Amateur Radio

Starting around 2010, “Pass Technician Exam” was on my To-Do list. 2020 was the year I finally checked that box and received my Amateur radio Technician license. Shortly thereafter, I registered the vanity callsign of KA0AVG – Kilo-Alpha-Zero-Alpha-Victor-Gulf.

Received my Technician in Oct 2020 and passed my General one month later. For those studying I highly recommend the HamStudy.org website and their mobile application. Currently using it to study for the Extra exam.

I’ve been in technology for 25+ years which explains why I dove headfirst into DMR rather than starting with simplex/repeaters.

M17

Currently tinkering with the M17 protocol and gathering interest in placing an order for Module M17s. For more information on M17, check out the M17 Project website.

I recently had a fellow ham modify an old TYT MD-380 to run M17 on OpenRTX. Using this to connect to my M17 hotspot.

DMR

I have owned and/or programmed the following DMR/analog HTs:

TYT MD-380, MD-UV390
Radioddity GD-77
Baofeng UV-5R, BF-F8HP, RD-5R, DM-1701
Anytone AT-878UV +
Retevis Ailunce HD1
My favorite HT is the TYT MD-UV390 running OpenGD77 firmware and CPS from the OpenGD77 project. If you haven’t checked out the OpenGD77 project it is FANTASTIC!  Check it out!

My favorite DMR mobile rig is the TYT MD-9600 running OpenGD77.

DMR hotspot is a Raspberry Pi 3B+ w/ an AURSINC MMDVM running W0CHP-PiStar-Dash.

Fusion hotspot is a Raspberry Pi 3B+ w/ an AURSINC MMDVM running W0CHP-PiStar-Dash.

M17 hotspot is a a Raspberry Pi 3B+ w/ an AURSINC Dual MMDVM running W0CHP-PiStar-Dash.

Yaesu Fusion

My first foray into Fusion was a mobile Yaesu FTM-7250DR. Great starting radio, but I now run the Yaesu FTM-500DR as a mobile rig and in my shack. I use my shack rig to check into local nets and to listen to my YSF hotspot. My favorite place to hang out is on the Kansas City Room Wide (#28054) Wires-X room.

HF

I have both the Icom IC-7300 and the Icom IC-705. Fantastic radios!