Amateur Radio Station WB8NUT

United States Amateur Radio Station WB8NUT

WB8NUT - Operator/Station Background

I was first licensed in late 1972 as WN8NUT (Novice Class). At that time, the Novice Class license expired after two years. Not wanting to lose my ham radio license, but also not very proficient in CW, I decided to upgrade to Technician. I upgraded to Technician in 1974, and my call was changed to WB8NUT.

At that time Technicians did not have any HF privileges, so all my time was spent on 6 and 2 meters. I really fell in love with 6 meters, operating principally on 50.4 using AM.

The family moved to St. Louis in 1986 after McDonnell Douglas transferred me there. Around that same time Technicians were given access to the 10 meter voice band. Sun spots were hopping at that time and I was getting my first taste of real DX. I had to increase my CW speed so I could pass the 13 wpm test and upgrade to General. On a business trip to Houston, I picked up some CW tapes at a downtown ham store, studied very hard and passed the 13 wpm CW test in June of 1987 at the Egyptian Hamfest in Illinois.

While in St. Louis, I almost Worked All States. Actually got up to 46 states. But we moved back to Cincinnati in 1990 and that pretty much started the process all over again. In February 2002, I finally achieved WAS. I was able to get my WAC certificate while I lived in St. Louis. I recently reached 103 confrmed countries and submitted the QSL cards to the ARRL for DXCC. On September 26, 2003, I was awarded DXCC certificate #39,162.

I am active on HF on all bands expect 160. Rigs are a Ten-Tec Jupiter, Kenwood TS-2000, Yaesu FT-817 (QRP), Ten-Tec Argonaut V (QRP), MFJ 9420 (QRP), a number of QRP kit rigs from Ten-Tec and Small Wonder Labs, and a group of VHF rigs and handhelds for 2 meters, 220 and 440. HF antenna is a Butternut vertical (ground mounted).

Several years ago I jumped aboard the digital bandwagon and operate on the more popular digital modes like PSK31, MFSK, and Hellschreiber. FeldHell (a Hellschreiber mode) is my favorite mode on HF with most of my activity on 80 and 20 meters. I use the MixW software for all the new soundcard digital modes except SSTV, where I am using MMSSTV and JVCOMM32. I think JVCOMM32 and MMSSTV both great SSTV programs. MMSSTV is freeware while JVCOMM32 has a reasonable registration fee. You can find me on 14.070 (PSK31), 14.079.5 (Hellschreiber), 14.080 (MFSK) and 14.230 (SSTV). The software for the digital modes (MixW) and SSTV (JVCOMM32 &MMSSTV) are running on a Compaq 5190 Windows 98SE 400 Mhz desktop computer. Below are some sample SSTV pictures that I received using the JVCOMM32 program.

(these samples are 25% of the actual size)

Recently I have started to experiment with APRS (Automatic Position Reporting System). My home APRS packet station is on continuously on 144.39 Mhz and serves as a RELAY digipeater for the Eastern Cincinnati and an IGate (Internet Gateway) for the entire Greater Cincinnati area. My APRS digi station consist of a Kantronics KPC3+ connected to a Yaesu 2500M running 50 watts. Software controlling the APRS station is UI-View with the Precision Map server option. An APRS mobile station is now installed in my Ford Escape using a Garmin eTrex GPS unit interfaced to a home built TinyTrakII tracking unit connected to a Yaesu 1500M 50 watt mobile transceiver. Anytime you want to see where I am (well at least where the Ford Escape is located) just go to http://map.findu.com/wb8nut-12. (APRS may be temporarily off-line)

When the weather is nice, I love operating outside on the back patio. In 1998 I participated in Field Day using QRP and battery power on the patio. If you are interested in seeing pictures of my Field Day '98 (QRP of course!) operation (I can't believe it was that long ago since the last time I operated Field Day), the following pictures are available:

WB8NUT making a contact with the MFJ Travelradio

MFJ 9420 20 Meter SSB Radio and Battery Pack

Perth Plus Antenna on Outpost Mount

Closeup of the Perth Plus Antenna

Memberships:
GQRP Club - 8452
American Radio Relay League (of course)
Fists - 9920
Flying Pigs QRP - 464
OMISS - 4383
SMIRK - 5279
TAPR - 8639
Ten-Ten - 45041
PODXS 070 Club - 172

Please feel free to eMail me at: duffy(at)wb8nut.com - remove the (at) and replace with @

I QSL 100% using standard postcard QSLs or via LOTW.

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This site last updated on April 17, 2004
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Copyright © 2003 J. Duffy Beischel
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