I have been in the Hobby for over 10 years. My first callsign was KC8LGL. My first QSL card. I really enjoy working the weak signals modes on 50, 144 and 432 mhz. and also working the different modes of propagation ... Meteor Scatter,Tropospheric Ducting, Aurora, E- Skip and F2.
There are a few articles on my Link Page that refer to working the different types of propagation on the VHF/UHF bands. These websites are excellent sources of information.
Presently I have 109 grid locators and 3 countries verified (United States ,Canada and Cuba) on 144 mhz.
Always looking for skeds with Caribbean stations. Please eMail for Meteor Skeds on 2 meters.
CO2OJ EL82ng in Cuba on 2 meters, via M.S. for a distance of 1,909.0 km / 1,186.25 miles was a great contact. While on the 2 meter subject, my longest contact via E-skip propagation is with W0LD DM78ow for a distance of 1,874.6 km / 1,164.8 miles.
My longest contact via tropo, on 144mhz is KM0T EN13vb for a distance of 1186.4 km / 737.2 miles (August 1999).
Please see N8LGL's 144 mhz Map
I recently, August 2007, began to experiment with the Digital modes and have been having excellent results with BPSK31 on 10 meters. Currently I have 9 countries via the digital mode of BPSK31. BPSK31 Totals
My farest contact so far on BPSK31 is LW8DZP GF05th for a distance of 8,588.8 km / 5337.1 miles. Not too bad considering very poor bands conditions durning the contact, at the end of Cycle 23.
On 50mhz., I have 97 countries and over 650 grids squares on 6 meters. Station equiptment ranged from a Icom 706 and 3 element Cushcraft to a FT 847, SB 220 and a 7 element M2 antenna. The latter sure makes a difference in pile up situations and long range tropo contacts.
OH7KM KP11vj and LA2WKA JO50ir were excellent examples of 50mhz. muti hop to Europe during Cycyle 23.
YU1EXY KN04ft was a nice Qso from Yugoslavia on 50 mhz durning a E-skip opening - 7,934.0 km /4930.1 miles.
A very nice QSL card from VP6BR in the Pitcairn Islands CG55XX 8462.2 km/5258.4 miles, while OH2BR was on DXpedition in 2000, worked on 50.117 mhz.
CN8LI IM63nx AND ES1AJ KO29hk were nice multi hop contacts to Africa and Europe on the 50 mhz. band in 2001.
N8LGL has been awarded W.A.S. V.U.C.C. and W.A.C. on 50 mhz.
I recently began to operate on 28 mhz and have worked 54 countries, as of Feb. 26 ,2008 . My longest QSO, so far on 10 meters has been VP8LP GD18bh for a distance of 10,387.21 km / 6,454.61 miles. 10 meter totals: 10 Meter Log and N8LGL Log New logging program started 02/2007
PE4BAS JO33ik (6608.3 km / 4106.4 miles) returned to me confirmation for working The Netherlands. I was very excited to be his 1st contact from the USA on 10 meters.You may wish to check his QSL page on his website!
My 1st Maritime Mobile contact on 10 meters, UT1FG, south of Barbados.
Working W1AIM FN34uj on 432 mhz was a great contact for me via tropo. A distance of 1,067.09 km / 663.08 miles.
N8LGL's WAS map for 432 mhz.
I have been known to work the LEO satellites at time. Please see my Satellite cards. I worked W1AW FN31pq via UO-14.
N8LGL had the pleasure of working, via AO-27, W3ADO FM18. They were operating for the yearly Army-Navy football game.
K5PK/KP2 FK77 was a extremely nice AO-27 contact from the U.S.V.I. Operator was using a 5 watt HT and had a 5/9 signal report into the satellite.
I don't think a section on Satellites is complete without listing NA1SS, the International Space Station.
Most of my VHF/UHF long distance contacts were made at my other QTH, which I still use, with long boom antennas. My crank up/fold over tower consists of M2 products: 18x2 elements for 432 mhz, 2M5WL (18 elements) for 144 mhz and a 6M7JHV (7 element) for 50 mhz.
STATION
The following radios are in the shack:
A window view from the Shack.
Microphones
Heil Pro Set HC-4
Yaesu MH-31
Custom D-104
Yaesu YS-60
Rigblaster plus
ANTENNAS
3 ELEMENT 10 METER MONOBANDER
4 ELEMENT 2 METER YAGI S.S.B.
J- POLE 2 METER F.M.
J- POLE 440 F.M.
HOMEBREW DIPOLE 6 METERS
HOMEBREW DIPOLE 10 METERS
To test propagation N8LGL uses beacons:
28.228 khz - 50.064 mhz.( Under constriction) -
144.284 mhz.
Here is a 'How To Do It Site' N8LGL's Beacon Page
Please check out the link page N8LGL Link Page
N8LGL uses a FT-847 for Satellite, Digital and 50 mhz. contacts, a FT-857 is used for 28 khz. and 144 mhz. weak signal.
N8LGL also uses a FT- 897 for 28 khz. beacon monitoring, local FM contacts and listening to the Air Bands and for SWL.
For skeds pse eMail: n8lgl@amsat.org
For web comments: astech@bright.net
Beacon Reports click here
N8LGL/MOBILE
My favorite Hilltopping site, only 12.8 km / 8 miles from Lake White.
Scioto Trails State Park - 320m /1052' ASL
The far ridge is about 28.0 km/18 miles away.
I will be mobile for the Spring '08 E season using a FT-857, various Hamstick antennas and either a Palm Viix or Palm Treo 680 using MiniLog v.1 for logging.
I will post a mobile log on this site, when time and conditions allow.
01/30/2008 ..... FT-857 installed in the FORD F-150
02/03/2008 .... First opening from the
mobile (10 meters) worked three Flordia stations, one PY and one LW station, so I am very pleased with the install.