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Tomas Hood, NW7US

This is the official amateur radio profile for
Tomas Hood, Amateur Extra, A.R.S. NW7US






Tomas, NW7US, is a
recipient of the YASME
Excellence Award, 2012













I am the current contributing editor (since 2001) of the Radio Propagation and
Space Weather column in CQ Amateur Radio Magazine. CQ on Facebook: CQ Amateur
Radio Magazine.

I have passed and held every class (level) of amateur radio license, starting
with Novice and ending with my current Amateur Extra, having passed all three CW
tests, 5-, 13-, and 20-wpm elements.

I first passed my amateur radio Novice license test in 1989, but it took until
1990 to get my first license, KA1VGL. I then upgraded to the Morse-code enabled
Technician class, then General, Advanced, and finally, a 20wpm Extra Class
license that I passed in the mid 1990s. Now, you will find me on the shortwave
(HF, or, high-frequency) amateur radio bands from 160 meters through 10 meters,
either using CW (Morse code), or a digital mode such as Olivia. Once and a while
I may do voice or other data modes, even FT8.

I am also the current contributing editor of the Radio Propagation and Space
Weather column in The Spectrum Monitor.



NOTICE: As of September 5, 2020, I am living near Fayetteville, Ohio. Grid
Square is EM89ad.


I am the Technology Director for
Hams In The Air, an amateur radio service club (para ham club).



I've been licensed since 1990 - but SWLing since 1972. I am a US Army Signal
Corps Veteran (1980s). I've completed DXCC (Mixed, Digital, Phone, 20m), as well
as WAS, WAC, WPX, etc.

Please visit my websites:

1. NW7US Home Page

2. SunspotWatch.com page.


Click picture for a larger view...








 


Have we worked?
Check: Search my logbook on Clublog
If you are logged into Clublog, view my DXCC chart:
View: NW7US DXCC Chart on Clublog


I Prefer LotW - Logbook of the World
I upload to LotW at least once daily, but usually more often. I upload to eQSL,
HRDlog, QRZ, and Clublog after each QSO, if I have internet connectivity.

Getting My Paper QSL Card
There are two methods that will give you a fast return QSL card:

1. Send an SASE
2. Use Clublog's OQRS system (see further, below, for instructions)

Method 1: If you wish to exchange a card, please send a Self-Addressed, Stamped
Envelope (SASE) so that I can easily send a return card to you. I am slow, but I
catch up and do send a card, eventually, someday. The SASE speeds it up.
Usually, I will put my QSL card into the USA Mail Service within a day or three,
after receiving your card and request (with the SASE).

Method 2: You are invited to use my Clublog OQRS for requesting a QSL card from
me, for one or more of our QSOs:


Map of my QTH:



Ham Radio Felines (past and present)

Past: This is CQ, the Feline Prince (passed 2019):



Past: This is Peek-a-Boo, the Feline Princess (passed 2017):



Now: This is Patches, the Feline Lady of the House:



Now (new as of October 2022): This is Willow, the new little lady feline:



Now (new as of October 2022): This is Munchkin, the new little boy feline:



New as of 2023: This is Ernie, the big boy feline that came from our daughter's,
to live with us:





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Account Status: NW7US DXCC
(as of June 12, 2023)




NW7US Media

NW7US YOUTUBE CHANNEL

HERE ARE SOME VIDEOS ON MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL. ENJOY. FEEDBACK IS WELCOME - COMMENT
ON THE VIDEO PAGE.




Please subscribe to my YouTube channel... you'll get updates!

Then, and, now. I've loved shortwave radio since the early 1970s.

When I was about nine years old, I got a hold of my parent's Sony Multiband
Portable radio. I cannot remember which model. But it had four bands, FM, AM,
LW, SW. I soon discovered that the SW selection held very strange and somewhat
exotic sounds and stations.

As you might have guessed, SW stands for Shortwave (LW is for Longwave those
frequencies below 530 KHz, AM is for the Amplitude Modulation mode, which is
what is used in the domestic broadcast band (between 530 KHz and 1750 Khz or
so), and FM (frequency modulation), the popular band of radio spectrum that
everyone seems to enjoy, with music, talk, and other formats).

Shortwave describes the size of the radio wave used to transmit the signal that
the radio can tune and listen in on.

As I began to discover not only odd, interesting noises and pops, whistles, and
alien-like sounds, but also a great variety of radio stations from all parts of
the world, I became deeply interested in the technical aspects of what made this
little radio achieve such great magic. It seemed very magical that the BBC
(England), RSA (Radio South Africa), CBC (Radio Canada International), Radio
Australia, and so many more exotic stations, could be heard by me in the middle
of Montana's Rocky Mountains. Hearing these signals lured me into listening and
learning more about Shortwave Listening to the point that I was hooked for life.

