Free Hit Counters

Contacts since 09.06.2004


Updated: 05/14/2006




Moderator of the Icom W32A Yahoo Group

If you own a Icom W32a handheld and have questions or just information to pass along to others please join the group.

This is a great radio for portable FM satellite.  See my satellite page for details.




Remembering
Columbia's Astronauts


Take a look at my other web pages

R.M.S. Titanic Memorial Page

Spokane / Coeur d'Alene Scanner Listing

Pocket PC World

Computer Services

Spokane Co. Fire District 4
- Webmaster and volunteer

FireSafe Spokane - Webmaster

IE VHF Club




 



ISS Packet: On

QRZ callsign lookup:

Track ISS in real time via NASA

Has a nice zoom feature

Visual Passes of the International Space Station - Select your nearest city.

Missions to Mars

Please see my Mars page link on the left for links and information about the red planet.

Cassini's Mission to Saturn

  
Can you find your QTH on this map.  Click on the
map to see the full size map from Buck.com

Amateur Radio Station KA7FVV is located in Mead, WA, northeast of Spokane, WA in Spokane County. Grid Square: DN17ht

Map with location of Amateur Radio Station KA7FVV

Find my ARS via
(if I am currently on the air.)

  Amateur Radio Packet:  ka7fvv@wr7vhf.#ewa.wa.usa.noam

See links for my other web pages in the sidebar.

A little bit of my Amateur Radio History...

heathkitxmtr.gif (1984 bytes)heathkitrcvr.gif (2059 bytes)

I have been licensed since 1980 when I started out with some old Heathkit equipment, pictured above, DX-60 transmitter and a HR-10 receiver.  I upgraded to the Heathkit HX-20 and then to the SB-102.   Finally going to Icom solid state equipment in the late 80's.  I have owned or own (underline indicates own now) the Icom 215, 280, 211, 720A, 451A, 271A, 251A, 28A, 228A, 22S, 22U, 3200A, 3210A, 281H, 481H, 32AT, 2AT, 4AT, 2uAT, P2AT, 24AT, W32A and the Q7a.     The 2AT was my first 2 Meter handheld back in 1982.

  I have since centered on VHF/UHF operations.  I have played with satellite communications and still try and keep track of what is going on with that part of amateur radio and do a few contacts on UO-14 and AO-27.  I monitor the packet activity on ISS and the PCSat Satellite.  I have been active in the local packet since packet started in the Spokane, WA community and running a local clubs packet bbs and active in the local ARES group with several events that take place during the year.

I have a base APRS station on the air some of the time running either WinAPRS or APRS+SA which uses Delorme's Street Atlas Program and monitor the Northwest APRS activity. 

Shortwave Listening

Other interests in radio include doing a little shortwave listening.  I have owned several different swl radios including my HF radio listed above the Icom IC-720A had sw built in.  I have also owned a Radio Shack DX-302, DX-390.  I currently own the little handheld SWL,AM, FM radio Radio Shack DX-397.  I have a multiband vertical HF antenna and a dipole around the house for swl.  I have aquiring a Realistic DX-150 and been playing with it.  These were the first solid state sw receivers on the market back in the 70's.  I had one of these as a kid it will be fun to play with one again.  I have once again aquired a Radio Shack DX-390 as a SWL radio.  I wanted a radio that had a digital display, portable, inexpensive ($55 on eBay) and had the capability of receiving SSB.  I enjoy listening to aircraft traffic both VHF and HF.  The HF traffic is on LSB.  For more info on HF aircraft frequencies see the ARINC website.  This link will take you right to the page with links to PDF files of Jeppesen charts showing HF frequencies for trans-pacific and atlantic aircraft.  Depending on where you live.  Another great SWL site that gives shortwave broadcast schedules is Prime Time Shortwave.  See my Hamlinks page for more SWL links and information.

Geocaching

Another fairly new sport my son and I have taken up is Geocaching.  Basicly treasure hunting with a GPS receiver.  It is great recreation and there are caches in every part of the country and world.  I plan on placing some caches of my own in the near future.  I use a Garmin eTrex Legend receiver.   If you have a GPS receiver and like to get out and about and do some hiking check out the link below.
         

       

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