Amateur Radio
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I have been a licensed radio amateur since March 2011. I hold a full UK license with the callsign MM0ROR and retain my former callsigns 2M0STB and MM6MVQ. I’m excited about packet radio, digital modes, and portable operation (QRP). I’m a club official for the Scottish Consulate amateur radio club MS0SCZ. I’m also an RSGB registered assessor.
Equipment
At home, my main station includes an ICOM IC-9700 for VHF and UHF, and an ICOM IC-7300 for HF. I use these with an ICOM SM-30 desk microphone and also have both hooked up to my desktop computer for digital modes.
In the car, the Yaesu FT-8900R provides 144/430MHz FM voice with a glass mount antenna or 28/50MHz FM voice with a magnetic mounted antenna on the roof. Using the Mobilinkd TNC connected to the Fairphone 3, I can also use the radio for APRS.
I use a Yaesu FT-817ND (with the internal battery pack) and an MFJ-902H travel tuner for portable operation. My antenna is the SOTABEAMS Bandspringer Midi, an end-fed antenna good for 10m-60m with the tuner, on the 6-meter fibreglass SOTABEAMS Tactical Mini.
For portable VHF/UHF FM I use a Kenwood TH-D74, chosen for the built-in APRS functionality including the ability to be used as a TNC by simply connecting a USB cable.
Operation
At home I’m active on VHF (voice nets, FM repeaters, and D-STAR) and HF (FT8 mostly, some PSK attempts). During the last summer, I’ve been up a few hills and made several SSB contacts, but not as many as I’d have liked.
QSL Cards
If you do log a contact with me, and your QRZ.com page suggests that you’re likely to respond to a QSL card, then you might receive one from me. If you do send me a QSL card, I will always respond direct. A SASE is always appreciated but is not a strict requirement. See my QRZ profile for more details.
APRS Infrastructure
I operate and maintain the APRS IGate MB7UAR and APRS digipeater MB7VX in Aberdeen. Between these stations, there is coverage of most of the city for mobile stations. To the west, coverage is picked up by MB7UAB.
MB7VX is located at the University of Aberdeen. I built the system with the assistance of Dave Hibberd MM3ZRZ and Gordon Pearce MM0YEQ in April 2015, and it was licensed shortly after. As I did not yet hold my full license, and so was not eligible to hold for the license type required to operate this station, Adam Hutchison MM0KFX originally held the license. Carl Anderson built the remote shutdown system.
MB7VX’s radio began as a scavenged Tait T2035II with a bespoke interface cable, was a Yaesu FT-1900 for a time and is now a Kenwood TM-D700. The controller has also changed from a spare desktop PC to a dedicated PC Engines APU3 machine. Carl’s remote shutdown device is the only component to have stood the test of time (although it’s been through a couple of SIM cards).
MB7UAR is a more recent addition to Aberdeen, established to fill the coverage gap made when MB7UAB moved away from the city centre. It is located at my QTH in Northfield. It uses a Yaesu FT-1900 (the one that was briefly used by MB7VX) as its radio, which is connected via a soundcard interface cable to its microphone and external speaker ports. This one is also likely to be soon upgraded with a Kenwood TM-D700.