Biography

A short story long . . . .

The beginning...

From when I was young I liked to listen shortwave broadcasts on a old multi band shortwave receiver and especially the amateur radio transmissions. At the age of 14 came in contact with the CB radios through a few kids in my school class but due to puberty new interests (girls and computers) got greater priority. At age 16 I met OM Johan (PD0GFR later DO1GRF) who was also shared my interest in computers and in the years to come he became one of my best friends. Sometimes we made QSO's in his shack but most of the time we worked on computer projects. We lost track of each-other after he had moved to Germany (the change of address card had gone lost in the mail) but early 2008 we met again on a fair and made a few visits to each-other. But due work and family obligations from both sides the contacts got lost again. Late 2009 I had found out that he lost his battle against his sickness and Johan went SK in mid 2009.

In 2012 I needed a new challenge to get me throw the autumn and winter and decided to start learning for my amateur radio Novice license. To support the training and getting more acquaint with amateur radio communication I also picking-up a old hobby of mine : DX listening.

It is that DX listening without a good receiver is like building a house of cardboard, it may stay but with the first rains you may (or better you will) get disappointed. So to be on the save side I looked for a old communication receiver with a less as possible integrated circuits in it to get is far away from my daily work as possible (when people ask me what I do I say "I do some things with computers"). After a few weeks I found a used but reasonably priced Yaesu FRG-7700 communication receiver on http://www.marktplaats.nl/ . And after a short mail exchange with the owner I decided to take the change and bought it. A dissension which I don't regret until today and the FRG-7700 is still a active part of my shack. I logged various 80 and 40 meter amateur radio conversations from all over Europa incl a lot of the modern east-block countries and a few from east coast of the US.

Eager waiting for the Novice exam...

The amateur radio Novice license training was done at the begin of November, but I was to late for the last exam of 2012. So I had to wait for the next exam which was held on 6 March 2013 (the birthday of my daughter). The time between that I kept practicing my training exams and even started to learn for the F license. On 6 march 2013 I took the Novice exam and answered all the answers correctly and for that day we had 2 reasons to celebrate. And after 3 weeks all the paperwork was done and I'm was official registered novice ham-radio operator with the call Pappa Delta Two Lima Bravo (hmmm the Lima Bravo, where would that come from??).

Hamradio operation procedures, practise and ethics...

But having the license doesn't mean that you are all knowing, the difference between theory and real live is a big gap. One thing I did notice in the courses is there isn't as much focus on the operation procedures as I would have accepted (although, they ex-plane how to answer a QSO, call CQ, use the alphabet etc).

Soon after I got my novice call, I looked around for more information on Operation Procedures and found out that in the past there were special courses for it on various HamRadio club's. Unfortunately non of the clubs gave them any more, so I went looking for information to sell-study. A lot of info I found on the pages of ON4WW (http://www.on4ww.be/op.html) and on the website http://www.ham-operating-ethics.org/ the last, unfortunately offline now. But the ARRL still has the 2011 edition for the document online : http://www.arrl.org/files/file/DXCC/Eth-operating-EN-ARRL-CORR-JAN-2011.pdf (personal I think it's a must read and should be part of the Novice course).

Going HF...

Due to the regulations of the Dutch HamRadio Novice license, it's allowed for the Novice license holders also to work on 3 parts of the HF bands. 40m (7.050-7.100Mhz), 20m (14.000-14.250Mhz) and 10m (28.000-29.700Mhz). And after listening a long time on the HF parts, I couldn't resist it any longer and wanted to realy work those bands. So when the opportunity came to buy a second hand Yaesu FT-897D from another ham which wanted to go bigger, I toke it. Having bought this set I replaced my SWL long wire antenna with a 40/20/10m HyEndFed, allowing me to work on these specific parts of the bands with a max of 25Watt PEP. And soon the first QSO's in SSB and PSK31 where made with countries inside Europe and even with countries outside it. Most of the time I use 5 Watt PEP (the bottom power of the FT-897D) but often I get compliments about the signal. Proberbly has something to do with waiting for the correct conditions)

A new FULL call...

Already been training for the full license and being confident about my acquired knowledge I took the Full License exam on 6 November 2013 and with just 7 errors on the 50 questions I pasted it. On 22 november the Agentschap Telecom processed it, confirm the result and grand the new status. Allowing me to choose my new full license call : Pappa Hotel Two Lima Bravo. When some people hear my call, they ask me if I own a plane, am a pilot or are somehow aviation connected because PH is the aircraft registration for Dutch Planes. But no, hamradio and aircraft registration are two entirely different things in the Netherlands.

