Geoff Gallaway KC8FDU

Amateur General, licensed since the 90s. Profile picture is a selfie sent over SSTV via SC2-180.

Geoff Gallaway KC8FDUkc8fdu@mastodon.radio
2025-06-02

Activated US-0282, Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge in Southern Illinois. Bands weren't great, but a nice park visitor center porch and a great view helped. #POTA

My Icom IC-705 and Modern Morse paddles on a green table. In the background is Crab Orchard Lake.
Geoff Gallaway KC8FDUkc8fdu@mastodon.radio
2025-05-25

My assistant for the CQ WW WPX #contest. #catsofmastadon

My tortie cat laying on the chair next to me, silently judging my CW skills.
Geoff Gallaway KC8FDUkc8fdu@mastodon.radio
2025-05-24

Trying out participating in the CQ WPX #contest. 15 WPM feels so slow compared to the other stations. I greatly appreciate when people calling me slow down, or at least don't mind repeating their call a few times. #cqwpx

My station at home. Icom 7300, MFJ auto tuner, laptop running Log4OM.
Geoff Gallaway KC8FDUkc8fdu@mastodon.radio
2025-05-10

Lengthened my end-fed "random" wire #antenna from 30ft to around 130ft. The main goal was to get the SWR for 40 and above low enough that the internal tuner in my IC-7300 could handle it. The second goal was getting on 80 meters, which ain't gonna happen without an external ATU. One out of two ain't bad. I'lll be looking for a LDG tuner for sale at Hamvention.

A graph showing an SWR sweep from my NanoVNA. Under 3 for 40-6, around 10 for 160 and nearly 14 for 80 meters.A satellite photo of my house with the path of the antenna shown in green, counterpoise in yellow.A view of my house from the backyard showing the path of the wire from the third floor down to 12ft above the fence line and then back across to the front of the yard.
Geoff Gallaway KC8FDUkc8fdu@mastodon.radio
2025-05-09

@AF0AJ Which LDG tuner is that? I'm looking for a tuner for my IC-7300, which has a built-in but very limited ATU. Hoping to find something used or at a good discount at hamvention. Love the 7000, BTW!

Geoff Gallaway KC8FDUkc8fdu@mastodon.radio
2025-05-02

I'm not sure "What is your favorite pastime?" is a good security question for creating an account when you purchase tickets for hamvention...

A screenshot of a dropdown for the security questions.
Geoff Gallaway KC8FDUkc8fdu@mastodon.radio
2025-04-20

Tested my backpack “pedestrian mobile" setup yesterday during a POTA activation. Icom 705 in my backpack connected to an ATU-10 and Elecraft AX-1 antenna in an outside pocket. Using the SDR-mobile app on my iPhone to wirelessly control the radio. It's a compromised system, but it works. 13 CW QSOs in just under an hour. Even had some of the locals join me.

My backpack with the antenna in one of the side pockets.The IC-705 in my backpack.Sign for the park. Gravois Creek Conservation Area Missouri Conservation DepartmentTwo deer in the woods.
Geoff Gallaway KC8FDUkc8fdu@mastodon.radio
2025-03-24

Went to a friend's food truck opening on Saturday and then activated two parks on the way home. The first one I had been to before, Sandy Creek Covered Bridge State Historic Site (US-3362). Picnic tables, grills, trash cans, water spigots and pit toilets. The second park, Gravois Creek State Conservation Area (US-12209), is just a little sliver of muddy woods along a popular trail. Need to work on my pedestrian mobile setup, things started sinking into the ground. #POTA

My setup on a picnic table. iPad, thermos of tea, Icom IC-705 and Modern Morse paddles. The covered bridge is in the background.My equipment in a muddy woods. Radio on my backpack, folding camp chair, coax to my vertical whip antenna.The sign for the Gravois Creek Conservation Area.
Geoff Gallaway KC8FDUkc8fdu@mastodon.radio
2025-03-23

@stu Thanks! I'll grab one and give it a try.

