GW0NGA - my introduction to amateur radio
Radio is one of the great loves of my life - both community radio and amateur radio. These pages are about my amateur radio exploits.
I spent my teenage years as a shortwave listener, tuning in to English language services all over the world. My radio was able to pick up local radio amateurs talking on AM on 160m ("top band") and this opened up another new world for me.
I obtained my class B on 23 February 1989 when aged 20, and my class A on Good Friday in 1990. Other interests took over and after filling up a mere 47 pages of my (recently discovered) logbook, I disappeared from the airwaves on 6 September 1992.
I didn't leave radio completely; in 1995 I worked on a community radio station in Billericay, Mayflower FM, and in 1996 I formed a new group, Phoenix FM, with the aim of getting a full time community radio station on the FM band for Brentwood and Billericay in Essex. We finally got a full-time FM licence in 2007 and the station is still going strong.
I dipped my toe back in the amateur radio waters in 2006, using a Icom IC-7000 and a Diamond CP-6. Sadly my vertical antenna interfered with a persistent neighbour, and despite me trying to help him, he found a new hobby - complaining about me 24 hours a day! So after a couple of months, everything went back in the box.
I had been thinking about restarting the hobby for some time after this, and on 14 January 2023 I plugged in a new Icom IC-7300 and slung a EFHW down my garden. A few days later, I set up FT-8 on a laptop, and much to my suprise I suddenly found myself making a crazy number of contacts on this too. That laptop has been on day and night ever since.
In January 2024 I left Essex behind and moved to beautiful rural Mongtomeryshire in Wales. I'm now using the callsign GW0NGA instead of G0NGA. My garden doesn't have enough room for the EFHW, so with the help of Nigel MW0OMZ we built a doublet and I'm back on air (and when I say "we", I mean 95% Nigel. I think I held the ladder).
The doublet is working okay on 20/15/12 but it's been very good on 17m and I've had countless contacts into JA, VK and ZL on it.
Date | Time | Band | Call | Mode | Sent | Rcvd | Name | State | Country | Miles | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
16 Jul 2025 | 0712 | 30 | OH4KRN | FT8 | -04 | -08 | Veikko Jappinen |
![]() | Finland | 1,296 | |
16 Jul 2025 | 0703 | 30 | F5AYZ | FT8 | -09 | -11 | Claude Cottat |
![]() | France | 704 | |
16 Jul 2025 | 0627 | 30 | EA2NR | FT8 | +12 | +04 | Kepa Moreno Laiz |
![]() | Spain | 685 | |
16 Jul 2025 | 0622 | 30 | IZ0VRD | FT8 | -15 | -25 | Alessandro Colantoni | RM |
![]() | Italy | 1,037 |
16 Jul 2025 | 0615 | 30 | DL1KSW | FT8 | +00 | -10 | WALTER SCHMISCHKE |
![]() | Germany | 420 | |
16 Jul 2025 | 0603 | 30 | LB6FG | FT8 | +01 | -15 | KURT HANSEN |
![]() | Norway | 757 | |
16 Jul 2025 | 0557 | 30 | SH7LH | FT8 | +19 | -04 | Joakim (Jocke) Nilsson |
![]() | Sweden | 727 | |
16 Jul 2025 | 0450 | 30 | PB2A | FT8 | +02 | -24 | Johan Claereboets |