I tried to get books about radio, electronics, and related information. Hard to
come by for a nine-year-old. But I did get some support from my parents and
friends, school, and library. I studied that until I knew it forward and
backward. Tube theory, transistors (which were still a newer concept to the
general consumer market, in the early 1970's), resistors, capacitors, and all
the other doo-hickies and thing-a-ma-bobs that made all this magic of radio come
into being.

How about you? Then, and, now?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is the latest iteration of my amateur (ham) radio MF, HF, VHF, UHF radio
communications station. Some equipment is courtesy of Hams in the Air (a 'thank
you,' to them!)



Current (July 2022) Equipment:

 * Icom transceivers:
   * IC-7610,
   * IC-7000
 * Yaesu: FT-991A
 * Ameritron: AL-80A amplifier
 * Elecraft: W2 Watt Meter with 2K Sensor
 * Dentron: Super Tuner Plus (~ 1kW rated)
 * LDG Electronics: AT-600ProII Automatic Tuner (~ 600 watts)
 * Morse Code Keys:
   * WWII Flameproof Signaling straight key,
   * N3ZN ZN-SL single-lever paddle key
 * W2IHY Technologies:
   * EQPlus
   * 8-Band Audio Equalizers/Noise Gate
 * Heil: GM-5 Goldline microphone
 * Antenna System = 160-Meter Doublet:
   * 160-Meter Doublet with 137-foot legs (e/w)
   * 450-Ohm Window Line (ladder line), ~ 90 feet
   * 4:1 Current Balun (DX Engineering, dual-core)
   * 50-ohm coax, balun to grounding block
   * 50-ohm coax, grounding block to indoor radios

I am a member of a number of clubs, groups, organizations. For instance, I am in
SKCC member 4758s, FISTS member 7055, ARRL, Long Island CW Club, MDXC
(Mediterranian DX Club), (SWODXA) Southwest Ohio DX Association, True Blue DXers
Club member 1607, and others:

 * SKCC member 4758s,
 * FISTS member 7055,
 * FT8 Digital Mode Club (FT8 DMC) member 124,
 * North American QRP CW Club member 1774,
 * Ten Ten International member 56526,
 * Long Island CW Club member 653,
 * MDXC (Mediterranian DX Club) member 473,
 * (SWODXA) Southwest Ohio DX Association,
 * True Blue DXers Club member 1607,
 * ARRL,
 * and others.

Click: this sentence to listen to
the episode of QSO Today in which Eric interviews me about my journey through
the radio hobby.


QSLING (CONFIRMATION OF OUR QSO):

You can send an SASE with your QSL card to me via postal service, and I will
send a paper QSL back:

Tomas Hood / ARS NW7US
PO Box 110
Fayetteville, Ohio 45118

Or, my QSL is OK via eQSL, LotW, QRZ.com, or via the bureau (though, that is
VERY slow).

PAPER QSL UPDATE: Now that I have finally moved into a house, and have a
long-term address, I have obtained QSL cards. I will attempt to catch up with
all of the QSL cards sent to me in the past... but the going will be slow. Do
know that I plan on QSL returns to everyone. Just allow me a lot of time to
catch up, please. Thank you.

Here is the final design, by Jeff, K1NSS, printed by KB3IFH Qsl Cards: 



 


                 

         

 




In some of my club activities, I have received certificates and awards. Below,
you can see some of my collection. Some of these are pretty!

Click on an image to view in detail (brings up the browser)






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MY STATION, IN OHIO

You may click on any image, to see a larger version in a new browser tab.

My main transceiver is the venerableIcom IC-7610:



which I control by using the Win4IcomSuite software.

For logging I am using Log4OM Version 2, with:

 * FLDigi for digital operations (mostly Olivia),
 * WSJT-X,
 * JTAlert,
 * Ham Radio Deluxe with DM780 for digital operations,
 * N1MM Logger+ for contesting,,
 * or other programs as needed.

My Current Operations Desk

From here, I operate my amateur (ham) radio station, on Mediumwave and
Shortwave (shortwave is also known as HF, for, High Frequencies), and on VHF and
above.



One of the most useful (and, to me, amazing) features of this Icom IC-7610, is
the IP+ function, which, when turned on, improves the Intermodulation Distortion
(IMD) quality by optimizing the direct sampling system performance. This
function optimizes the Analog/Digital Converter (ADC) against distortion when
you receive a strong input signal. It also improves the Third-order Intercept
Point (IP3) while minimizing the reduction of the receiver sensitivity.

