Biography

Tuesday 02/08/2022 @ 17:50 local eastern USA / 22:50 UTC - Every once in a very rare while, I come across something that brings a genuine smile to my face. So it is just now. I've been listening to the personal story of an 81 year old's beginning journey of how he first got interested and started in amateur radio as a kid, thanks to a nearby neighbor he lived by who was a ham and introduced and encouraged his curiosity of the hobby and the technology of the time. And his story was both fascinating as well as humorously entertaining. I was listening to him via the K3FEF SDR in NE Pennsylvania, talking to another elderly ham operator in Rhode Island. I Rx'd him on 20 meters @ 142100.0 USB. I looked his callsign (W4TWX) up on the QRZed database. And his name is Jack N. His QTH is in South Carolina, USA. I really enjoyed listening to his stories of his early life & ham radio experiences as a young boy. Describing in detail the things he remembered while visiting the ham shack of his neighbor.. The smells of capacitors, resistors, and vacuum tubes as they heated up. As his neighbor described to him how the magic of signals worked in the manner they do. Sometimes, these older generations can convey a sense of magic, wonder, knowledge, and wisdom that is all but completely lost to the younger generations today, it seems to me. And that truly is a very sad shame to realize. I couldn't help for thinking of my former elmer, Rick, KF5GV as I listened to the old man's story. I've no doubt at all that Rick himself could have related to many of the things the old man talked about in his story. Maybe.. Just maybe, I was meant to come across this old man telling his story. I'm very glad I did. I wish I had made a recording of it. It would have been a keeper for my amateur radio recording files...
I wish you well, Jack W4TWX. You don't know me. But you never know who might be out there listening. Thank you for your story... Your story made my day.
73! de Ed, WV1SWL... (non ham, ShortWave Listener).

Hello to everyone, and my humble thanks for stopping by. I am an SWL amateur radio bands listener, non-ham, and a participating Zello VOIP / Network Radios, ZMR (Zello Mobile Radio) & IRC (International Radio Network) groups member (see further below for more info about that with links provided), at this time. Hope to soon try for my tech class eventually.

I'm a 1968 model with no spare parts and an expired warranty.. Bummer.

Likes: Sci-fi movies. Old country and rock music. I particularly like Scottish pipes & drums (Albannach, Saor Patrol, Top Secret, etc.), and something called Epic Music.

I've a long running interest in amateur radio listening on HF & VHF. And now, through VOIP, I'm a member of the Network Radios suite of channels in the UK, (thanks Paul MM7WAB), the IRN International Radios Network suite of channels out of Scotland, (thanks Graham GM0UUB), and the ZMR Zello Mobile Radios suite of channels. (thanks Ray N9KGC) (https://www.zmr.us/). I'm also on Teamspeak3 as these 3 groups work together with various cooperative projects, such as the PoCNET channel. These channels are made up of licensed amateur operators all around the world, and non-hams, & SWL hobbyists, to promote fellowship and the actual ham radio hobby through these VOIP, amateur radio related channels. These are 3 separate active groups with excellent owner admins, moderators, and membership."Not to replace Ham Radio, but rather to complement Ham Radio"

I enjoy working with Linux OS. And I love to write.. a lot.. probably a bit too much. Sorry.. :) I do have a stealth mode wicked sense of humor when I let it out, but you'll not likely catch it unless you know me well enough... A friend once told me my sense of humor was like an unseen torpedo in the water.

Dislikes: Me being forced into speaking more than four words... (Probably why I'm still an SWL), ;p joking... But mostly I cannot stand liars, thieves, constant drunks, drama makers, and drug addicts. And nearly all politicians. Microsoft Windows 10. and the Big Tech social medias.

I formerly served in the U.S. Army, first in the Signal Corps, then later as as a tank turret operator on the ITV/BFVS (Bradley Fighting Vehicle System). Later, served again with the WV Army National Guard as a Combat Military Police Officer. I also served as a police officer for various local towns, eventually changing profession to Emergency Medical Services. And had served as a firefighter with my local volunteer fire dept. Not active these days after my own physical health went downhill. I miss the old days most when I was running ambulance. Word of advice: Appreciate what you have, while you can. Things can change with unwanted and unexpected irony... That's just life.

But enough of that, moving on to fun stuff...

On the Zello app for amateur radio related channels promoting the hobby and fellowship, my primary channel these days is ZMR 851.405 as WV1SWL-Ed. There are 5 ZMR group channels currently (ZMR 851.065, ZMR 851.900, ZMR-851.6125, ZMRS 462.5625. I also am a member of Network Radios, (with 8 group channels). Membership with IRN International Radio Network (3 channels). Member of PoCNET (which is normally closed except for special event nets).

