K9CT

Episode 063 - Craig Thompson - K9CT

When Craig Thompson, K9CT, wanted a place to spend a contest weekend with his amateur radio friends he built a multi operator contest station on a rural property, not far from his home in the city. Drawing on the experience and expertise of other multi operator contest station owners, Craig built his ultimate man cave.   Craig discusses his amateur radio story and the details of building this station with Eric, 4Z1UG, in this QSO Today.

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Show Notes

Listen to Podcast

How and Why Wonder Books

First Elmer: Lucy Hilpert, W9USR

First License: 1967  Novice WN9TXL, later WA9TXL
Upgrade: Extra, 1971

First Rig:

• Knightkit T60 transmitter
• Knightkit R55A  

Rockford Illinois Amateur Radio Club  

Education:  Bradley University BSEE

Bradley University Ham Radio Club

Entrepreneurial Founder: Thompson Electronics Company

Break from ham radio: 1991 to 2004

Clubs and Organizations:

• ARRL
• Maxim Society,
• CWops,
• NIDXA
• A1 Operator Club
• NCDXF
• Society of Midwest Contesters, SMC 

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Home Station:

• Elecraft K3
• Elecraft P3
• SPE 1kw amplifier
• MicroHam MKII interface,
• Begali Signature paddle
• Heil microphone.

K9CT Contest Station - Craig's website that shows both his home and contest station. Pay attention to the anntenna systems he has at the contest station.

“Now looking back, I can tell you, that building a contest station, and having your friends over to operate is one of the best parts of ham radio”, Craig Thompson, K9CT

Contest Station "Elmers"

• Frank Donovan, W3LPL​
• Tim Duffy, K3LR

Key land features for a contest station:

• 10 to 20 acres,
• rectangular in shape,  running north south, antennas are side to side
• Low noise for weak signals
• Flat
• zoning

Fred Hopengarten,  K1VR, Antenna Zoning for Amateur Radio, ARRL book on antenna zoning

Contest Station Important Features:

• “ham radio man cave”
• garage and workshop
• break area
• full kitchen with dining table
• sleeping area, quiet and dark
• operating area, “the shack”, soundproof from the rest of the station

Sherwood List for Receiver Performance provides background for choosing a contest receiver. 

K3LR runs “multi-multi” on all bands.  They call CQ even on bands that are closed.

K9CT Contest Station uses:

• multi 1 station - Multiple operators running one transmitter at a time, automation interlocks transmitters to allow only one to transmit at a time.
• multi 2 station - Multiple operators running two transmitters at a time
• All gear is Elecraft K3

QSOs are “interleaved”, where one group listens while the other transmits

Green Heron Engineering wireless remote antenna switch - used everywhere in K9CT

​Stack Match Combining Network

Ergonomics is not talked about enough for contesters.

DXpeditions:
FT5ZM Amsterdam Island DXpedition - away for seven weeks
KH5-P Palmyra Atoll
K1N, Navassa
TI9KK, Isla del Cocos
K4M, Midway Island
PJ7E, Sint Maarten
NH8S, Swains Island
3D2C, Conway Reef
K9W, Wake Island

Mike Mertel, K7IR, SteppIR Antenna

NCDXF - Northern California DX Foundation

Advice: Spend a lot of time with somebody that you would like to be like

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Knightkit T-60 Novice Transmitter​

K9CT Home Station

K9CT Contest Station

Contest station set up for SO2R

Craig, K9CT, in K9CT Contest Station