...and other stuff....
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Bob K5DZE
WELCOME! Thanks for stopping by my website! Here you will find information about low power Amateur Radio operations and some enjoyable projects, tips, and shortcuts that might work well for you. You will also find information on my current writing activities for the Kindle Book reader, a number of which are related to Amateur Radio or communications.
Click on the Blue titles below to visit the different pages. Please browse around and make yourself at home!
AMATEUR RADIO QRP
(low power) operations is probably the first page you
may
want to visit. For Amateurs (Hams) who are not very familiar with low
power operations, this might be particularly interesting. After decades of
operating many kinds of higher
power rigs ranging from 100 watts to 1 KW, I have gone 100% QRP, and on this page I explain why. Descriptions and
pictures show the current set up built around the small Yaesu FT-817ND,
the Elecraft
K1, and the Ten Tec R4020 CW transceivers.
See how
easy it is to
also enjoy QRP fun without giving up your 'big rig' if you choose not to do so.
Incidentally, if you have one of the Ten Tec R4020 Two-band QRP transceivers, or you are thinking about getting one for portable or emergency use, you may be interested in downloading my small sized 4020 Check List in PDF format. It is free, and can be found on this page..
TIPS-SHORTCUTS-IDEAS
This new page will give you some ideas for your
shack. Some of the items on this new page are tips for making something
better around the Shack, and some are ways to save time and effort. Items
include ideas to keep your CW key in place, putting together an inexpensive
mobile/portable for the car and local operation, making an easy PTT switch for
your boom mic, making really stealthy antennas, making a point-to-point yagi out
of PVC, and more.
ANTENNAS
page provides info on the antennas at
use at K5DZE as well as some good antenna info you might wish to consider for use
in your operations at home, while portable, or during an emergency. Included is a description of
an easy to make and relatively inexpensive version of
a
highly effective horizontal All Band Loop Antenna, an effective Hamstick on a camera
tripod for portable or condo use, a rugged Hamstick Antenna Transport Tube
made from PVC tubing to carry and protect your Hamsticks, Outbacker, OPEK, or
similar antennas safely. Also, you will find info on a small, effective really wide band VHF/UHF/ Discone
you can make for your Amateur or VHF/UHF scanning use to set up in your attic.
Lastly, there is a short discussion about using your wire antennas in an
NVIS mode which works well for local area HF ENCOMM work.
PROJECTS page includes
a few
projects I have done in my Shack that
might be of interest to you. Included are:
The "DZE BOX" - A new Key to Rig Patch Panel that lets you swap any CW key/bug/paddle to any rig/device without moving keys or radio equipment..
Tripod Mounted Hamstick Antenna using a discarded photo tripod
PVC Transport Tube for Hamsticks, Outbacker, etc
An inexpensive wood Desk Stand and matching CW Key Base for the Ten Tec 4020, KX-1, PFR-3A and other Trail Friendly type radios.
An aircraft grade aluminum construction version of the Desk Stand above and a tilt-up stand for the FT-817ND built by N5JPX.
A downloadable Condensed Sized Operating Guide for the Ten-Tec R4020.
Assembling a complete HF Station in a Briefcase.
Using a cassette recorder with your rig to record what you hear and then transfer it to a CD for long term storage.
A Lighted 'Model' Ham Shack to contain a Code Practice Oscillator, QRP rig, keyer, beacon, etc. Even the beam rotates!
A parts tray for kit/project building using salad containers.
A flashing LED On-The-Air light for your Shack door to let the family know you are operating or have the earphones on.
Looking for a great Ham Club project? Why not make an effort to get youngsters into Amateur Radio? A little Amazon Kindle book will tell you how make it easy!
BOOKSHELF
page
will give you information on the books /papers I have written and published (22
to date) for the Amazon
KINDLE. If you are not familiar with Amazon's Kindle book readers, there is
information available on the BOOKSHELF
page to get you get up to speed on these great devices. Don't have a Kindle? No problem! You can read Kindle books on your
desktop, laptop, iPad, iPhone or most popular mobile phones and best of all, the Kindle reader apps
that lets you do this are free! If you love to read,
Kindle is just the ticket to always have your library with you!
Have you ever thought about writing a book about Ham Radio, writing a novel, or writing on some other subject that you know a lot about? Why not write it as a Kindle book? The cost to you to publish an Amazon Kindle book is zero and the royalties can be impressive if it is a good, readable book! Check out my little Kindle book, Kindle Publishing for Word 2007. It will tell you how you can publish your book easily and quickly for Amazon Kindle just using WORD!
Recent books published include GETTING YOUTH INVOLVED IN AMATEUR RADIO, a book with ideas to reach youth in your area, help them get a license, and how to help them set up a "Teenage Training Net". If you are a long time Ham operator, its one you should read. SETTING UP AN AMATEUR RADIO STATION is a book to help the TECH licensee who just got his/her GENERAL/EXTRA license set up an HF station. These inexpensive little books are now available as Kindle books for the reader platform of your choice. For more book choices, visit the BOOKSHELF page. I hope you find something of interest!
AMATEUR RADIO IS ALIVE AND WELL!
As of 17 April 2013, there are 764,469 current Amateur licensees:
15,280 Novices (2%)* 374,400 Technicians (49%) 1 Tech Plus (0%)*
170,054 Generals (22%) 58,116 Advanced (8%)* 134,729 Extras (18%)
11,889 Club Stations (.02)
*(The Novice, Tech Plus, and Advanced licenses are no longer issued, but can be retained if an operator obtained one before they were eliminated.)
The majority of amateur radio operators worldwide reside in Japan (1.2 million+), the U.S. (764,000+) , Thailand (176,000+) , South Korea (141,000), Germany (75,000+),
Canada (69,000+), China (68,000+), Spain (58,000+) and the U.K. (58,000+). The top five countries having Amateur Radio Operators by percentage of the population are
Japan, Slovenia, Taiwan, South Korea, and Thailand. Only Yemen and North Korea prohibit their citizens from becoming amateur radio operators.
(U.S. info courtesy FCC and Worldwide info courtesy Wikipedia.)

Last Website Review/Update: 22 MAY 2013
I try to update and review this site regularly, to provide items of interest to you. Till next time...
73,
BOB K5DZE

This site is always under construction... right after I have another cup of coffee....