I'm also a member of International Radios Network with the 'callsign' designation IRN5223. I sometimes work 3 different worldwide net check-ins on there that are open to amateur and nons both. They have two nets available that are open to hams only that crosslink with Echolink, FreeStar, and maybe some others. They utilize Netlogger. They also have Teamspeak 3 available for all members.

In the meantime, I utilize various means for listening, I have a Tecsun PL-680 receiver. Updated: After having tried various antenna configurations that didn't work at all for the Tecsun, I've now built a loop antenna that doesn't just work, but has far more than exceeded any expectations I'd had. Built out of scrap items I'd re-purposed. More than happy with it. To date, my furthest rx on this homebrew loop has been from Asiatic Russia.

Also use WebSDR remote operation, with my favorite being K3FEF in NE PA, USA for monitoring. I use Pocket RxTx android app, and numerous other means for monitoring.

I originally started out by getting registered with SWARL.org with the issued designator WA8097SWL #9901 in the registry list, which I used when I signed onto the WebSDRs (now WV1SWL, I'm still just an SWL only), QRZ, HamQTH, eQSL.cc, QRZCQ, and various others. (certificate # S9883 issued on 01 July 2018). Apply for yours at: http://swarl.org/ Understand that this certificate is NOT an amateur radio operator license. It does NOT grant any transmit privileges to the holder. It simply lets various amateur operators & SWL radio organisations know that you are an SWLer, a monitoring & logging listener. An amateur radio license has to be earned through testing, passing, and the granting of a call sign license in your respective country by it's governing authority. Illegal transmitting on amateur bands without an authorized license can result in potential imprisonment & tens of thousands of dollars in fines. (Fines starting at around $18,000.00 in the U.S.). And once issued, the privilege can be revoked if abused just like a drivers license can be. Whether an amateur operator, SWL, or just someone looking for juvenile level 'fun' you're responsible for what you do.

As an addition to my radio hobby, I keep a watch on and sometimes record solar, atmospheric layer, earthquake & weather data with live feeds on my pc Linux laptops, and sometimes watch & log the POTA (Parks On The Air) activations. https://pota.us/#/ and http://www.dxsummit.fi/#/

There is no shortage of things to learn and experience in this hobby, even as a SWL. I've worked with satellite & ISS beacon tracking simply using a handheld programmable scanner with a makeshift horizontal antenna for polarized signal rx. I practice keeping a logbook of call signs I hear on the WebSDRs / Pocket RxTx, & Tecsun receiver. Sometimes I'll post a shortened form of my log for the day in an album called Amateur Ham Radio / Shortwave Hobby in my FB amateur radio album to let people get an idea of what amateur & shortwave radio is. Update Note: I'm no longer using Facebook. Primarily after they'd deleted my amateur radio album without any explanation. They did eventually decide to put it back. But there were too many repeated censoring actions they found 'offensive' or deemed as misinformation. So I decided to drop the internet social medias I was using, (4 of them).

I also like to monitor the Logan County WV Amateur Radio Club, D-Star Reflectors, WIN System Allstar, the WAN System (not very often, though), Rocky Mountain Radio Relay League, Eastern Arizona ARS Repeater System (EAARS), Central WV Amateur Radio, Honolulu County Hawaii amateur repeaters, the Northern Utah 1,2,3 & 4 SDRs, and the HUBNet AllStar Link in Hampshire County, England, United Kingdom. ( their website: https://www.hubnetwork.uk ). . I'll occasionally log call signs from many of these as well. But the HF bands remain my favorite for contest logging as an SWL. Mainly 20 & 40 meters ssb.

I also log to eQSL.cc Not a lot of eQSL card responses, but I get some back. You have to put the hook out there if you want to catch anything at all. (Advice from my ELMER, and he's quite correct). Love logging into eQSL.cc to find I have digital cards waiting for me to download from amateur operators around the world to whom I've sent reception reports to.

I also use Zello as another means for communicating. While of course, it isn't amateur radio in the traditional sense, and certainly not for any contesting purposes, I still see Zello / VOIP as another tool by which to enjoy and add voice communication to my hobby with both amateur operators and nons alike. There are channels on there that are run by ham operators, and a good way for non hams to meet, greet, and begin learning about the hobby of amateur radio / shortwave listening. To be more to the point, VOIP is just another type of mode, of which there is no shortage of in the amateur radio community. Just no license required.

Some call it 'not really radio' but, somewhere in all that technology, part of it does involve RF signal transmitting and receiving, antenna towers & linking (Wait.. WHAT?!? Sound familiar? It should), and even some satellites. Technologies are ever evolving and expanding with newer capabilities. It's always changing. Every time something new ever came out in amateur radio throughout it's history, it would be disliked by some. But always accepted as commonplace eventually. Such as had happened with SSB mode at it's start. Amateur radio in it's original purest form was once CW (morse code) only. Then came voice. And over time, all the different modes, bands, etc were added and eventually became commonplace. It grew as experimentation and technologies added much more to the hobby. And then came the WebSDRs. WOW! The past (and present, too) amateur operators made that ALL happen. I'm personally not a fan of what I've seen of FT8. But I actually know little about it, really. But there are many operators who certainly do enjoy it. And I respect that fact. There is certainly something for everyone with an interest. Plenty of bands, modes, etc to go to.

