My Amateur Radio Station

Overview

My amateur radio station is still under development and continues to evolve step by step. Since I live in a rented apartment, the possibilities for permanent antenna installations are somewhat limited. Therefore, I currently rely on a flexible combination of home operation, remote radio operation, and mobile use.

In the long term, I am also planning a portable setup for POTA operation (Parks on the Air). I am currently putting together the necessary equipment and building a dedicated “POTA box” for this purpose.

Main Station at Home

As my primary transceiver, I use the
Icom IC-705.

The IC-705 is ideal for my current setup because it is extremely versatile:

  • operation on HF as well as VHF/UHF
  • very well suited for digital modes
  • perfect for portable operation (POTA / outdoor radio activities planned)

At the moment, I mainly use it for digital modes such as FT8 and FT4 on the HF bands.

Antenna

For stationary operation, I use an end-fed multiband antenna:

HyEndFed 4-Band (80 / 40 / 20 / 10 m)

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The antenna is temporarily installed in my attic and is neatly tensioned using self-designed 3D-printed spacers.

Currently, it performs very well on the 20 m and 10 m bands, allowing me to operate there without additional tuning.

Current Operation

At the moment, my main focus is on digital operating modes:

  • FT8
  • FT4

Voice operation (SSB/phone) is currently carried out mainly through remote and club stations rather than directly from my own station, including:

  • remote stations provided by the Deutscher Amateur-Radio-Club
  • the club station of my local chapter P24, where I am regularly active (QRV)

This combination allows me to remain very active on the air despite limited antenna possibilities at home.

Mobile Station

For mobile operation in my car, I use an
AnyTone AT-D578UV.

This radio is designed for the 2 m and 70 cm bands and is used for:

  • local radio contacts
  • mobile operation while traveling
  • occasional repeater operation

Future Plans

I am currently expanding my portable equipment for future POTA activities. The goal is to create a compact setup that can be used flexibly outdoors and independently of my home installation.

This also includes building a dedicated portable equipment case, which is gradually taking shape.

Conclusion

My amateur radio station is intentionally designed to be flexible and continues to grow alongside my experience. The current focus is on digital HF operation, combined with remote and club stations for SSB activities. In addition, I also operate mobile on the 2 m and 70 cm bands.

This setup allows me to actively participate in amateur radio despite limited possibilities for a permanent station installation.