The KK1D Shack

The 2026 shack.....  the FT-950 was replaced by the FT-710, the QS1Rs and RX-320s are gone and replaced with a KiwiSDR, RFSpace CloudIQ and RX-321.  Antennas are a 198' (60 meter) dipole fed with balanced line through a LDG AT-100ProII and a 124' (38 meter) inverted L fed via a LDG RC/RT-100.  

The FT-710 is used almost exclusively for WSPR at 1 watt, 20% transmit duty cycle, unless I am temporarily playing with other digital modes or CW.  The KiwiSDR is remotely accessible, but with reduced sensitivity during the 20% of the time WSPR is transmitting.

The 2013 shack included a Yaesu FT-950, two QS1Rs, two RX-320s, an Afedri SDR-Net, a Clifton Labs Z0042A, a LDG-100ProII, Autek WM-1 computing SWR meter, Falcon Communications F251A audio distribution system, I.C.E. RF receiver multi-coupler, and a DX Engineering RTR-1 receive antenna interface for transceivers.  The antennas were a horizontal dipole 36m long fed with ladder line for 80 through 10 meters, and a tree-supported 60 foot vertical with elevated radials for 160 through 20 meters.. The computers running Fldigi and SDR software are connected via KVM switch to a single monitor and keyboard.  The following figure shows simplified interconnection and signal flow diagrams through both physical and virtual receivers: 

The QS1R and RX320 receivers are spotting 24x7 to Phil Gladstone's http://pskreporter.info site and http:wsprnet.org.  The QS1Rs run CW Skimmer Server on 9 bands (160 - 10 meters).  The excellent OL5Q CWSL (CW Skimmer Listener) software splits the QS1R signals to 34 instances of HDSDR with downstream and WSJT-X (FT8 and WSPR) software decoders.  The RX320 is dedicated to WSPR spotting on 60 meters.  The FT-950 is used for WSPR transceive in a band hopping mode (20% transmit cycle).

In addition to going to the computers, the audio from all transceivers/receivers is also routed through the Falcon Communications F251-0301 audio distribution amplifier.  This allows switch selection of up to 8 radios and 4 speaker systems, allowing any radio to be used with any speaker (Hammarlund, Hallicrafters, Yaesu, homebrew).  Great for A-B tests, and for general listening when one of the radios gets a break from signal spotting duties.

The 2009 shack.   Alinco DX-70TH transceiver, Ten-Tec RX-320 and JRC NRD-525 receivers, with Falcon audio patch panel, keyer, Dentron MT-3000A and MFJ-1279 computer interface.   Antenna is a 140 ft dipole, fed with ladder line.   The computer, out of sight off to the left, is a dual core 64-bit Athlon running Fedora Core Linux.   Main radio software is fldigi, grig, and other hamlib applications all built from source code.   Don't worry, there are still some boatanchors in the basement shack. 

Main listening post, circa 2004, with two R-392s, HQ-145X, SP-210LX, R-391,  NRD-525 and SX-122.  All are fed from the same antennas using receiver multicouplers, and all can feed the same speakers using an audio distribution system. 

1985 - KK1D/IT9, Nicolosi (Sicilia) Italy, on the southern slopes of Mount Etna. 

1981 - Nimitz Hill, Guam.  Icom 720A, roof mounted triband vertical and long wire antennas.   Somehow everyone hears you when you are the DX....  :-)

The 720A was also operated fixed-mobile from the car.   At Polaris Point in Guam's Apra Inner Harbor, there was a large HF rhombic antenna that was "orphaned" when a typhoon destroyed building that contained the original USN or MARS station.  I put the 720A on the front seat with a tiny balanced tuner, and used alligator clip leads to hook up to the original rhombic feedline.    (Similar to using the HF discone at the Titan Missile Museum).  Working the states was never a problem, and it was pretty awesome on long-path off the backside, too.  It was "Parks on the Air" before POTA was a thing.....

Amazingly, 26 years later the shadows of the rhombic antenna poles were still visible in the 2008 Google Earth imagery,   However, the latest imagery, and a check by a co-worker who visited the island in November 2009 confirm that the antenna is no more.

1978 - Niantic, Connecticut. R-392, HB CW TX (out of view), Commodore Pet (8K w/ 32K RAM expansion), external normal/CW keyboard. 

1976 - Ann Arbor, Michigan.  R-392, Kenwood Twins, combo keyer/active audio filter, AN/GRA-93 CU-1696 and 180-S1 antenna tuners.   Antenna was a 400 foot long wire stretched E-W on the hill above and south of the Amtrak train station.

1972, Camp Androscoggin, Maine.   The Heron Bunkhouse Gang and me in the shack.   The Hallicrafters SX-117 and HT-44 were mine.   Many camps required radio counselors to provide their own gear.   This camp had some other gear, like the Multi-Elmac AF-67, and a Heathkit DX-100 around as well.   Antennas were multiple dipoles and a long wire. 

1969, East Catholic High School Amateur Radio Club, Manchester, Connecticut, in the Physics Lab alcove.   This is where my ham radio career started 50+ years ago.   The station had both novice (Eico 720 and Hammarlund HQ-110) and General/Advanced/Extra (Heathkit SB-101) rigs.   The antenna was an end-fed long wire antenna with simple L tuner.  Logo sketched by classmate Kimberly Generous.