The point is, new tools added to an old hobby can add new or renewed enjoyment. Encourage new people, young and the young at heart into a very longstanding, and often needed hobby, and encourage bored operators to remain if they perhaps might give the new tools a chance BEFORE deciding. (I believe that some of these diehard naysayers secretly already do just that, but they'll deny using VOIP as if it's some sort of mistaken embarrasment or maybe elitist attitude perhaps(?). At least until they're caught. I once caught one of those diehard 'not really radio' types red handed transmitting VOIP for myself. He was thoroughly enjoying it. ;) But I'd also heard him elsewhere previously to that on a ham band having quite the say about what he'd thought of it. It wasn't.. nice..

Yes I did catch him... with a grin...

In any case, happy DXing to all, have fun, share respect, Be a bit open minded to some technology changes, and maybe I'll hear your callsign out there and log you on eQSL. Or even say hello to you on the Zello / Network Radios group.

Safe travels & 73! de WA8097SWL / (WV1SWL & WV1SWL/portable on the Zello Network Radios group), EJ Steele, Town of Gilbert, Mingo County, West Virginia, USA. / Maidenhead Grid Sq: EM97bo.

(There.. I'm done.. Sorry for the book) ... (Oh no I'm not. I did warn you) Sometime I'm going to re-edit all of this. If you hung in there and read through all of this without getting bored, you're a champion in my book. So thanks!

Equipment

I live in mountainous terrain and signal reception here is difficult at best. I'm often forced to resort to using WebSDRs for the most part to enjoy the hobby...

Main link to the list of SDRs worldwide: http://websdr.org/

http://k3fef.com:8901/ (Owned by Michael P. K3FEF in Northeast Pennsylvania / Covers eastern U.S. with rx coming from Europe, Russia, Africa, etc.) His Facebook group page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/K3FEF/

NA5B SDR 1 in Washington DC: 160m, 80m, 40m, 30m, 25m, 20m, 15m, 11 & 10m
http://na5b.com:8901/

NA5B SDR 2 in Washington DC: VHF/UHF - 6m, Air, Weather, 2m and E-Field VLF receiver
http://na5b.com:8902/

Northern Utah WebSDRs Servers # 1, 2, 3, & 4
Their landing page link: http://www.sdrutah.org/
(There are four separate links from their landing page / Covers midwest, northwest, to western & eastern U.S. May pick up CQing Japanese operators on 20 mtrs )

(KFS WebSDR at Halfmoon Bay, CA. / Covers western U.S. / Japanese operators can often be heard when conditions allow on 20 mtrs. http://69.27.184.62:8901/

G0XBU WebSDR - Near The Jodrell Bank Radio Telescope Observatory, Cheshire, England (2m, 6m, 10m, 11m, 60m, 80m, 70cm, 446) Link: http://81.174.147.103:8901/

I also monitor the Southern Ireland Repeater Network via Zello Gateway

My available hardware:
* Tecsun PL-680 receiver w/ a home built 2 in 1 loop and a steel verticle antennas from re-purposed scrapped items. There is a very certain enjoyment when you build something yourself out of discarded junk, and find that it works well.

* a Pro-51 200 channel scanner for the 2 meter repeaters.

* a Baofeng UV5RA transceiver for backup 2 meter repeater local listening only rx.

* An Icom IC-706MKII BG (not in use currently).

* Also use two laptop computers, both running the Arch Linux based Reborn OS & Linux Mint Cinnamon as a dual boot on one laptop, and Arco Linux on another with a personally customized Cinnamon desktop environment for all three, for WebSDR monitoring, screen recording, logging, etc.. (I flipping LOVE Linux! Highly versatile)

* Android & iPhone with the Pocket RxTx app and various other amateur, SWL, Zello VOIP, & scanner related apps.

* Now added a ANYSECU 4G-W2 N60 3G/4G LTE FDD Mobile Radio IP Network PTT Radio for VOIP on the Zello - Network Radios Channels and private channel communications. It can also be used for Echolink, Peanut, various scanner apps, and maybe some others too. It will not run Pocket RxTx, however. It works well with great speaker audio output built in or external & hand mic crystal clear input. Very glad I ordered it now.

I have now started a profile on Station Master Online, and maintaining SWL logs there as WV1SWL. View my profile here: https://station-master.online/WV1SWL