We moved from Arvada CO to Tucson AZ in 2021. An archive of the Colorado station is here. This page describes the current station in AZ. Both the page and the station are under construction.
The call letters W6IWI were first used by Kauko Hallikainen in the 1930s (1933 license, 1937 ARRL membership). See the 1934, 1936, 1937, and 1938 Amateur Radio Callbook. The 1930s QSL card was similar to that shown above (I may still have one of the originals somewhere). By 1952, the call had been reassigned to Carson Donaldson in Inglewood CA. He held it through 1977. I acquired the call in 2016. Prior to that, I held the call WA6FDN, and prior to that, WN6FDN. The WA6FDN license was first granted in 1969, with WN6FDN in 1968. WA6FDN shows up in the Summer 1969 Callbook. In December 1969, I took the exam for the First Class Radiotelephone License with Radar Endorsement at the FCC office in San Francisco. That license was later replaced by the FCC with the General Radiotelephone Operator's License. NL7XM offers a great service. He has over 100 years of Radio Amateur Callbooks and will find the first appearance of your callsign in the Callbook. For a reasonable cost, he'll provide certified copies of these pages verifying that the callsign was held by the particular person on this date. This is what he sent me for WN6FDN and WA6FDN.
WN6FDN started with a Heathkit DX-60 transmitter and a National NC-300 receiver running CW on HF. WA6FDN used a Viking Ranger transmitter running AM, CW, and RTTY on HF. RTTY used a Teletype model 15 printer (also see a slow motion video of a model 15 in operationg), and a model 14 typing reperf and transmitter distributor. W6IWI now uses an SEA 245 with a Dentron Clipperton-L amplifier running RTTY, CW and SSB into a Zero Five 30 Foot Flagpole Antenna. VHF and UHF FM are covered with a Baofeng UV-5R and a Wouxun KG-UV-6X. The Wouxun KG-UV-6X normally drives an outside vertical antenna at home. Mobile info is here.
The graph shows the MUF and OWF for the past two days. Drag right to see previous values. Use the mouse scroll wheel to zoom in and out. Right click to get back to the original view.
The table below shows recent contacts logged on qrz.com.
The table below is generated by a PHP script that pulls JSON data from the Reverse Beacon Network, parses it, calculates distance and bearing based on latitude and longitude, then shows data for the last 250 spots. Frequency changes greater than 1 kHz or time changes greater than 1 hour are shown in bold. The Rx links link to the QRZ page for the station. The SNR links link to a graph of signal to noise ratio versus time for that receiver and band (data limited to 250 spots total from RBN)
The background color is green if the distance is greater than 3,000 miles. The Relative Distance column has a * for every 200 miles.
Time | Rx | Freq (kHz) | SNR | Mode | Speed | Rx Location | Distance and Bearing | Relative Distance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2045z 07 Dec | NU6XB | 14083.9 | 12 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Berkeley, CA | 1213 km (754 miles) at 304.4 degrees | *** |
2045z 07 Dec | W6YX | 14083.9 | 20 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Stanford, CA | 1182 km (734 miles) at 302.2 degrees | *** |
2045z 07 Dec | W6BB | 14083.9 | 18 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Berkeley, CA | 1213 km (754 miles) at 304.4 degrees | *** |
