Member Bio

Please Note:  I normally do not send out paper QSL cards except as requested (3905ccn, etc), but if you send me one, I will promptly send you one back.  NO SASE is required.  (10/10/2022: I am currently way behind on cards, but you will get them as soon as I have a few minutes to fill them out).

Personal:

KC7VIN from 3/27/97 until 2/20/2019 when I become K7MKA
Born, raised, and still reside in Fallon, NV
Systems & Technologies Manager for a Federally owned, contracted Irrigation Project, which is a Political Sub-Division of the State of Nevada.  What do I do? well:

=============YOU WOULD NOT BELIEVE ME IF I TOLD YOU!!!===============
Retirement will arrive in August 2029, at which time I can devote as much time as I want to the Hobby, but for now, it’s 40 to 60 hour weeks, sleep, honey doos, Harley Davidsons, and then Ham Radio (pretty much in that order, except for the last 2).
I do not consider myself a Geek or a Nerd (but may be one anyway), but rather a Biker by birth with 2 Harleys in the barn (1 – 2003 FLHTCUI Firefighter Shrine, Ultra-Classic, and 1 – 2010 FLHTK Ultra-Limited).  44 years on 2 wheels street legal, and about 54 years on dirt bikes, and quite a few tattoos, and scars to prove it.

Active in ARES.
OMISS #12130
USTNET #490
3905ccn (membership pending)
Echolink K7MKA-L 587758 tied to KE6QK repeater 146.970 (-) (103.5hz)

Ham Equipment:
Antennas:
Tower 1: (50’ Glen Martin billet aluminum tower with Hazer Tram)
9 band (homebrew) Inverted Vee (Fan Dipole) for 6, 10, 12, 15, 17, 20, 30, 40, and 80 meters all resonant at 50 ohms (with 1:1 balun).
KT34M2 4 element Tri-Band; 10, 15, and 20 meters.
Diamond x510hgm; 2 meter, 70cm Vertical
Cushcraft 13b2; 2 meter 13 element beam.

In other places on the Property:
GAP Titan DX vertical, 10-80 meters.
2 – Diamond x300; 2 meter, 70 cm Verticals (one as backup, one runs Echolink on push up poles (35’))
Tower 2: (40’ freestanding telescoping tubular tower with 10’ mast on top (total 50’)(still under construction and completion date Spring 2023)).
Antennas:  (In possession, just not assembled)
EAntenna 40 meter Mono-Bander (17804.40-2).
InnovAntennas HF Yagi, HEXX Beam 18480DXR5C-A
6 Meter Yagi (still deciding).

Misc. Equipment:
2 – Ham VII Rotors with DCS-3 Control Boxes (Software Controlled)
6700 lb Phillystran Guy Line
Times Microwave LMR-400 Ultra-Flex Coax to everything
Ameritron RS-10 Remote Antenna Switch

In the Shack:
2 – DCS-3 Rotor Control Boxes
2 – MFJ Versa-Tuner III tuners
2 – Icom IC-7300’s
1 – Ameritron AL-811HD (572b tubes) with ARB-704 interface box and cables
1 – Daiwa CN-901 Meter
1 – Diamond SX600 Meter
1 – RS-10 8 position remote
1 – Icom IC-821h; 2 meter, 70 cm all mode
3 – Kenwood TM-V71a dual banders (2 for ops (mostly ARES) and 1 for Echolink)
1- Icom IC-2100; 2 meter
1 – TE Systems 160 watt 2 meter amp.

Amenities:

12 SBS 2v 1500amp batteries, tied to MPPT 40 amp charge controller with 800 watts of Solar on the roof. Entire Shack Off Grid.
3 Dell Laptops running Windows 10 tied to solar with 3 – 27” AOC 4K monitors.
1 – Dell 1430 Server running Windows 2008R2 with 1TB storage. (also home to K7MKA.COM)
A bunch of Alpha-Delta, and Daiwa switches.

Software:

N3FJP complete software suite including Amateur Contact Log.
HRD Rotator Software running the DCS-3 control boxes.
NetLogger (for the nets)
WSJT-X software (mostly FT-8)
FLDIGI (still trying to get RTTY running as the built in 7300 memories are a pain.
Grid Tracker companion for WSJT-X (networked to computer 3)
Other apps and sites to ease my navigation through Ham Radio.

Hope to hear you on the band sometime soon.

73