Amateur Radio Station
K4JF
Jim Forrester
Greenville, South Carolina, USA
(Flag of South Carolina)
DXCC WAS WAC RCC
Established in September,1974, this station was first licensed as WN4LHL in Abbeville, South Carolina. After achieving WAS (Worked All States) as a Novice with 75 watt power and CW only limitations, the license was upgraded to General and the callsign WA4LHL was assigned. The station was active in emergency preparedness and operated primarily CW on HF bands, with 2 metre FM both fixed and mobile. Many friends were made, locally and worldwide, and many fascinating conversations ensued. Through job transfers, WA4LHL operated from several locations in the ensuing years. These included Meridian, Mississippi (WA4LHL/5); Mountain City, Tennessee; Rockingham, North Carolina; Edgefield, South Carolina; Tarboro, North Carolina, and finally back home to Greenville, South Carolina. The license was upgraded to Advanced, then Amateur Extra during this time, keeping the original callsign. In 1997, the callsign K4JF came available. This being the Licensee's initials, it was decided to apply for, and the FCC granted the callsign in February, 1998. K4JF is currently equipped for operation on SSB, CW and PSK31 on High Frequency bands, FM on 6M, 2M and 70CM, and 2M Packet, as well as CW and SSB on 144 and 430 Mhz. .
K4JF is a Life Member of
ARRL, a member of the Quarter Century Wireless Association, a Volunteer
Examiner for both ARRL and WESTCARS, and a member of the Blue Ridge Amateur
Radio Society (BRARS).
(CLICK
here for the BRARS website)
The primary operating position at K4JF contains a Kenwood TS-870, TL-922A, and TS-790A with appropriate accessories, including the SM-230 Station Monitor. Backup is a Kenwood TS-180 monitored with an SM-220. A secondary station, in town, has a TS-450SAT and a Kenwood TS-711A. There are also a Ten-Tec 6M rig, Radio Shack scanner, a 100w 2M all mode amplifier, a Packet TNC connected to a Kenwood TM-241A, a RigBlaster for PSK31and a homebrew Pentium III computer used for PSK31, packet, and logging duties. This computer is networked to the other 2 computers in the home. The antenna farm consists of a 2m ssb 11-element beam above a HyGain 3 element triband Yagi on a 15m tower, with 2m and 70cm vertical antennas side mounted. There is also a double bazooka on 75m, and assorted wire antennas just for fun, all at a country hilltop 2 acre location west of the beautiful city of Greenville, South Carolina.
Click
here for more about Greenville
K4JF at the primary operating position
A better view of the primary station equipment.
Yes, the monitor was upgraded
to LCD from the left photo. There are some other equipment upgrades,
too.