2044z 07 Dec | N6TV | 14083.9 | 17 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | San Jose, CA | 1141 km (708 miles) at 302.1 degrees | *** |
2044z 07 Dec | WE9V | 14083.8 | 22 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Bristol, WI | 2309 km (1435 miles) at 53.7 degrees | ******* |
0433z 05 Dec | IK3STG | 7060.0 | 11 dB | CW | 16 wpm | Italy | 9635 km (5987 miles) at 36.2 degrees | ***************************** |
0432z 05 Dec | NG7M | 7060.0 | 16 dB | CW | 16 wpm | Syracuse, UT | 987 km (613 miles) at 354.3 degrees | *** |
0432z 05 Dec | WF7U | 7060.0 | 17 dB | CW | 16 wpm | Issaquah, WA | 1944 km (1208 miles) at 334.2 degrees | ****** |
0413z 05 Dec | K9IMM | 7060.0 | 32 dB | CW | 15 wpm | Mount Horeb, WI | 2194 km (1363 miles) at 51.3 degrees | ****** |
0413z 05 Dec | ND7K | 7060.0 | 22 dB | CW | 14 wpm | Wickenburg, AZ | 270 km (168 miles) at 319.2 degrees | |
0413z 05 Dec | WE9V | 7060.0 | 21 dB | CW | 14 wpm | Bristol, WI | 2309 km (1435 miles) at 53.7 degrees | ******* |
0413z 05 Dec | N9CO | 7060.0 | 34 dB | CW | 15 wpm | Sycamore, IL | 2242 km (1393 miles) at 54.7 degrees | ****** |
0413z 05 Dec | NJ4P | 7060.1 | 23 dB | CW | 15 wpm | 2109 km (1310 miles) at 74.6 degrees | ****** | |
0413z 05 Dec | W3LPL | 7060.0 | 25 dB | CW | 15 wpm | Glenwood, MD | 3131 km (1945 miles) at 65.9 degrees | ********* |
0412z 05 Dec | KM3T-3 | 7060.0 | 19 dB | CW | 14 wpm | Amherst, NH | 3617 km (2248 miles) at 59.6 degrees | *********** |
0407z 05 Dec | CX6VM | 7060.0 | 14 dB | CW | 12 wpm | Cerro Largo, Uruguay | 9317 km (5789 miles) at 134.5 degrees | **************************** |
0407z 05 Dec | KC4YVA | 7060.1 | 15 dB | CW | 11 wpm | Henrico, VA | 3101 km (1927 miles) at 69.7 degrees | ********* |
0407z 05 Dec | K7EK | 7060.0 | 30 dB | CW | 12 wpm | Radcliff, KY | 2343 km (1456 miles) at 67.7 degrees | ******* |
0407z 05 Dec | P40L | 7060.0 | 11 dB | CW | 12 wpm | Pos Chiquito, Aruba | 4705 km (2923 miles) at 108.2 degrees | ************** |
0407z 05 Dec | KH6LC | 7060.0 | 14 dB | CW | 12 wpm | Keaau, HI | 4652 km (2891 miles) at 264.3 degrees | ************** |
0405z 05 Dec | KV4TT | 7060.0 | 19 dB | CW | 12 wpm | North Myrtle Beach, SC | 2991 km (1858 miles) at 77.8 degrees | ********* |
0405z 05 Dec | TI7W | 7060.0 | 20 dB | CW | 12 wpm | Guanacaste, Costa Rica | 3566 km (2216 miles) at 126.3 degrees | *********** |
0405z 05 Dec | K5TR | 7060.0 | 10 dB | CW | 12 wpm | Austin, TX | 1215 km (755 miles) at 97.2 degrees | *** |
0405z 05 Dec | NU6XB | 7060.0 | 4 dB | CW | 12 wpm | Berkeley, CA | 1213 km (754 miles) at 304.4 degrees | *** |
0405z 05 Dec | KL7RA | 7060.0 | 16 dB | CW | 12 wpm | Nikiski, AK | 4302 km (2673 miles) at 329.6 degrees | ************* |
2346z 04 Dec | VE7CC | 14083.9 | 20 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Maple Ridge, BC | 2120 km (1317 miles) at 336.1 degrees | ****** |
2346z 04 Dec | WE9V | 14083.8 | 28 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Bristol, WI | 2309 km (1435 miles) at 53.7 degrees | ******* |
2346z 04 Dec | KE3BK | 14083.8 | 22 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Mountain House, CA | 1149 km (714 miles) at 305.3 degrees | *** |
2346z 04 Dec | W6BB | 14083.9 | 19 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Berkeley, CA | 1213 km (754 miles) at 304.4 degrees | *** |
2346z 04 Dec | W6YX | 14083.9 | 20 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Stanford, CA | 1182 km (734 miles) at 302.2 degrees | *** |
