Now that I’ve completed the 488 grid chase, I thought it would be a good time to document my current station before I move on to other changes to suit my developing interests.

My chase started in 2010 with an entry in the June VHF contest. I pushed the 6-meter button on my Elecraft K3 and made a few CW contacts just to see what it was like. I scored a whopping 456 points. My next VHF contest entries came in 2014, followed by serious grid chasing in 2015, picking up EL58 courtesy of AC0RA and W5PFG.

You can find the full range of my antenna adventures at Six Meter Antennas — I’ve Tried a Few.

488 FFMA Station Changes Over the Years

While I started with the Elecraft K3, I moved to an IC-9100 in 2017. I had added an IC-910H to the shack for 144/432, but I wanted to consolidate everything into a single radio. Later, I added an IC-7100 and an IC-746pro. It could just be that I’m an ICOM fanboy, thanks not only to their great radios but also to their strong support for Scouting activities. These rigs also work well for rover and portable setups.

Over those years, I also added TE Systems amplifiers, including the TE 0510G with 170 watts and the TE 0552G with 375 watts.

In 2020, I started my SDR journey with SDR Console and the NESDR SMArt RTL-SDR. By 2022, I added an Antennas Amplifiers EME3 LNA, a bandpass filter, and an SDR switch. Around the same time, I moved to an AirSpy R2 SDR.

For antennas, you get a very good idea from the article noted above. It included a vertical, a dipole, a stressed Moxon, a 3-element Yagi, and a Directive Systems 5-element Yagi.

488 FFMA Station at Completion

So, what do things look like now that the 488 journey is complete? Here’s the list, starting with the antenna.

• Antennas Amplifiers Dual Band 6m2m14DX-2C, 5-element 6m Yagi and 9-element 2m Yagi.
• MaxGain Systems MK-4-HD fiberglass push up mast.
• Messi & Paoloni Hyperflex 13/0.500” coaxial cable.
• Antennas Amplifiers EME3 – 50EXP LNA, bandpass filter, and T/R switch for SDR.
• Airspy R2 SDR VHF/UHF receiver.
• Leo Bodnar GPSDO Frequency Reference.
• SDR Console software. Along with WSJT-X Improved and JT-Alert with the Pushover app.
• Down East Microwave LTRS sequencer.
• M2-1K2 6 meter Amplifier.
• Icom IC-9100 Transceiver.
• Diamond GSV4000 Power Supply.

I’ve also used a few different computers, including Apple computers. Currently, I’m running a Dell Pro Micro Plus QBM1250 with Windows 11 Pro.

I thought it would be a good time to document my setup here before I make any more changes as I pursue the next big interest. There’s always something new to explore in my ham radio adventures.