OH1MAC virtual HAM shack, Grid KP01tn – Finland

I’ve been a hobbyist SWL DX’er since 1984 but never a serious one, or even close to that. I started with the Selena receiver and just a long wire having no knowledge of any antenna designs nor real radio systems at all.

Around 2012 it was found that a very cheap Realtek RTL2832U can be used as a SDR device and my interest of having a remote SWL DX station located at my parents house came a reality without extremely expensive HAM radio’s, as I have moved from town house in Pori to city flat in Helsinki 1997.

Since then I have built several iterations of the station and expanded it’s capabilities year after year.

Today (beginning of 2021) I am a licensed HAM operator with a call of “OH1MAC”, so my hobby has grown out to be more than just a silent listener.

My principles when building these systems:

1) I am a DIY Nerd

I will not ever achieve the Pro level of a skilled radio/aerial technician

2) This is hobby, THIS IS FOR FUN!

I will not ever try to give instructions and opinions as a hard fact, but based on my own experiments and only as an ‘workable ideas’ for others to use

3) Everything is based on my own experiments, daydreams and visions

My working method’s are:

plan – design – build – try – fix – try again – success!

4) Feel free to comment – feel free to ask – feel free to give advice

But do not rant!

5) I’m not a native English speaker and do have some difficulties to write it well so please bear with my misspells and odd selections of words 🙂

73’s