My latest purchase: new Watson 4-way antenna switch

I attended the Phoenix Radio Club annual rally in Coolmine, Dublin, this morning. It was great to catch up with so many hams, and to meet some faces whose callsigns were familiar but whom I hadn't met in person before. I went to the rally with the intention of only purchasing items which I required, and decided I wouldn't get tempted by anything fancy. I managed to stick fast to this resolution.

I decided if there was a nice morse paddle I might invest, but there was not. Next on the list was an antenna switch. I have three HF antennas running into the Acom 1000 linear which is in turn connected to the Yaesu FT-1000MP. Up until now, I have only had a two-way antenna switch, so if I needed to use a third antenna I had to disconnect one and connect another.

So I purchased a Watson CX-SW4PL, a four-way switch, for 69 eurp. It is a very nice looking piece of kit (see picture) and there is a bit of weight in it too. It is rated to handle 1.5kW of power on HF, so more than sufficient for my needs.

I also bought 20 metres of RG213 coax, in the hope of installing my 8-element 2 metre beam sometime soon, and some PL259's and a back-to-back. That was it in terms of purchases.

I was glad to meet all the hams, including Ark EI9KC, Don EI6IL and Thos EI2JD who had travelled to Dublin with me. We posed for a photograph - some of Ireland's top DXers were in that little group - and me!!

Also glad to meet Billy MI6ETE who had travelled by train from Coleraine in GI land, and Nick EI7GOB who I had spoken to many times but had never met. Tony EI7JN, another big Dxer, introduced himself, and we had a good chat.

Congratulations to Hugh EI9GZB who sat, and passed, his morse test at Coolmine this morning. Hugh is in the process of setting up a very nice HF station at his home and we look forward to working him on the air, on phone and morse, in the near future. Congratulations Hugh, and well done. I never doubted that you would pass the test. Liking morse code is half the battle and your love of it means it was easier for you to learn. I hope you like your new callsign when you get it!