The station


As of 2020, with the Covid-19 pandemic and a change in working habits, I have been working from home full-time since early March. This required me to downsize the shack to create more desk space for my work. So the library/office/shack was completely refurbished and I removed some radios and the shelf and got a new desk. The Icom IC-756PRO was sold so that I could buy the smaller (but newer) Icom IC-7300. This radio occupies a small portion of the left of the desk, while the Acom 1000 linear amplifier has been moved to a lower desk to the right. 


Above is the station as it looked in December 2015. The main rig is the Icom IC-756PRO. I also use an Icom IC-746 for 2 metres and for some 6 metre and 10 metre activity. There is an array of VHF/UHF equipment, including a CRT 2M-1, an Alinco DR-135, a Motorola GM360 for 70cms, a Simoco PRM80 for 4 metres, a Uniden UBC 780 XLT scanner, and several handheld transceivers for 4m/2m/70cm. This year I invested in a Dell 720 XPS desktop computer which came with a beautiful 26-inch monitor with built-in surround sound speakers. It's great. I use the second smaller monitor when I need to. The linear amplifier is the Acom 1000. Power supplies are a Diamond GSV3000 and a Daiwa PS-304. I have an CG antenna SB-2000 interface for the 756PRO, and a Winkeyer USB plus SignaLink USB.

The shack as it looked in September 2014.

Shack A (Sept 2012): Left to right: Uniden 780 XLT scanner on bottom, PRM 80 4m FM rig above it,  with Watson W-25M PSU, all underneath the Acom 1000 linear for HF and 6m. Above that is the Alinco DR-135 for 2m FM. Centrepiece is the Yaesu FT-1000MP with desk mic, above which is a GM360 for 70cms. Right of the MP is the IC-746, above which sits the old Icom IC-735. On far right is a PS-304 PSU and a rotor controller for the 2m/6m beams. A selection of handhelds and scanners sits at the back.
The 2012 station consisted of the following equipment:

Shack: The main rig was the Yaesu FT-1000MP with MD-1 desk mic, complemented by the Icom 746, mainly for VHF. I have an Ascom 4m rig plus an Alinco DR135 2 metre FM radio. I also have the Acom 1000 linear amplifier. Digital interface is the Signalink USB.

Shack B (Bedroom!): I have a Yaesu FT-897 attached to an attic dipole for HF and 6m and a Yaesu FT-2500M for 2 metres attached to a dipole on the chimney.

Some of my antennas under the Milky Way and stars. Left to right: W300 vertical
for 2m/70cm, 2m and 6m beams, hexbeam (centre) and Butternut on right.
Antennas: The main antennas are five-band hexbeam and a Butternut HF-6V vertical. These are complemented by inverted V wire antennas (home brew) for 40m and 30m. In addition, I have a 3-element beam for 50 Mhz (6 metres) and also an 8-element XY beam for 2 metres.