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M0KEO Ian Neal Email: M0KEO@neal.scot Locator: IO94es
WAB Square: NZ23 CQ Zone:
14 ITU Zone: 27 I've been a regular SWL for
over 50 years and worked on 11m too. I
first joined my school radio club (and the RSGB as an associate member) in
1970 and my godfather (now SK) who was a keen operator encouraged me to go
for my amateur exam. In those days a
Morse competency was required and I didn't have it, so I continued with short
wave listening. As soon as Citizens'
Band (27MHz, 11m) was legalised in 1981 I entered the CB scene with
enthusiasm, even getting a call sign (2G3IN) from what was then the Radiocommunications Agency (RA), which few users bothered
to do. We only had 4 watts to play
with although many abused that. By the
RA's own admission it was almost impossible to control the use of CB and in
2006, OFCOM (the successor to the RA) revoked the need for a licence. I carried on with CB, on and off, for a few
years because it fitted very well with my other passion, Land Rovers, where
CB could be used really well while overlanding (4w
is usually plenty there). CB was
falling out of popularity and where I lived at the time there weren't many
people to speak to on CB, so as well as off-roading
and overlanding I used it mostly on motorways
talking to trucks. I also continued as a SWL.
Although I maintained my interest in getting my "proper"
Amateur Licence, life got in the way and career, children etc etc took first place. Then
I retired and that provided a perfect opportunity to get the support of Essex
Ham (at hamtrain.co.uk) to pass the Foundation exam gaining M7IGN. I bought the Intermediate book and with
self-study took and passed that exam, gaining 2E0INX. Studying for the Full exam needed help
because I was out of my depth on the electronics and maths stuff. Clubs locally were still not meeting so I
joined the Bath Based Distance Learning (BBDL) course. I took and passed the Full Exam with
Merit. Huge thanks to Steve Hartley
(G0FUW), Martyn Vann (G3RLV) and the team for all
their help in getting me here! Working Most
of my working is between 10m and 40m using SSB and data modes (FT4 and FT8)
but not 11m any more. I am enjoying sticking my toe in the CW
water. DX is more interesting to
me than competitions (but have taken part in a few) and I particularly enjoy
studying propagation through signal reports from remote stations on FT4/8. I
have achieved DXCC on LoTW and on QRZ I have that
and several other awards - see my Awards page on QRZ.COM; I am now working
towards WAS. Currently
almost 5000 successful contacts in 145 countries (Furthest of these is David
(ZL2OK) in New Zealand (18,359 km), Anthony (VK6AL) in Australia (14,580 km),
Higuchi (JA0FIL) in Japan (12,349 km), Hunsi
(YC1JGA) in Indonesia (12,003 km), Luis (PY2VH) in Brazil (9,614 km) and Frans (ZS6FVN) in South Africa (9,405 km)
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