Biography

Licenced in 1986 after applying for the CALLSIGN VK2LEE at 3 different regional offices. As NO Callsigns had been allotted in the LAA-LZZ series, the answer was NO, so I then tried the Head Office of the Department of Communications in Canberra located in the Australian Capital Territory and a few weeks later I had the NEW Callsign VK2LEE, which was still in ALL Callbooks as NOT ALLOTTED, so I spent many months on NETS using My New Callsign, as Most other Hams would NOT Talk to a Ham whose callsign wasn't in the CALLBOOK. After a year, other VK calls beginning with VK*L** started to appear..

I did work mobile on 80 meters for many years using a KENWOOD TS440S and a helical whip which I had made. It was nearly 2 meters long, made on a tapered fiberglass rod about 25mm at the base. It was mounted on a large spring on a Bull Bar on the front of a car. Next I bought a new Yaesu FT-920 transceiver which I used for many years with mono band yagi antennas on My tower along with 1/2 wave dipoles.. I then found when the SOTA stations first appeared, I could NOT hear any of them, so after reading the many great articles on the YAESU FTDX-3000, in 2015, I purchased a NEW FTDX-3000 for around $3200AUS. It worked as good as all the articles I had read, and I Now have an YAESU ATAS 120A mobile antenna to be used with the Yaesu FT-857D HF VHF UHF all mode transceiver I purchased in 2018... I haven't actually used this Radio in the Car as yet. I am still grounding out parts of the car. I am finding it difficult to tune this antenna on 40 meters.
I am Now 71 years old and retired after a long Mental illness. I am located in SCONE which is the HORSE CAPITAL of Australia. I did have a high noise level here on most bands and extreme 9 noise level all day & Night on 80 meters. But suddenly a few months ago [early 2018] most of the Noise disappeared on all bands... I do have 2 sensor lamps outside which do put out a lot of noise when they are activated, usually by My 2 dogs. If I remember, I usually turn them off if I am going to use the Radio at Night. The JPS ANC-4 Noise eliminator which I have for a short period of time, is just magic. It lowers the NOISE level up to 4 S Points instantly when I press the button... but isn't always necessary now that the local noise level has lowered.
I am getting excellent audio reports from My FTDX-3000 using the WO3O headsets which I imported from the USA via a friend who was coming back to Australia, as the WO3O headsets are only sold in the USA.. My 80 meter inverted vee is 40 feet high at the center and 35 feet high at the ends. My 40-20m dipole is only 20 feet high and Horizontal. My Shack is in a spare room covered with QSL Cards and with 3 computers. I am enjoying the SOTA and WWFF portable activations the past 4 years as a chaser..

Equipment

Yaesu FTdx-3000, Yaesu FT-920, Yaesu FT-857D with LDG Meter, YAESU ATAS 120A mobile antenna, Yaesu FT-2800M 2m FM, ICOM-IC-2300H 2m FM, SIGNALINK USB ,CREATE RC5-1 ROTATOR, 10 element 2M yagi [Horizontal] 7 Element 2M YAGI [Vertical], AZDEN 2M vertical, 80M-40M Inverted Vee dipole 40 foot high, 40-20M Horizontal Dipole 30 foot high. 6 Meter Vertical Antenna, MFJ 934 Antenna tuner [not being used] Kuranashi Antenna Analyzer, Feature Tech AW07A antenna analyzer. WERNER WULF HB35 5 element tribander 20/15/10M, JPS ANC-4 Noise Eliminator , AVAIR AV-201 SWR Meter, WO3O HEADSETS , MC50 Kenwood desk Mike. OPEK CX5 & REVEX antenna switches. I have just started to use Slow Scan TV on 20 & 40 Meters... I am receiving some pics in good quality and many that aren't.... I have a lot to learn.... I only have one pic at the present and I have no idea how to add photos... I will be looking at You tube tonight... VK2LEE 12th May 2020..