Munich 2004 - 2006

The Orion Years. 9 - (Photo: DJ0IP)

First the Bad News:  

  • In 2002 my company went bankrupt and I lost my job.

 

Now the Good News:

  • I finally found time to clean up my shack.
  • I sold a bunch of rigs and bought a Ten-Tec Orion
  • I found a bit more time to get on the air.

 

The MAIN Rig Here:

  • Ten-Tec Orion
  • Elecraft K2
  • QRO Technologies HF-2000
  • Sure 444 Mic

 

Old Accessories not seen in the "Chaos Years" Picture:

  • Annecke T-Filter Matchbox
  • KW Ezee Match Matchbox
  • Grahn RX Antenna (Amplifier)
  • BCC Preselector
  • BCC Headphones Amp
  • MFJ 20m QRP CW Transceiver
  • Home-Brew Keyer with Time Sequence keying for the amp

 

"IT'S THE ANTENNA, STUPID!"

 

During these years I did not bother to put up a tower and beam.  I was always going away for CQWW and when I was on the air from home, I was almost always on 40, 80, or 160m (in that order).

 

Antennas / Wires:

 

Perminant:

  • 80m Dipole fed with 450 Ohm Openwire, matched with a BIG Annecke.  Also used for 40m.
  • Titanex VD-8010, Vertical Dipole (2x 6m), fed with 450 Ohm Openwire - used this on all bands, 80 thru 10.
  • 20m Vertical Folded Dipole 

During Winter Contest Season:

  • 160m Inverted-L
  • 40m Delta-Loop (mono-loop, vertically polarized)
  • Vertical Double-Dipole for 15 & 10m
While the shack was located upstairs, I only used openwire-fed antennas. When I moved it to the basement, I added a few coax-fed antennas. - (Photo: DJ0IP)
The openwire just ran through the open (tilted) window - with a wooden frame. - (Photo: DJ0IP)
I tried to hide the fiberglass mast in the trees. This one supports the 80m openwire-fed dipole.. - (Photo: DJ0IP)
On the right you see the openwire-fed vertical dipole. It's base was about 10 ft. off the ground. - (Photo: DJ0IP)