Dit's and Dah's a sound from the past...

Having a Full License doesn't mean I'm finished studying. There is one thing I always found magical about HamRadio, the dit's and dah's you hear on the lower parts of the bands. So when I have time, I'm training listening morsecode by the Koch method and there is a little progress on that part (training at 25wpm is like hell, but why make it easy).

Oldskool rigs but still a computer needed...

Although I work all days with computers as a Technical Specialist / Software engineer, I like the old kind of hamradio's. That's why my equipment list contains old radio's (no tubes) without modern digital stuff in it (although I like a digital readout). Pure analoge and without fancy stuff like DSP's etc.

The computer in the shack I use for PSK31 and other digital modes, which I like to use for QRP DX. When you spot me, please send me a screenshot of my signal to let mee see how it looks out there. I'm allways try to keep it clean as possible.

QSO? QSL!...

One other thing I use the computer for is the CQRLOG program to keep track of my QSO's and track the digital QSL's like with eQSL and LOTW. But I still like to send and receive the oldfashion paper QSL cards by the buro or direct. The design of my QSL card is the work of my XYL Eva (many thanks and xxx) which thought my old card could need a update (see was so right)

QSL?

I prefer QSL card exchange by the bureau. But QSL-cards received by postal mail is also ok, they will be answered by postal mail. It isn't necessary to add IRCs or money for return postage. But I know a few kids who like to collect used stamps from all over the world. So if you have a few used one's laying around which you can spare, you're would make them very happy.

Going outdoors...

Working as a software developer means that most of the time that I work indoors behind a desk and my monitors are the windows to the world. To expand our view on the world, me and my XYL like to go outdoors and setup a field shack where ever we go. (check out the fieldreports on my website). To get insperation I would highly recommend joining the public Facebook group : Field Radio ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/FieldRadio/ ) who contains lot of field reports, pictures, Q&A etc. Enjoy the outdoor like we do. Check out the fieldreports on my website ( http://www.ph2lb.nl/blog/index.php?page=field-reports ).

It's true...

So where other hams warned me about is actualy true. HamRadio is a addiction and distance and technology is the drugs that keep it running.

I like to build a lot of things myself and write articles about that. Check out my website at http://www.ph2lb.nl/ , checkout my Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lex_ph2lb/ or you can follow me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/PH2LB.



Told you it was a short story long . . . HI

Thanks for visiting my QRZCQ.COM profile page.

73 de Lex PH2LB

Worked DXCCs:

Equipment

Normaly I don't like to brag about the equipment I'm using to practice my hobby but in the QSO's it almost tradition to exchange equipment details. So I also will write my list below.

Transceivers (active) :

ILER20 MK2 QRP transceiver (kit by EA3GCY)
uBitx (kit by HFSignals.com Ashhar Farhan, VU2ESE)
QCX 40m CW (kit by QRP-Labs, Hans Summers G0UPL)
QCX+ 20m CW (kit by QRP-Labs, Hans Summers G0UPL)
QCX-mini 40m CW (kit by QRP-Labs, Hans Summers G0UPL)
Yaesu FT-817ND

Note : due to a high level of QRM and man made noise in my QTH I is hard for me to operate HF from home in SSB and CW. That's why I sold every rig (FT301, FT221R, FT897 etc) or receiver (FRG7700 etc) that wouldn't fit in my backpack, was heavier that 5Kg or wasn't made for /P operations.Yeh it sucks.

Receivers (active) :

Yupiteru MVT-7100
FRG-7 (2x)

Handheld (active) :

Yaesu FT-60e (2x for FM sat work)

Antennas (active) :

2m/70cm J-Pole (DIY)
2m 9 element tona Yagi
10/15/20/40mtr end-fed longwire (DIY)
6m 2 elm yagi (DK7ZB design DIY)
60cm dish with AmsatDL UpConv6 for QO-100

Antennas (standby for field days and experiments) :

QRP Fuchs Antenna - based on "The Multibandfuchs by DL7AQT, Frank"
2m Slim Jim antenna (DIY from 450 Ohm ladder line) for portable usage
PA0FBK's 2/70 portabele coax antenne
Lightweight PVC tube 2m 4 element Yagi (DIY based on 50 Ohms 4 element design by DK7ZB) for portable usage
2m/70cm Arrow antenne with tripod extension for sat and fieldday work.
glassfiber 12.5 mtr telescope 
end-fed longwire box (homemade) with 10/20/40mtr end-fed longwire and 10, 12, 15, 17 mtr monoband end-fed wires
dipole box (DIY )with 10, 12, 15, 17,20, 40mtr dipole wire set