radio page

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+{
+    "cSpell.words": [
+        "callsign",
+        "centimetre"
+    ]
+}

content/hobbies/radio/_index.md

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+---
+title: VA3ZZA on the air
+---
+
+# Hi, I'm VA3ZZA
+
+Tying many of my hobbies together is [Amateur Radio](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amateur_radio). I have been licensed with the callsign `VA3ZZA` since December 15th 2020.
+
+My interest in amateur radio came in 2018, when I discovered with world of software-defined radios. In the time between discovering amateur radio and getting licensed I
+
+- Experimented with decoding images from the NOAA-15, NOAA-18, and NOAA-19 satellites
+- Listened in to a few nets held on local repeaters using my SDRs
+- Begun to learn morse code
+- Continued to learn about various forms of radio communication through DEFCON talks, and presentations from various radio clubs online
+
+After getting licensed and receiving my callsign, I immediately got on the air (quite literally) and started participating in local nets, occasional simplex QSOs, and more.
+
+## Finding me on the air
+
+I primarily operate 40m CW, and 70cm FM voice, with no particular schedule. If you hear me calling CQ, some say hi! I also beacon myself and my qth via APRS at regular intervals if you want to find me in-person. I also usually monitor Echolink in some form, so you may be able to reach me via my phone (`#636611`) or simplex node (`#687289`).
+
+To see when I am calling CQ on the HF bands, check out the handy chart below:
+
+<a href="https://rbn.telegraphy.de/activity/VA3ZZA"><img src="https://rbn.telegraphy.de/activity/image/VA3ZZA" width="100%"></a>
+
+If you would like to schedule a QSO with me, please contact me via my email at the top of this page.
+
+## The "shack"
+
+I operate from my college dorm, equipped with a Baofeng UV-5R, and an Elecraft KX2 HF Transceiver. I love both radios, and they nicely fit my plan of exclusively operating QRP.
+
+Due to the restrictions of operating indoors, during the winter months my HF antenna is a bent dipole made of scrap ethernet cables, and when I am outdoors I operate with an endfed-half-wave made of speaker wire.
+
+## VA3ZZA-L
+
+`VA3ZZA-L` is my homebrew UHF simplex node. It is powered by a Raspberry Pi 3B+, feeding into a slightly modified generic USB sound card with a custom PTT circuit, then into an extra Baofeng UV-5R. Finally, this feeds into a UHF antenna I currently have mounted up high, attached to the side of the building I live in. The whole setup is running at 3W, and provides enough coverage for me to hit the node from anywhere on campus.
+
+If you would like to call in to my node, dial up node number `687289` on any echolink-compatible repeater, node, or software client.