In short: I was listening to an s-0 weak signal of a DX station, when right
adjacent to the frequency came an s-7 signal, wiping out my ability to copy that
weak signal. I turned on the IP+ and the distortion of the adjacent signal
disappeared, and once again, I heard the weak signal IN THE CLEAR! WOW!

My current shortwave (HF; High Frequency) antenna, used for receiving as well as
transmitting, is an off-center-fed dipole antenna. The feed point is up at 50
feet, with one leg running Westward, and the other running Eastward. In the
following images, you can see the actual orientation of the antenna.

Raw drawing of the off-center-fed dipole:



In context, here is the raw drawing of the off-center-fed dipole, the azimuth of
the two legs of the dipole, a rough plot superimposed on the satellite image of
my home, and footprint on the 30-Meter Band (as an example of its performance):



 


THE ANTENNA, IN PICTURES:

I was able to get an off-center-fed sloping dipole antenna erected this on 12
March 2021 with the help of my Son, KF7IBY, Robert. We were able to get the feed
point up to the 50-foot level.

The legs of the antenna drape down to about 16 feet at their ends. One leg is
about 107 feet in length, while the other is about 95 feet in length. The
azimuth of the dipole is approximately 284 degrees Westward, and 104 degrees
Eastward.

The feedline is 450-ohm ladder line that runs from the feedpoint, down about 35
feet, then drapes over to another tree in which is a 4:1 current balun. Total
run of 450-ohm ladder line is about 75 feet, give or take a few. The 4:1 current
balun then connected to a 100-foot LMR 50-ohm coax that runs to the radio shack
(room), terminating to an Icom IC-7610.

The white 50-ohm LMR coax connects to the 4:1 current balun, the other end
terminates in a grounding copper block, and then another short run of coax goes
into the 2nd-floor radio room. From the balun to the antenna, is about 82 feet
of 450-ohm ladder line feed line.

In the following pictures, you can see the 450-ohm ladder line, up to the feed
point (which is up at 50 feet) to which the total length of about 210 to 220
feet of wire is split a bit off center, fed directly by the ladder line:

Click on an image to view in detail (brings up the browser)






About me, etc.

This is a picture of me, back in the late 1980s, while I was stationed in West
Germany as a US Army Signal Corps soldier.



 

This is a picture of my new Single Paddle Key made by N3ZN.



 

















 

 

* * * *

I tend toward pursuing Morse code--by way of the tried-and-true CW
(continuous-wave radio signal) keying either by a straight key (the typical
up-and-down lever style of Morse code instruments), or a single-lever
side-to-side paddle key that depends upon electronics to create the dits and
dahs--the Icom IC-7610 has such a keyer feature, so I just plug in the key that
you see, below, and the radio can be set to operate Morse code CW, keying dits
when I move the lever to the right, and dahs when I push to paddle to the left.
The keyer spaces everything out, I just have to control the sequence.



 





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

OLIVIA DIGITAL MODE

OLIVIA MFSK IS MY MOST FAVORATE DIGITAL MODE (OTHER THAN CW).





Go to Olivia Digital Mode Community
On-air Activity of NW7US

NW7US CW ACTIVITY REVERSE BEACON SPOTTING

Morse code activity as reported by the Reverse Beacon Network.

Go to the Reverse Beacon Network

CLUB LOG

CLUB LOG IS AN ONLINE DATABASE WITH A SUITE OF POWERFUL TOOLS SUPPORTING ACTIVE
DXERS.

Once you have registered on Club Log and uploaded your log, you will be able to
do a lot of cool things! Check it out.

Go to Club Log

HRDLOG.NET LOGBOOK FOR NW7US

THIS IS A LISTING OF THE MOST RECENT QSOS MADE BY NW7US, AS LOGGED IN THE NW7US
LOGBOOK ON HRDLOG.NET



Go to the HRDLog.net Logbook

QRZ.COM LOGBOOK FOR NW7US

THIS IS A LISTING OF THE LAST 15 QSOS MADE BY NW7US, AS LOGGED IN THE NW7US
LOGBOOK ON QRZ.COM



Go to the QRZ.com Logbook






About NW7US

I'm Tomas David Hood. I am an amateur radio operator with the callsign of NW7US.
I enjoy having two-way communications by way of shortwave radio signals, in the
amateur radio hobby. The shortwave frequencies are those in the High Frequency
(HF) radio spectrum. Amateur radio in the United States of America enjoys the
allocation of many frequencies in a number of 'bands'; in the Mediumwave, HF,
VHF, UHF, and higher radio spectrum.

NW7US is the Amateur Radio call-sign issued by the Federal Communications
Commission to my Ham Radio Station, conferring the right to operate this
equipment under certain privileges. This call-sign is assigned to me as both an
identification of my Amateur Radio station, as well as a reference to those
privileges I have been granted after having passed both a series of written
examinations which cover rules, procedures, technical theory, and related
knowledge, and a series of Morse code proficiency tests.