![]() | Netherlands | 348 | |
16 Jul 2025 | 0327 | 30 | WA8TJC | FT8 | -10 | -23 | Charles P Cooke, Jr | OH |
![]() | United States | 3,628 |
16 Jul 2025 | 0305 | 30 | OZ2AEA | FT8 | -05 | -16 | |||||
16 Jul 2025 | 0205 | 30 | KO4AYE | FT8 | -02 | -18 | RONALD BOGGIO, II | VA |
![]() | United States | 3,559 |
16 Jul 2025 | 0200 | 30 | ON4MAP | FT8 | -10 | -05 | Marc Parade | 4 |
![]() | Belgium | 379 |
16 Jul 2025 | 0152 | 30 | KC4EZN | FT8 | -03 | -21 | HARRY C FRICK | NC |
![]() | United States | 3,897 |
16 Jul 2025 | 0113 | 30 | R3XG | FT8 | -03 | -14 | Aleksandr Khrylev |
![]() | Russia | 1,610 | |
16 Jul 2025 | 0046 | 17 | W5CI | FT8 | -14 | -07 | DANNY H BRYANT | AR |
![]() | United States | 4,289 |
16 Jul 2025 | 0029 | 17 | K1ZTE | FT8 | -14 | -09 | RUSSELL J DOMARECK | CT |
![]() | United States | 3,243 |
16 Jul 2025 | 0018 | 17 | AJ4MW | FT8 | -07 | -03 | Rumen P Raev | FL |
![]() | United States | 4,177 |
16 Jul 2025 | 0009 | 17 | VE2BOL | FT8 | -16 | -10 | Marc Bouchard | QC |
![]() | Canada | 2,953 |
15 Jul 2025 | 2351 | 17 | KB1EFS/2 | FT8 | -09 | -14 | Steven J Henchy | NY |
![]() | United States | 3,249 |
15 Jul 2025 | 2342 | 17 | SM6MUY | FT8 | +01 | -01 | Bengt A Madeberg |
![]() | Sweden | 690 | |
15 Jul 2025 | 2227 | 17 | LA6VQ | FT8 | -10 | -05 | Frode IGLAND |
![]() | Norway | 705 | |
15 Jul 2025 | 2207 | 17 | OZ1IKF | FT8 | -09 | +00 | Ole Dan Nielsen |
![]() | Denmark | 637 | |
15 Jul 2025 | 2150 | 17 | DF3JO | FT8 | -06 | -05 | Dr. Thomas Stinder |
![]() | Germany | 452 | |
15 Jul 2025 | 2138 | 17 | PA/UT3UQJ | FT8 | -18 | +02 | |||||
15 Jul 2025 | 2129 | 17 | JF1KMC | FT8 | -02 | -15 | Taka Kaitsuka |
![]() | Japan | 5,920 | |
15 Jul 2025 | 2126 | 17 | JA1SJV | FT8 | -04 | -14 | SOLO H. IKEGAMI |
![]() | Japan | 5,943 | |
15 Jul 2025 | 2123 | 17 | JA9CWJ | FT8 | -10 | -19 | YOSHIHARU "Yoshi" KATADA |
![]() | Japan | 5,820 | |
15 Jul 2025 | 2117 | 17 | JS1JTX | FT8 | -16 | -18 | KEN IKEBE | KN |
![]() | Japan | 5,947 |
15 Jul 2025 | 2115 | 17 | DF8LK | FT8 | +09 | -01 | FALK BROENING |
![]() | Germany | 555 | |
15 Jul 2025 | 2113 | 17 | JE7JDL | FT8 | -07 | -06 | TADAHIRO KAMADA |
![]() | Japan | 5,678 | |
15 Jul 2025 | 2111 | 17 | JA2ORW | FT8 | -05 | -10 | SHIRO JIN_NO |
![]() | Japan | 5,918 | |
15 Jul 2025 | 2045 | 6 | DK6WH | FT8 | -09 | +00 | Wilhelm Fischer |
![]() | Germany | 623 | |
15 Jul 2025 | 2036 | 6 | OZ4ACK | FT8 | +02 | -23 | Mogens Andersen |
![]() | Denmark | 672 | |
15 Jul 2025 | 1843 | 17 | DL4CH | FT8 | -04 | -09 | Christian Wieland |
![]() | Germany | 554 | |
15 Jul 2025 | 1610 | 17 | PC9K | FT8 | +15 | +03 | Koos de Haan | ZH |
![]() | Netherlands | 320 |
15 Jul 2025 | 1555 | 17 | DK4DO | FT8 | -07 | -14 | Dirk Koenig |
![]() | Germany | 465 | |
15 Jul 2025 | 1553 | 17 | DL1UDO | FT8 | +05 | -11 | UDO MUELLER |
![]() | Germany | 448 | |
15 Jul 2025 | 1243 | 17 | DH8WR | FT8 | -07 | -02 | Andreas Wolf |
![]() | Germany | 639 | |
15 Jul 2025 | 0815 | 30 | DF9JL | FT8 | +02 | -21 | Ulrich (Ulli ) Drews |