2346z 04 Dec | N6TV | 14083.9 | 17 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | San Jose, CA | 1141 km (708 miles) at 302.1 degrees | *** |
2346z 04 Dec | NU6XB | 14083.9 | 14 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Berkeley, CA | 1213 km (754 miles) at 304.4 degrees | *** |
2247z 04 Dec | W6BB | 14083.9 | 14 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Berkeley, CA | 1213 km (754 miles) at 304.4 degrees | *** |
2247z 04 Dec | W6YX | 14083.9 | 25 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Stanford, CA | 1182 km (734 miles) at 302.2 degrees | *** |
2247z 04 Dec | WE9V | 14083.8 | 26 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Bristol, WI | 2309 km (1435 miles) at 53.7 degrees | ******* |
2247z 04 Dec | N6TV | 14083.9 | 25 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | San Jose, CA | 1141 km (708 miles) at 302.1 degrees | *** |
2247z 04 Dec | VE7CC | 14083.9 | 18 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Maple Ridge, BC | 2120 km (1317 miles) at 336.1 degrees | ****** |
0434z 04 Dec | W3RGA | 7046.0 | 18 dB | CW | 13 wpm | Sunbury, PA | 3176 km (1973 miles) at 62.6 degrees | ********* |
0414z 04 Dec | N9CO | 7046.0 | 19 dB | CW | 15 wpm | Sycamore, IL | 2242 km (1393 miles) at 54.7 degrees | ****** |
0354z 04 Dec | W6YX | 7046.0 | 35 dB | CW | 16 wpm | Stanford, CA | 1182 km (734 miles) at 302.2 degrees | *** |
0354z 04 Dec | KO7SS | 7046.0 | 32 dB | CW | 16 wpm | Mt. Lemmon, AZ | 23 km (14 miles) at 18.1 degrees | |
0354z 04 Dec | N6TV | 7046.0 | 19 dB | CW | 16 wpm | San Jose, CA | 1141 km (708 miles) at 302.1 degrees | *** |
0354z 04 Dec | ZF9CW | 7046.0 | 21 dB | CW | 16 wpm | Cayman Islands | 3386 km (2104 miles) at 106.6 degrees | ********** |
0311z 04 Dec | W3LPL | 7046.0 | 12 dB | CW | 15 wpm | Glenwood, MD | 3131 km (1945 miles) at 65.9 degrees | ********* |
0429z 03 Dec | N8DXE | 7052.0 | 19 dB | CW | 15 wpm | Akron, OH | 2775 km (1724 miles) at 60.5 degrees | ******** |
0352z 01 Dec | KV4TT | 7051.0 | 20 dB | CW | 13 wpm | North Myrtle Beach, SC | 2991 km (1858 miles) at 77.8 degrees | ********* |
0347z 01 Dec | W3LPL | 7051.0 | 17 dB | CW | 12 wpm | Glenwood, MD | 3131 km (1945 miles) at 65.9 degrees | ********* |
0347z 01 Dec | KO7SS | 7051.0 | 33 dB | CW | 12 wpm | Mt. Lemmon, AZ | 23 km (14 miles) at 18.1 degrees | |
0347z 01 Dec | KV4TT | 7051.0 | 20 dB | CW | 12 wpm | North Myrtle Beach, SC | 2991 km (1858 miles) at 77.8 degrees | ********* |
2255z 30 Nov | VE7CC | 14092.9 | 10 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Maple Ridge, BC | 2120 km (1317 miles) at 336.1 degrees | ****** |
2255z 30 Nov | W6BB | 14092.9 | 13 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Berkeley, CA | 1213 km (754 miles) at 304.4 degrees | *** |
2254z 30 Nov | NU6XB | 14092.9 | 11 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Berkeley, CA | 1213 km (754 miles) at 304.4 degrees | *** |
2254z 30 Nov | K6FOD | 14092.9 | 25 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | South Pasadena, CA | 706 km (438 miles) at 289.1 degrees | ** |
2254z 30 Nov | W6YX | 14092.9 | 26 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Stanford, CA | 1182 km (734 miles) at 302.2 degrees | *** |
2254z 30 Nov | KO7SS | 14092.8 | 40 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Mt. Lemmon, AZ | 23 km (14 miles) at 18.1 degrees | |
2254z 30 Nov | N6TV | 14092.9 | 27 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | San Jose, CA | 1141 km (708 miles) at 302.1 degrees | *** |
