...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:

 

 

    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....

 

 

 

 

 

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