![]() | Germany | 428 | |
15 Jul 2025 | 0813 | 30 | F4LQM | FT8 | +05 | +00 | Pascal JACQUES |
![]() | France | 410 | |
15 Jul 2025 | 0732 | 30 | OZ1BSM | FT8 | -09 | -14 | Michael Wassermann |
![]() | Denmark | 632 | |
15 Jul 2025 | 0625 | 30 | 9A2RI | FT8 | -14 | -19 | Tullio Rupil | HR |
![]() | Croatia | 920 |
15 Jul 2025 | 0614 | 30 | SM3JBO | FT8 | -14 | -05 | Bo Ohlson |
![]() | Sweden | 1,083 | |
15 Jul 2025 | 0425 | 30 | KO4XJ | FT8 | -13 | -22 | JOHN D HUDSON | KY |
![]() | United States | 4,058 |
15 Jul 2025 | 0204 | 30 | W9DRB | FT8 | -18 | -24 | PETER C CRASHER | IN |
![]() | United States | 3,954 |
15 Jul 2025 | 0200 | 30 | KC1TXE | FT8 | -13 | -13 | Marat Fayzullin | MA |
![]() | United States | 3,119 |
15 Jul 2025 | 0127 | 30 | WZ2T | FT8 | +00 | -14 | RICHARD C SHERMAN | NY |
![]() | United States | 3,151 |
15 Jul 2025 | 0033 | 30 | VO1CH | FT8 | +03 | -15 | Chris Vernon | NL |
![]() | Canada | 2,168 |
15 Jul 2025 | 0018 | 30 | W2WCM | FT8 | -06 | -18 | WILLIAM C MIMS | VA |
![]() | United States | 3,521 |
15 Jul 2025 | 0012 | 30 | W8DXD | FT8 | -14 | -16 | DAVID D NICHOLSON | WV |
![]() | United States | 3,628 |
14 Jul 2025 | 2345 | 30 | KI4DCB | FT8 | -04 | -24 | BRAD M WILLIAMS | FL |
![]() | United States | 4,151 |
14 Jul 2025 | 2308 | 30 | N4MUH | FT8 | -08 | -19 | Michael W Zulli | FL |
![]() | United States | 4,121 |
14 Jul 2025 | 2259 | 30 | DG6NI | FT8 | -05 | -15 | Stefan Schaal | TH |
![]() | Germany | 633 |
14 Jul 2025 | 2217 | 30 | DL4XU | FT8 | -08 | -16 | Uwe Moeller |
![]() | Germany | 557 | |
14 Jul 2025 | 2151 | 30 | HB9EXE | FT8 | +05 | -10 | Marcel Tuccimei |
![]() | Switzerland | 633 | |
14 Jul 2025 | 2148 | 30 | SM7NYI | FT8 | -11 | -06 | Christer Nilsson |
![]() | Sweden | 687 | |
14 Jul 2025 | 2146 | 30 | OE3CMW | FT8 | +07 | -16 | Michael Wurzinger |
![]() | Austria | 904 | |
14 Jul 2025 | 2140 | 30 | EA5KT | FT8 | -04 | -13 | Manuel Montes Mula |
![]() | Spain | 920 | |
14 Jul 2025 | 2132 | 30 | IZ1DXU | FT8 | +01 | -04 | Marco Givonetti | IT |
![]() | Italy | 710 |
14 Jul 2025 | 2042 | 17 | US5ZBR | FT8 | -24 | -20 | |||||
14 Jul 2025 | 2037 | 17 | EA7API | FT8 | -19 | -10 | |||||
14 Jul 2025 | 1645 | 17 | JA7AUM | FT8 | -05 | -11 | Masaharu (ishi) Ishidoya |
![]() | Japan | 5,639 | |
14 Jul 2025 | 1631 | 17 | SM3LIV | FT8 | -05 | -08 | Liv Ulla (YL) Norrmén |
![]() | Sweden | 1,009 | |
14 Jul 2025 | 1628 | 17 | OM0RX | FT8 | -21 | -11 | Oliver Bross |
![]() | Slovak Republic | 955 | |
14 Jul 2025 | 1506 | 17 | TY5AD | FT8 | -16 | -12 | RUDXT HF radio station |
![]() | Benin | 3,116 | |
14 Jul 2025 | 1025 | 17 | CR5Q | FT8 | -02 | -25 | 43ª CONCENTRAÇÃO INTERNATIONAL DE MOTOS DE FARO |
![]() | Portugal | 930 | |
14 Jul 2025 | 0958 | 17 | EA1AUM | FT8 | -19 | -12 | JUAN CARLOS RODRIGUEZ GARCIA |
![]() | Spain | 639 | |
14 Jul 2025 | 0917 | 17 | CN2XT | FT8 | +10 | -04 | Mohammed alkhayarin |
![]() | Morocco | 1,347 | |
14 Jul 2025 | 0911 | 17 | F4IBJ | FT8 | +10 | -04 | Yann Moreau |
![]() | France | 439 | |