2250z 30 Nov | W6BB | 14093.9 | 14 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Berkeley, CA | 1213 km (754 miles) at 304.4 degrees | *** |
2250z 30 Nov | NU6XB | 14093.9 | 14 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Berkeley, CA | 1213 km (754 miles) at 304.4 degrees | *** |
2249z 30 Nov | KO7SS | 14093.8 | 41 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Mt. Lemmon, AZ | 23 km (14 miles) at 18.1 degrees | |
2249z 30 Nov | N6TV | 14093.9 | 26 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | San Jose, CA | 1141 km (708 miles) at 302.1 degrees | *** |
2249z 30 Nov | W6YX | 14093.9 | 27 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Stanford, CA | 1182 km (734 miles) at 302.2 degrees | *** |
2249z 30 Nov | K6FOD | 14093.9 | 25 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | South Pasadena, CA | 706 km (438 miles) at 289.1 degrees | ** |
0400z 30 Nov | N9CO | 7052.0 | 27 dB | CW | 14 wpm | Sycamore, IL | 2242 km (1393 miles) at 54.7 degrees | ****** |
0353z 30 Nov | WC2L | 7052.0 | 12 dB | CW | 12 wpm | Niskayuna, NY | 3434 km (2134 miles) at 59.4 degrees | ********** |
0353z 30 Nov | KC4YVA | 7052.0 | 11 dB | CW | 12 wpm | Henrico, VA | 3101 km (1927 miles) at 69.7 degrees | ********* |
0353z 30 Nov | W2MV | 7052.0 | 22 dB | CW | 13 wpm | Dobbs Ferry, NY | 3414 km (2121 miles) at 62.8 degrees | ********** |
0353z 30 Nov | KD2OGR | 7052.0 | 10 dB | CW | 13 wpm | Milltown, NJ | 3360 km (2088 miles) at 63.8 degrees | ********** |
0353z 30 Nov | WE9V | 7052.0 | 11 dB | CW | 13 wpm | Bristol, WI | 2309 km (1435 miles) at 53.7 degrees | ******* |
0353z 30 Nov | K5EM | 7052.0 | 13 dB | CW | 13 wpm | Seattle, WA | 1969 km (1224 miles) at 334 degrees | ****** |
0353z 30 Nov | W4AX | 7052.0 | 11 dB | CW | 12 wpm | Ball Ground, GA | 2467 km (1533 miles) at 77.9 degrees | ******* |
0353z 30 Nov | W4AX | 7052.0 | 11 dB | CW | 12 wpm | Ball Ground, GA | 2467 km (1533 miles) at 77.9 degrees | ******* |
0353z 30 Nov | K9IMM | 7052.0 | 16 dB | CW | 13 wpm | Mount Horeb, WI | 2194 km (1363 miles) at 51.3 degrees | ****** |
0353z 30 Nov | F6IIT | 7052.0 | 12 dB | CW | 13 wpm | Dissay, France | 8873 km (5513 miles) at 40.5 degrees | *************************** |
0353z 30 Nov | VE6JY | 7052.0 | 23 dB | CW | 13 wpm | Lamont, AB | 2394 km (1488 miles) at 356.9 degrees | ******* |
0353z 30 Nov | W2LB | 7052.0 | 22 dB | CW | 13 wpm | Farmington, NY | 3156 km (1961 miles) at 58.2 degrees | ********* |
0353z 30 Nov | KM3T-3 | 7052.0 | 19 dB | CW | 13 wpm | Amherst, NH | 3617 km (2248 miles) at 59.6 degrees | *********** |
0353z 30 Nov | K3LR | 7052.0 | 41 dB | CW | 13 wpm | West Middlesex, PA | 2870 km (1783 miles) at 61 degrees | ******** |
0353z 30 Nov | KM3T-2 | 7052.0 | 28 dB | CW | 13 wpm | Amherst, NH | 3617 km (2248 miles) at 59.6 degrees | *********** |
0352z 30 Nov | KV4TT | 7052.0 | 26 dB | CW | 12 wpm | North Myrtle Beach, SC | 2991 km (1858 miles) at 77.8 degrees | ********* |
0352z 30 Nov | W2NAF | 7052.0 | 21 dB | CW | 13 wpm | Spring Brook, PA | 3272 km (2033 miles) at 61.8 degrees | ********** |
0352z 30 Nov | W3RGA | 7052.0 | 30 dB | CW | 13 wpm | Sunbury, PA | 3176 km (1973 miles) at 62.6 degrees | ********* |
0352z 30 Nov | N8DXE | 7052.0 | 21 dB | CW | 12 wpm | Akron, OH | 2775 km (1724 miles) at 60.5 degrees | ******** |
0352z 30 Nov | TI7W | 7052.0 | 27 dB | CW | 12 wpm | Guanacaste, Costa Rica | 3566 km (2216 miles) at 126.3 degrees | *********** |