Geoff Gallaway KC8FDUkc8fdu@mastodon.radio
2025-03-23

@stu plugging directly in. The display does show that it’s charging when powered off, but the backlight is off and it’s very difficult to read. And it shows charging from empty even if the battery is full. Gonna try completely draining the battery and completely charging it so if that helps recalibrate it or something.

Geoff Gallaway KC8FDUkc8fdu@mastodon.radio
2025-03-23

@stu It’s charging very slowly, takes multiple days to charge the battery from the wall wart. I’m going to call Yaesu support next week and I know one of the first questions they’re going to ask is if I’m on the latest firmware.

Geoff Gallaway KC8FDUkc8fdu@mastodon.radio
2025-03-23

Upgrading the firmware on a Yaesu FT5D is a PITA. Install .NET *3.5*, then a Visual C++ redistributable, then install a driver that requires you to disable some windows security settings. Then flip a tiny switch on the radio, remove the battery, plug in the wall wart, plug a mini-USB cable, but only the one that came with the radio because the USB port is too narrow. Then flip the switch to a different position and do it again for a "sub" firmware. Then do a complete reset of the radio.

Geoff Gallaway KC8FDUkc8fdu@mastodon.radio
2025-03-10

Removed the VHF/UHF Yaesu FTM-100DR from my car (Chevy Volt) and installed a used all-band Icom IC-7000 with an LDG tuner. Tested it yesterday during a POTA activation with a ham stick and it worked great. I did discover that the 3.5mm “Aux In” jack in my car has a slight, nearly imperceptible delay that makes CW frustrating, so I installed an extra speaker just for the radio.

The “trunk” area of my car with the 12v battery and radio equipment installed.The center console, showing the battery charge status on the car’s display and the IC-7000’s head under the climate controls, tucked back into a little storage cubby.The 20 meter ham mini ham stick installed on a Diamond trunk lip mount on the hatch of my car. On the other side of the hatch is the VHF/UFH antenna on a similar mount.The Icom speaker mounted inside the rear hatch, pointed towards the front of the car.
Geoff Gallaway KC8FDUkc8fdu@mastodon.radio
2025-02-25

Found a nice spot at the office to do some POTA hunting. Using the Elecraft AX1 with a capacitance hat on the IC-705 for a 1:1 SWR. Worked six activators. #POTA

My IC-705 on a picnic table. The Chesterfield Valley is in the distance.
Geoff Gallaway KC8FDUkc8fdu@mastodon.radio
2025-02-23

After a few days of first false spring, then two weeks of near 0 (F) temperatures, it finally warmed up enough for me to get out to a park. Activated US-5699, August A. Busch Memorial State Conservation Area west of St. Louis. Everything was muddy, including me. #POTA

Picnic table with my radio gear on it. Backpack, iPad Mini, Icom IC-705, Modern Morse paddles and a thermos of tea.The sign for the park. A large concrete slab with MISSOURI CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT AUGUST A BUSCH MEMORIAL CONSERVATION AREA embossed into it.
Geoff Gallaway KC8FDUkc8fdu@mastodon.radio
2025-02-21

@AF0AJ The SST is nice. I got about six stations split between 20 and 10 this afternoon. I'm always amused when someone replies that isn't aware of the SST and I have to figure out what all the extra beeps mean.

Geoff Gallaway KC8FDUkc8fdu@mastodon.radio
2025-02-12

Sending and receiving QSL cards is one of the coolest parts of amateur radio but wow, my handwriting is *horrible*.

Geoff Gallaway KC8FDUkc8fdu@mastodon.radio
2025-02-04

Activated my first summit on Saturday, Knob Lick “Mountain”, about 80 miles south of St. Louis. (W0M/SF-030). #SOTA

The view from the top of the summit. A picnic table on the right with my radio equipment and a carbon fiber mast on the left.
Geoff Gallaway KC8FDUkc8fdu@mastodon.radio
2025-02-03

@KC8JC I can barely hear you above the noise, sadly. Looks like you're making QSOs though!

Geoff Gallaway KC8FDUkc8fdu@mastodon.radio
2025-02-03

@KC8JC 16 WPM is pretty fast for me, can you come down to 15? 😄

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