Biography

My radio career started in 1975, aged 14 when my mother bought me a 3 channel CB handheld Midland transceiver which I still have!
SWL with my Kenwood TS-520S till 2002.
Licensed since 1992 with the callsign HB9OBZ (with no license for HF) I was very active on the satellites AO-10 and AO-13.
Since 2002 after having passed my CW exam and obtain the definitive callsign HB9DTA I am 99.9 pct a CW operator and my preferite band is 20m.
I like vintage tube gear such as Drake's. I own, in fact, the C-line, TR-4C and two TR-3, Yaesu FTdx 560, Kenwood hybrid TS-520S, and a plethora of homebrew tube XMTRS.
I like also the QRP world and have succesfully built a lot of commercial kits, some using tubes.
The SAT beam antennas have been replaced in 2013 by a MW0JZE (G3TXQ based) 2 el. Hexbeam for 6-10-12-15-17-20m. Very happy with this quite small fantastic HF antenna. Countless new DXCC using 100W or less !!!
I also have a half G5RV antenna for 10 to 40m, a Kelemen 10-15-20-40m dipole and a long wire just for some casual 80m contacts.
The second facet of my hobby is collecting telegraph keys of any provenance and period.
Recently I am involved in collecting (and using) old bugs such as the Vibroplex and McElroy ones. Fantastic pieces of mechanic !!
I also collect vintage wooden tube radios and vintage pocket transistor radios.

Looking forward to contacting you on the air !!!
Alex, HB9DTA

Equipment

DRAKE C-LINE
Drake TR-4C
Drake TR-3
Kenwood TS-520S
YAESU Sommerkamp FTdx-560
Icom IC-735
Icom IC-706
Yaesu FT-817ND
Heathkit HW-8
Heathkit HW-9
ASE-1302 (RFT)
Icom IC-275H
Yaesu FT-736R
HEATHKIT DX-35
HEATHKIT AT-1
Hallicrafters HT-17
Hallicrafters HT-18
SW-40
OAK QRP-20
OAK QRP-40
Ameco AC-1
AMECO TX-86
MILLEN TX
HG-303
ACOM 1000 HF AMPLIFIER (RARELY USED....)
AND MANY OTHERS...

ANT: MW0JZE HEXBEAM 6-10-12-15-17-20m
HALF G5RV 10-40m
KELEMEN 10-15-20-40m dipole
40m long LONG WIRE
ARROW ANT. FOR LEO SATELLITES