http://www.dxengineering.com/showcase?ID=12a1c760-7c60-40f0-a646-c3d89f08a7f3
I’m a “repeat offender” customer of every single one of the VK0EK Sponsors. The photo above and link goes back quite a few years where I enthusiastically wanted to share in my DX Success with the DX Engineering gear that I purchased. In this case it was a pair of 40M hatted verticals and a superb 8 position remote switch with killer isolation and two 1:1 baluns that made a Christman Fed end fire and broadside vertical array “sing”. I could write several blogs about all of the antennas that I built from scratch using DX Engineering hardware, but you’d have to comb through all the blogs posts at:
I just completed building 40 coaxial assemblies for the DX-pedition using DX Engineering tools:
Their yagi resin blocks and aluminum plates of all sizes and uses have been used like its nobodies business at KY6R!
Next up is my N6BT DXU-32, a 28′ boom yagi from Tom of Force-12 fame who now makes this beauty – and my favorite antenna – best for where I am in the chase – because it gives me 2 elements on 40 and 3 on 20M. Tom and I have been good friends for years, and with Dean Straw, N6BV, have had way too many antennas discussions and antennas modeling and HFTA plotting sessions and discussions to count.
And this also means the current owner of Force-12, Bill Hein also is in on the deal – with great antennas that we will use on Heard Island. I used to have a Force-12 C3SS, and it was an awesome small yagi.
The 1:1 baluns I used on this yagi were by my good friend Bob at Balun Designs.
So – whats in the KY6R Shack? Yes, of course – full of sponsor gear!
Jay at Array Solutions must know my call and name – you only see 2 “Blue Boxes” in my shack picture, but there are 3. A K9AY low band receive antenna, a StackMatch and a RatPack.
The big deal here is the Acom 1500 – my favorite amplifier of all time – impeccably pre-tested and packed by the crew at Array Solutions. I LOVE my ACOM 1500!
The first Elecraft kits I built were before Elecraft was Elecraft. I built a Wilderness SST, designed by Wayne Burdick, and where we used to meet at a QRP Club meeting at the California Burger place in Pleasanton – after the flea market at Las Positas College in Livermore. I was trying to get back into ham radio in the 90’s as a QRP-er.
I followed Elecraft by building the K1, KX1 and then purchasing the entire K-Line, and recently upgraded my K3 to add a second receiver and new synth card. I also own a KX3. Elecraft is about 1 hour away from Orinda, and all I can say is that they are really beyond belief in product design and support. Truly blows me away.
I made DXCC Honor Roll in 11 years, and I could not have done it without these fine vendors and “partners”. Way more important than the award is the learning and the “journey” and these fine vendors were my travelling companions.
So – the question, “Have we chosen sponsors who we believe deeply in”? Yes, absolutely, and we wear our sponsors logos very proudly on our hats, shirts and gear in the shack and in the back yard! There is NO bigger fan than the VK0EK Team!
Stay Tuned for Part Two – we have only just begun!
vk0ek.org 