I have had a few people email me and ask if I could make some improvements to the fusion site. I love suggestions and would be happy to try some of them out. There are limitations to what I can do with the data, such as one suggestion to show what the active nodes were per room. That data isn’t presented to me in any consumable way, so until it is, I cannot add it.

With the new year I’ve decided to document some of my 2017 ham radio goals/resolutions. Finish learning CW by being able to RX by ear. I can send okay at this point, but I really can’t hear it yet. Make at least 50 CW contacts this year. Last year I made 6 CW contacts. I feel like I can hit 50 this year. I’ve already got 2! Participate in at least 5 contests.

When I started using the Yaesu System Fusion stuff, I really wanted to try Wires-X. I upgraded my FTM-100DR to an FTM-400XDR as my mobile and put the FTM-100 on base station duty. I really like using APRS when I’m out and about, so the dual receivers of the 400 was better for that. One of our local repeaters, hosted by Greg K4HBM, has a Wires-X module on it, allowing me to connect it to any number of rooms or nodes.

After the recent HRD debacle I have tried to find a better or even comparable software package for Windows. Most ham software out there isn’t very compatable with each other. However I was able to find something worth trying out with DXLab Suite. The major parts for me were logging that supported eham and LoTW, somewhat universal CAT control, and intercompabability with digital mode software such as WSJT-X. Using JTAlert I’m able to log from WSJT-X back to DXKeeper, DXLab’s logging program, and WSJT-X can use the DXLab Commander CAT Control.

After my Extra upgrade I wanted to change my call to something that was for an Extra operator. I also wanted to get something that would be shorter for CW. My old call was quite long and this new call is very “small” in CW. I wanted to keep region 5 and the EO stands for both my daughter’s first names. So I’ll keep the KF5WAY domain up for now, linking back to the ke5eo.

After some time with the FTM-100DR, I wanted to extend my C4FM System Fusion gear to a nice HT. Since I’ve been a Ham, I’ve used the Baofeng radios, which area great for lots of things. They are easy to program (with Chirp and cable, not through the interface!), they have lots of receive capability, some transmit outside of its type classification, and lots of cheap accessories. However, they are just analog FM, dual band HTs.