14 Jul 2025 | 0904 | 17 | JR6IKD | FT8 | -06 | -12 | Kunihiro Nakashima (NAKA) |
![]() | Japan | 5,920 | |
14 Jul 2025 | 0857 | 17 | JN6III | FT8 | -10 | -13 | Tadayoshi Tanaka |
![]() | Japan | 5,875 | |
14 Jul 2025 | 0819 | 20 | IS0KNG | FT8 | +06 | -11 | RAFFAELE CUGIA | IT |
![]() | Italy | 1,092 |
14 Jul 2025 | 0816 | 20 | I0/VA3ITA | FT8 | -12 | -12 | Edmondo Conetta | FR |
![]() | Italy | 1,092 |
14 Jul 2025 | 0808 | 20 | EA5W | FT8 | +06 | -19 | Paco Sanchez |
![]() | Spain | 1,019 | |
14 Jul 2025 | 0805 | 20 | OZ2BAC | FT8 | -02 | -13 | ALLAN Christensen |
![]() | Denmark | 649 | |
14 Jul 2025 | 0801 | 20 | DK4RH | FT8 | -11 | -15 | Roland Hartmann |
![]() | Germany | 456 | |
14 Jul 2025 | 0751 | 20 | PD2DK | FT8 | +08 | -09 | Drewes Kruizenga |
![]() | Netherlands | 421 | |
14 Jul 2025 | 0749 | 20 | DJ3HW | FT8 | +00 | -10 | Joerg Jaehrig |
![]() | Germany | 517 | |
14 Jul 2025 | 0746 | 20 | F1PPH | FT8 | -15 | -17 | Didier TRUDELLE | FR |
![]() | France | 363 |
14 Jul 2025 | 0741 | 20 | PD0PNQ | FT8 | -12 | -10 | Gerard Venhorst |
![]() | Netherlands | 338 | |
14 Jul 2025 | 0728 | 20 | F5HNQ | FT8 | +06 | -12 | LIONEL PERAGOUX |
![]() | France | 328 | |
14 Jul 2025 | 0726 | 20 | JJ2QWN | FT8 | +02 | -19 | KIYOSHI"Aki" AZUMA |
![]() | Japan | 5,904 | |
14 Jul 2025 | 0722 | 20 | F5LMJ | FT8 | -18 | -20 | Alain TUDURI | F |
![]() | France | 421 |
14 Jul 2025 | 0710 | 20 | DL2MHM | FT8 | -10 | -18 | Manfred Henrich |
![]() | Germany | 512 | |
14 Jul 2025 | 0701 | 20 | OV5SP | FT8 | -20 | -01 | |||||
14 Jul 2025 | 0658 | 20 | ON2OVW | FT8 | +01 | -13 | Oscar Van Walleghem |
![]() | Belgium | 305 | |
14 Jul 2025 | 0651 | 20 | F6FHZ | FT8 | -17 | -15 | Didier Selaquet | FR |
![]() | France | 365 |
14 Jul 2025 | 0636 | 20 | ON2OVW | FT8 | -05 | -06 | Oscar Van Walleghem |
![]() | Belgium | 305 | |
14 Jul 2025 | 0621 | 20 | PA4AA | FT8 | -09 | -11 | F.J. Scholten |
![]() | Netherlands | 334 | |
14 Jul 2025 | 0619 | 20 | SM4AZQ | FT8 | -08 | -10 | LENNART WALLIN |
![]() | Sweden | 800 | |
14 Jul 2025 | 0608 | 20 | W6IWW | FT8 | -06 | -24 | MARC COOPER | WA |
![]() | United States | 4,754 |
14 Jul 2025 | 0541 | 20 | DL3HBF | FT8 | +07 | -23 | Walter Franz |
![]() | Germany | 571 | |
14 Jul 2025 | 0537 | 20 | DJ7WG | FT8 | +00 | -05 | H. Gunter Rau |
![]() | Germany | 616 | |
14 Jul 2025 | 0510 | 20 | DG3BZ | FT8 | -12 | -09 | Bernhard Zimmermann | DE |
![]() | Germany | 449 |
14 Jul 2025 | 0507 | 20 | DL1UDO | FT8 | +05 | -12 | UDO MUELLER |
![]() | Germany | 448 | |
14 Jul 2025 | 0500 | 20 | OZ3AEV | FT8 | +01 | -24 | Jesper Pedersen |
![]() | Denmark | 631 | |
14 Jul 2025 | 0455 | 20 | JJ2HCM | FT8 | -21 | -18 | Mitsugi Nakagawa |
![]() | Japan | 5,909 | |
14 Jul 2025 | 0432 | 20 | OE3DXA | FT8 | -07 | -06 | Werner Prax | BL |
![]() | Austria | 933 |
14 Jul 2025 | 0409 | 20 | IW0RLC | FT8 | -02 | -14 | DARIO PASTACCI | pg |
![]() | Italy | 978 |
14 Jul 2025 | 0351 | 20 | RW4HBG | FT8 | +07 | -14 | Valery V. Eremushkin | RF |
![]() | Russia | 2,174 |