY SB 15M 501 QSO'SCertificate winner, 2nd in Europe.

M3i -19/20th February 2011 ARRL DX CW SB, 15m 500 qso's, 80m 142, 40m 43, total 683 qso's

M3i -19/20th March 2011 Russian DX SOSB 720 qso's, 15m cw, total 693 contacts.

M3i - 28/29 May 2011 CQ WPX CW, SOSB 20M, 1025 QSO's.

M3i - IARU 700 odd qso's.

M3i - RSGB IOTA contest 2011, EU005, mainland, single op, un-assisted, all CW, QSO's 1530, Thanks for all the qso's, great fun. Used the Elecraft KPA-500 amp for the first time and what a fine piece of kit, and yes, IT's A KIT!

M3i - RSGB IOTA RESULTS - 4th place SOAB unassisted CW HP fixed island EU005.

M3i - WAE cw Single op. 250 QSO's, We were pressing apples for breakfast juice all weekend so operated only when allowed and the crusher / press was empty. Waiting now until it's Cidre time!

M3i - 2011 WPX CW condx were dire, but I now remember why I bought an Elecraft K3, for it's weak signal handling, a contesters dream machine!

M3i - 24 - 25 September 2011, CQ WPX RTTY, should be fun if condx remain as I write 21:09:11. I'm undecided (yea I know) on full bands or single op - single band. Watch this space!

M3i CQWW RTTY, What a blast, entered as SOSB 15m unassisted, Condx FAB, wall - wall JA early my morning with a few scatterings of ZL, VK, BD, my first NA qso was at 11am total on time was about 23hrs for 1065 qso's and 4 states short of a full pack!!!

M3i - Next contest CQWW CW. 26-11-2011, Well CQWW CW has come and gone and what a weekend, who said CW was dead, wall to wall CW signals graced our bands, a great sound. I did SOAB HP unassisted. 33.52hrs on time, total QSO's 3062, 2,421.228 points.

INFO, Sent me a DIRECT QSL request! A shed load of envelopes were posted with G0ORH & M3i direct qsl card requests, mostly all from JA and NA. You should get yours soon!!

M3i 18-19 February 2012, ARRL CW SOSB 15m HP 930 QSO's

M3i - I will be qrv M3i during IARU in July CW only but ssb by request, should be a blast 599 27.

M3i - November 2013, I will be QRV in cq ww CW SO HP 10m single band. Good condx Saturday, Sunday not so hot. 1,200 Qs, 37 Zones 140 DXCC 480-000 pts.

NEWS
From 1 January 2014, the UK SCC, special contest calls, can be used in any contest. I believe the RSGB will not allow these SCC's
To be used in certain domestic events.









G0ORH 14-01-2012 - UK DX RTTY run by Scottish / Russian ARC, yes you guessed it, in Scotland!!! Entered SOAB HP, finished with 669 qso's for 14hrs on air. I've no idea what the final score is as wintest does not support this contest, so I used ARRL Round-up template. Maybe time to look at another contest logger, perhaps writelog, anyone use it!! let me know especially if you have it hooked up to a K3 & Microham keyer mk2!!!

BARTG75 sprint result just in, Result was 7th World, I'm getting a bit better at this RTTY malarki !!

G0ORH 23-01-12 HA DX CW, Great condx except 10m, lots of qso's but only 3 HA stn's logged for Mults. condx on 10 were dire to HA!! Anyway had some great runs. Finished up with 1027 QSO's.

G0ORH 28-01-12 BARTG SPRINT, 24hrs, SOAB expert category, 627 qso's, Ran Writelog 11.1 for the first time. Condx not so good, hardly any runs to NA, but worked 6 continents.

G0ORH 3-4-5-02-12 Closed event FOC Marathon, 48hrs FOC members work only FOC members. see FOC web site if interested - www.foc.org

G0ORH 10 - 11 March 2012, Beru Commonwealth contest, SOAB 10 - 80M HP 228 QSO's 4.900 pts. Beru is a closed event to commonwealth countries only. I do feel for you if your hearing all the choice DX ZL, ZL7, J88, VK, V8, 6Y ZD7, VP8, VP9, etc, on offer and not able to work it, especially if he is cqing for agess without a reply. The rewards for a G is not great, but the qso's are all dx quality qso's!

Easter, 7-8th April 2012, EARTTY, used N1MM in RTTY mode for the first time, Condx were actually pretty good, though NA runs were very disapointing. Had a brilliant run into JA on 15m band on Sunday morning. I just love running JA, these guys are so controlled when calling, EU needs to learn off these guys for sure! Total QSO's were 556 all bands. Thanks for all the qso's guys, did'nt think the EARTTY was so popular, CUNY.

NEWS

G0ORH - I will be running M0RSE call-sign from 1 May - 5 May 2013, CW Only.

G0ORH - I will be running G75FOC on 8 May, 10 May, and 31 May 2013 on behalf of FOC.
This call will also run from May 1 - 31 May 2013 by other members of First Class CW Operators club (FOC) in celebration of 75 years of FOC.

Good luck & 73's all Ken G0ORH - M3i

Worked DXCCs:

Equipment

K2 - K3+2m unit, KPA500, KAT500, P3, SteppIR beam, SteppIR vertical, Tower, Acom 1000 amp as a spare. Icom 471E 70cm Multimode rig. Win-test, Write-log, N1MM, Loggers, DX4win.