0352z 30 Nov | KO7SS | 7052.0 | 42 dB | CW | 12 wpm | Mt. Lemmon, AZ | 23 km (14 miles) at 18.1 degrees | |
0352z 30 Nov | KP3CW | 7052.1 | 24 dB | CW | 12 wpm | San Jan, PR | 4724 km (2935 miles) at 97.9 degrees | ************** |
0352z 30 Nov | VE6WZ | 7052.0 | 21 dB | CW | 12 wpm | Calgary, AB | 2196 km (1364 miles) at 353.4 degrees | ****** |
0352z 30 Nov | WZ7I | 7052.0 | 25 dB | CW | 13 wpm | Pipersville, PA | 3304 km (2053 miles) at 63.8 degrees | ********** |
0352z 30 Nov | W8WWV | 7052.0 | 23 dB | CW | 12 wpm | Chesterland, OH | 2802 km (1741 miles) at 60 degrees | ******** |
0352z 30 Nov | N4ZR | 7052.0 | 20 dB | CW | 13 wpm | Phoenix, MD | 3175 km (1973 miles) at 65.6 degrees | ********* |
0352z 30 Nov | KM3T | 7052.0 | 19 dB | CW | 12 wpm | Amherst, NH | 3617 km (2248 miles) at 59.6 degrees | *********** |
0352z 30 Nov | K2PO/7 | 7052.0 | 32 dB | CW | 12 wpm | Portland, OR | 1795 km (1115 miles) at 327.8 degrees | ***** |
0352z 30 Nov | W1NT-2 | 7052.0 | 27 dB | CW | 12 wpm | Newton, NH | 3665 km (2277 miles) at 59.6 degrees | *********** |
0352z 30 Nov | NU6XB | 7052.0 | 9 dB | CW | 12 wpm | Berkeley, CA | 1213 km (754 miles) at 304.4 degrees | *** |
0352z 30 Nov | KH6LC | 7052.0 | 18 dB | CW | 13 wpm | Keaau, HI | 4652 km (2891 miles) at 264.3 degrees | ************** |
0352z 30 Nov | KL7RA | 7052.0 | 31 dB | CW | 13 wpm | Nikiski, AK | 4302 km (2673 miles) at 329.6 degrees | ************* |
0352z 30 Nov | W3DAN | 7052.0 | 21 dB | CW | 13 wpm | West Middlesex, PA | 2775 km (1724 miles) at 60.5 degrees | ******** |
0352z 30 Nov | S53A | 7052.0 | 14 dB | CW | 12 wpm | Ljubljana, Slovenia | 9742 km (6053 miles) at 34.7 degrees | ****************************** |
0352z 30 Nov | NG7M | 7052.0 | 25 dB | CW | 13 wpm | Syracuse, UT | 987 km (613 miles) at 354.3 degrees | *** |
0352z 30 Nov | W6YX | 7052.0 | 47 dB | CW | 13 wpm | Stanford, CA | 1182 km (734 miles) at 302.2 degrees | *** |
0352z 30 Nov | WF7U | 7052.0 | 14 dB | CW | 12 wpm | Issaquah, WA | 1944 km (1208 miles) at 334.2 degrees | ****** |
The plot below shows a historic plot of W6IWI HF CW and RTTY activity.
Also see here for a graphical representation of all RBN data. There is also a
new version under development that shows similar graphs but also paths between
transmit and receive sites on a map.
NOTE: RBN only reports CQ or TEST. It does not report every QSO. Send one of the following (I use CW and RTTY) to generate RBN spots:
You can also use the form below to get a more detailed RBN report.
Operating PositionThe image at the right shows the operating position. Left to right, the following items are visible.
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RTTY CornerFor more on RTTY, see here.
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Test Equipment and Parts!Piles of stuff! Test equipment includes a digital oscilloscope, audio generator, audio THD analyser, audio voltmeter, FM modulation monitor (Belar FMM-2), antenna analyzer, regulated variable DC power supply, USB-based logic analyzer, etc. Below the desktop there are boxes of manuals to be scanned for Saving History From The Dumpster. |
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More Stuff!Shelves with more supplies, equipment I designed, a Houston Instrument DMP-29 plotter, Ampex reel to reel tape recorder, and a Webcor wire recorder. | ![]() |
I will always send a QSL card on receiving one. Recently received QSL cards are here.
Calculations on RF Safety are located here.