It seems that I have always been interested in radio communications. In the
early 1970s, I discovered the world of shortwave radio, when I explored a radio
which was owned by my parents. This Sony four-band portable radio had a
shortwave band. Tuning it, I discovered a number of International Shortwave
Radio Broadcast stations, like Radio Australia, the BBC, Radio South Africa,
Radio Canada International, and so many others. I also discovered the time
station, WWV, on which I heard the hourly solar and geophysical report, talking
about sunspots and other interesting indexes. This launched my love of both
radio communications, and radio propagation along with the Sun-Earth connection.

Morse code proficiency is no longer required as an element of the FCC test; you
no longer need to learn and demonstrate knowledge of Morse code in order to
obtain an FCC Amateur Radio license. However, Morse code is becoming very
popular among Amateur Radio, again. This is for a variety of reasons, of course:
those who are into preparing for the worst-case ('preppers') are learning Morse
code because they know it is an effective means of communication when the main
methods may no longer be available; DXers know that you can work a greater area
of the world given all of the same parameters (antenna, transmitter power,
propagation conditions); others simply love the idea of Morse code as a
language.

I was born back in 1965 (in Virginia) and I'm 47. I was first licensed in 1990,
though I have been a real high-frequency fan since the early 1970s when I
discovered Shortwave Radio. I loved hearing the foreign stations. Using HF is
like traveling without leaving home. I love meeting new folks.

In general, my station runs 100 watts out of an Icom IC-7000. I am using the
KK7UQ home-built digital interface with the Ham Radio Delux + DRM software. My
Morse code key is one of two: a WWII Navy Signaling Key (originally used by the
Navy for ship-to-ship signal lamps), or a modified Vibroplex key that is now a
'paddle' key (moves side-to-side, requiring an electronic keyer). My antenna is
a Hustler mobile vertical antenna so my situation is marginal. I operate mostly
on 20 meters digital, often on JT65A weak-signal digital mode for HF using
JT65-HF software, or Olivia digital modes.

I have some very specific areas of interest in my love of radio and space
weather.

My all-purpose amateur radio website is HFRadio.org, while my main personal
NW7US.us callsign website is here. My YouTube Channel is here, so please visit
and subscribe to the channel where I post a lot of amazing solar flare and other
space weather videos. On Facebook, my Amateur Page is here, while my personal
page is here. My Space Weather Facebook page is here. I am also on Twitter. I am
@NW7US and my space weather/propagation is @hfradiospacewx - please add those if
you are interested in following my amateur radio and space weather tweets. Thank
you for your interest.

These are some of the websites I've created regarding specific interests that I
have: [ Morse Code and CW (carrier-wave mode) | Space Weather, Solar Cycle,
Radio Propagation | Shortwave Radio (SWL) |- Digital (non-voice) radio modes |
AM (Amplitude Modulation) Amateur Radio Resources ]

I am a member of ...



-> Straight Key Century Club #4758-T

-> FISTS #7055 : FISTS NW #57

-> NAQCC #1774

-> Monthly QRP Field Day Member #62 : QRP ARCI #12781

-> 30 Meter Digital Group #0640 : Digital Modes Club #1144

-> Ten-Ten #56526 : Lighthouse Scty #144

-> BARTG #8077 : European PSK Club (EPC) #4768


+ I am the Propagation Editor for "CQ Communications Magazine", "The Spectrum
Monitor Magazine", and previously before their demise: "CQ VHF Magazine", and
"Popular Communications Magazine". I also wrote about propagation and other
radio-related topics in "Monitoring Times", before its demise.

+ I am the owner, system administrator, and content provider of
http://hfradio.org/ , http://SunSpotWatch.com and https://NW7US.us

+ I am a contributor to various amateur radio books, blogs, news articles,
Wikipedia, and so on.

+ I am most often found on the High-Frequency Amateur Bands in the CW or Digital
Modes sub-bands (look for me on 20 mainly).

+ The NW7US Ham Shack is located in Grid Square EN10pu / ITU Region 7 / CQ Zone
4

My Equipment: Main shortwave transceiver is the Icom 7610, with an LDG
AT-600ProII Autotuner, connected to a 220-foot off-center-fed dipole with a
feedpoint up at 50 feet. The dipole is an inverted V, with each side sloping
down from the 50-foot level, to about 16 feet at the ends. The backup rig is a
repaired Icom IC-7000, connected to an LDG AT-100ProII Autotuner that is used
for 10- and 50-meters, and VHF, UHF, all with a discone antenna.



THANKS FOR VISITING

Copyright © 1998-2021 · All Rights Reserved · Tomas Hood, NW7US