I signed these petitions to help our brothers across the pond keep 2 meters in their toolbox:
https://www.change.org/p/stop-the-2-meter-amateur-radio-band-144-146mhz-from-becoming-a-aeronautical-band
https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/2-metre-amateur-band-must-be-kept

If you decide to sign, be aware that the 2nd accepts UK postal codes only, so be creative and use one!

In little over a year since I've my call changed to K4MJA, I am on my 1000+ QSO. These are a mix of digital (FT8) and SSB QSOs. My Morse code studies are not going well, mostly because of me been lazy and my memory not as good as its use to be...oh well.

Anyway, hope to catch you on the air and until then,

73!

This post marks 3rd year of my ham activities. I got first licensed in 2012, but went on the air 5 years later, in 2017, when I got my General ticket. After years of involvement I decided that:

• remote connection to the shack I have configured is inadequate and also
• that I want permanent HF mobile setup with separate transceiver/tuner/antenna/batteries etc

From the beginning, my only transceiver had been Icom IC-7300 and it is still going strong, accompanied by Elecraft KPA500 linear amp and Kessler AT-Auto antenna tuner. I like the transceiver very much and want to use it mobile/portable (and did it on a few occasions, see here and here). So, for a while

I pondered acquiring another Icom 7300, but the idea somehow sounded silly and I ended up with used Flex 6300 box, which went through FRS' "pre-hated" re-sale system.

I installed the radio in parallel with Icom setup (same antennas though). I liked SmartSDR interface, it went naturally with my operating style. Part of it might be the fact that I am an old IT guy and all things computer are my daily bread.

At first, I used small LDG IT-100 antenna tuner with the Flex, but this tuner is Icom-specific and while it can be used in the shack with non-icom transceiver -- all you need is a power cable -- remotely, it is not accessible without Icom host radio. So, I decided to add yet another tuner which would

• handle at least 500W output of my Elecraft KPA500 and
• will be accessible remotely from the PC;

Elecraft KAT500 was the answer. I also added Elecraft W2 wattmeter for the same reason: it can be accessed remotely with an app. I acquired both as kits and last weekend I assembled the KAT500 and the W2 -- both went together with no problems, thanks to the great documentation/packaging by Elecraft. Another addition is Bulgarian-made antenna switch with web interface (MS-S7-WEB), tested and in use, replacing Ameritron RCS-8V switch (which by the way is in the process to be rebuild for remote access, too).

My remote shack is now complete. It is joy to use locally, and it works remotely in team viewer session like a charm. Icom 7300 is now serves as a voice operating position only and I will be using it often for all out-of-shack activities.

So here are my recent projects,
73 and have fun with yours!

I went on the air one year ago as KK4MJA; last weekend I celebrated my ham anniversary by participating in IARU Word Championship, now as K4MJA. As always, with my antennas and time available (not much of either), I had no intention to compete but rather to support the real competitors by my effort. I made some contacts and enjoyed it very much. I think it will be even more exiting as I will be able to do the CW...still in the process of leaning it. Here is the map of my contacts during the contest: K4MJA->>IARU HF Championship contact map 73!

I started using my shack remotely over Internet from time to time, listening only for now though technically I can transmit. I am using TeamViewer v13; good piece of software, free for personal use. On the shack's side I have Icom 7300 for a radio, Palstar AT-Auto tuner, and antenna I choose while at home (still working on the PC-controlled remote antenna switch). The radio is connected to PC with (one and only) USB cable. The sound from the radio is enabled on the PC so I can hear everything in remote session. The PC is Windows 7 x64 and I had no big issues configuring it with available Icom driver. To be able to drive the rig remotely, I use Win4Icom program by Tom VA2FSQ; I like the result better than Icom's own RS-BA1 which I also tested. Win4Icom can by interfaced with number of logging programs, it can reproduce Icom's waterfall on bigger screen or replace it with SDRPlay's much nicer waterfall -- I have SDRPlay and RX/TX switch and will test it in the nearest future. It also features clublog spots window. As you see in the screenshot below, taken at the remote side, some old webcam is also there, used to look at my rig's and tuner's screens; there is also CW decode program as I am still learning morse code. All in all, it is very nice, robust setup; if anybody interested in details, I can explain here, just let me know in comments.

73!

CQ-M is Russian HAM contest (by Russian Radio-Amateur Union AKA SRR AKA Союз Радиолюбителей России); its going to be the 53rd's CQ-M this weekend. The contest is both CW and SSB. Here are the rules: http://cqm.srr.ru/en-rules/
We will be participating with my friend Sergey K4/RU4W who is CW guru and yet to build his shack here in Miami, so he will be working from mine under my callsign. I'll be doing the SSB part. With the antennas available, we will be doing search and pounce mostly. Wish us luck.

73!

PS I will be handling the station's QSL traffic for the event. All QSLs go to my callsign. I will not be uploading CW portion of the contest to any of my online logs (QRZ, LOTW, EQSL), unless asked. SSB will be online promptly, as usual.

I have been issued a new call sign; I decided to drop one of two "K "letters I had in my call, sent a request and became K4MJA instead of KK4MJA -- today by FCC's decree. The former callsign KK4MJA will gradually disappear.