My previous callsigns include VQ9D (Seychelles – Before Independence), VQ9D/D (Desroches – British Indian Ocean Territory), S79D (Seychelles – After Independence), VQ9RB (Diego Garcia – British Indian Ocean Territory (5/90 through 5/93), G0/WB4YZU (United Kingdom), WB4YZU, andK4FTW. I was first licensed in 1967 as a Novice (WN4FCS) and then as a General/Conditional while overseas. I upgraded to Extra in 1993 when I returned to the USA, and also hold a GROL commercial license and work in the Land Mobile Service (Public Safety), managing and maintaining an 800MHz Motorola P25 Trunking System .
I am an ARRL Volunteer License Instructor, an ARRL VE, am involved in my local club, the Peninsula Amateur Radio Club (PARC), my church, and have been involved in the BSA Scouting program most of my life. I really enjoy “giving back” to these organizations.
I currently operate with a Yaesu FT-450D to a home-brewed 31-ft wire vertical fed with an AT-100 Pro II tuner and a 4:1 Un-Un, and am getting very good results with it. I also have an end-fed antenna with a 9:1 UNUN at about 20 feet (6.1 meters) in an “L” configuration, which I am currently evaluating, primarily for 80 and 40 meters. For portable operation I use a Ten-Tec R4040 QRP rig (YouKits HB1B) or a Yaesu FT-817nd and an W1SFR 40-6 meter end-fed antenna with an EMTECH ZM-2 ATU. I also work digital modes (JT-65, JT-9, PSK, RTTY, etc.) with a SignaLink USB. The CW end of the business is with a Kent Twin-Paddle TP-1 key and a WinKeyer USB (unless I have dusted off the straight key). I am also currently experimenting with a loop antenna and an MFJ-1232 Tuner when QRP portable..
I use DXLab software for rig control and logging, WSJT-X for JT-65/JT-9, and FlDigi for whatever digital modes are left.
73 de Dick N4BC
QCWA # 36139 SKCC # 10710 NAQCC # 6947 QRP ARCI # 15436