KT4B – Amateur Radio

Category: News

  • EchoLink at 445.2

    I currently have an EchoLink link at 445.2, located in Cantonment. This is experimental and in a testing stage, but is up most of the time, and appears to be working. The call is KT4B/L. Output power is about 30 watts, and the antenna is just about 20 feet up.

  • Field Day in Escambia County Florida

    I wasn’t involved, but the news story is nice.

    I am, however, finally able to operate fully on emergency power from the home shack.

  • Technical Discussion via Zoom

    My brother, Robert Neufeld, amateur radio operator N3AU, who also has pretty much every commercial radio license and is a lifetime electronics hobbyist, is going to host a zoom technical discussion each Thursday night at 8 pm eastern time. He plans to have it run around an hour +/- depending on what questions people have.

    You can email him at rjneufeldmd@gmail.com if you’d like information about the meeting.
    The first session is tonight, March 25, 2021.

    de KT4B

  • Amateur Extra Class via Zoom

    Amateur Extra Class via Zoom

    My brother, N3AU, a very active leader in Amateur radio in the Niagara Falls, NY area, will be offering an Amateur extra class via Zoom.

    The class will meet every Thursday evening at 7 pm starting 10/15/20. It will continue as long as necessary. The textbook is the study guide by Gordon West, WB6NOA.

    For more information, including the zoom link and meeting ID, contact Bob Neufeld.

    Featured image credit: Image by Michael4Wien from Pixabay

  • New Handheld

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BvXK90xjtEM/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=1wqssupyyr9mb
  • My Rigs

    My Rigs

    Since I’m actually back on the air, I thought I’d post a couple of notes about where and how. First, here’s a picture of the shack before antenna cables.

    Icom IC-706MKIIG with LDG Z100 autotuner. (The Yaesu FT-880 was headed to my car.)

    The Icom rig has two antenna inputs, and one now connects to a Hustler 6BTV vertical, which is tuned adequately on 10/15/20 Meters, but needs some work for 30/40/80. It’s all within range. Here’s the picture. The branch with about a 2 inch clearance is scheduled to go, the rest of the foliage around I’m stuck with.

    My 6BTV. The branch (2 inch margin!) will go shortly. The tree I’m stuck with.

    Another vertical (not even sure of brand) serves me for VHF/UHF.

    VHF/UHF Vertical. I use a 2×2 nailed solidly to the building. Under the duct tape, which is surprisingly resiliant, the antenna is connected to the post with a steel clamp. Yes, the building looks awful. It will look good for about two weeks when I pressure wash it.

    For mobile use I have a Yaesu FT-8800. Yes, indeed, for those who debate the utility of this approach, I use one of the auxiliary plugs, rated and fused at 20 amps with a jack rated and fused at 15 amps. I have had no difficulty. I most commonly work 146.52 simplex and have had a number of fine QSOs while traveling.

    Yaesu FT-8800 with connections. I can keep it in the hump in the center when necessary. Maximum simplex contact was about 40 miles, but that involved some altitude on one end of the QSO.

    I have my brother Bob, N3AU to thank for most of this equipment. He’s set up for 160 Meters through 70 cm and very involved in VE work and emergency preparation.

  • Playing with Antennas

    I’m active again, and here’s a starting Facebook post:

    https://www.facebook.com/hneufeld/posts/10155699489252685