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 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0253z 01 Oct | TI7W | 7052.0 | 15 dB | CW | 15 wpm | Guanacaste, Costa Rica | 3566 km (2216 miles) at 126.3 degrees | *********** |
0253z 01 Oct | AC0C-1 | 7052.0 | 9 dB | CW | 15 wpm | Louisburg, KS | 1632 km (1014 miles) at 59.6 degrees | ***** |
0245z 01 Oct | KV4TT | 7052.0 | 21 dB | CW | 15 wpm | North Myrtle Beach, SC | 2991 km (1858 miles) at 77.8 degrees | ********* |
0244z 01 Oct | W3LPL | 7052.0 | 12 dB | CW | 15 wpm | Glenwood, MD | 3131 km (1945 miles) at 65.9 degrees | ********* |
1828z 30 Sep | WE9V | 21083.8 | 15 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Bristol, WI | 2309 km (1435 miles) at 53.7 degrees | ******* |
1828z 30 Sep | W3RGA | 21083.9 | 21 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Sunbury, PA | 3176 km (1973 miles) at 62.6 degrees | ********* |
1828z 30 Sep | WZ7I | 21083.9 | 17 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Pipersville, PA | 3304 km (2053 miles) at 63.8 degrees | ********** |
1828z 30 Sep | VE7CC | 21083.9 | 28 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Maple Ridge, BC | 2120 km (1317 miles) at 336.1 degrees | ****** |
1828z 30 Sep | KO7SS | 21083.9 | 41 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Mt. Lemmon, AZ | 23 km (14 miles) at 18.1 degrees | |
1827z 30 Sep | W6BB | 14093.9 | 30 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Berkeley, CA | 1213 km (754 miles) at 304.4 degrees | *** |
1827z 30 Sep | N6TV | 14093.9 | 19 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | San Jose, CA | 1141 km (708 miles) at 302.1 degrees | *** |
1827z 30 Sep | W6YX | 14093.9 | 29 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Stanford, CA | 1182 km (734 miles) at 302.2 degrees | *** |
1827z 30 Sep | KO7SS | 14093.9 | 40 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Mt. Lemmon, AZ | 23 km (14 miles) at 18.1 degrees | |
1825z 30 Sep | KO7SS | 7083.9 | 33 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Mt. Lemmon, AZ | 23 km (14 miles) at 18.1 degrees | |
1824z 30 Sep | KO7SS | 3583.9 | 20 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Mt. Lemmon, AZ | 23 km (14 miles) at 18.1 degrees | |
0234z 27 Sep | NG7M | 7051.7 | 18 dB | CW | 11 wpm | Syracuse, UT | 987 km (613 miles) at 354.3 degrees | *** |
0234z 27 Sep | W6YX | 7051.7 | 40 dB | CW | 11 wpm | Stanford, CA | 1182 km (734 miles) at 302.2 degrees | *** |
0227z 27 Sep | VE6JY | 7052.0 | 20 dB | CW | 14 wpm | Lamont, AB | 2394 km (1488 miles) at 356.9 degrees | ******* |
0227z 27 Sep | KM3T | 7052.0 | 21 dB | CW | 15 wpm | Amherst, NH | 3617 km (2248 miles) at 59.6 degrees | *********** |
0226z 27 Sep | W1NT-2 | 7052.0 | 22 dB | CW | 15 wpm | Newton, NH | 3665 km (2277 miles) at 59.6 degrees | *********** |
0226z 27 Sep | AC0C-1 | 7052.0 | 30 dB | CW | 15 wpm | Louisburg, KS | 1632 km (1014 miles) at 59.6 degrees | ***** |
0226z 27 Sep | KO7SS | 7052.0 | 33 dB | CW | 15 wpm | Mt. Lemmon, AZ | 23 km (14 miles) at 18.1 degrees | |
0226z 27 Sep | K2PO/7 | 7052.0 | 31 dB | CW | 15 wpm | Portland, OR | 1795 km (1115 miles) at 327.8 degrees | ***** |
0226z 27 Sep | ND7K | 7052.0 | 35 dB | CW | 15 wpm | Wickenburg, AZ | 270 km (168 miles) at 319.2 degrees | |
0225z 27 Sep | N6TV | 7052.0 | 29 dB | CW | 11 wpm | San Jose, CA | 1141 km (708 miles) at 302.1 degrees | *** |
0225z 27 Sep | KM3T-3 | 7052.0 | 17 dB | CW | 11 wpm | Amherst, NH | 3617 km (2248 miles) at 59.6 degrees | *********** |
0225z 27 Sep | W8WWV | 7052.0 | 26 dB | CW | 11 wpm | Chesterland, OH | 2802 km (1741 miles) at 60 degrees | ******** |
0225z 27 Sep | WZ7I | 7052.0 | 22 dB | CW | 11 wpm | Pipersville, PA | 3304 km (2053 miles) at 63.8 degrees | ********** |
0225z 27 Sep | W3RGA | 7052.0 | 24 dB | CW | 11 wpm | Sunbury, PA | 3176 km (1973 miles) at 62.6 degrees | ********* |
0225z 27 Sep | NU6XB | 7052.0 | 18 dB | CW | 11 wpm | Berkeley, CA | 1213 km (754 miles) at 304.4 degrees | *** |
0225z 27 Sep | W3LPL | 7052.0 | 16 dB | CW | 11 wpm | Glenwood, MD | 3131 km (1945 miles) at 65.9 degrees | ********* |
0225z 27 Sep | W3UA | 7052.0 | 23 dB | CW | 11 wpm | Bedford, NH | 3632 km (2257 miles) at 59.5 degrees | *********** |
0225z 27 Sep | N4ZR | 7052.0 | 24 dB | CW | 11 wpm | Phoenix, MD | 3175 km (1973 miles) at 65.6 degrees | ********* |
0225z 27 Sep | K5EM | 7052.0 | 22 dB | CW | 11 wpm | Seattle, WA | 1969 km (1224 miles) at 334 degrees | ****** |
2107z 26 Sep | WZ7I | 21083.9 | 16 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Pipersville, PA | 3304 km (2053 miles) at 63.8 degrees | ********** |
2107z 26 Sep | W3RGA | 21083.9 | 21 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Sunbury, PA | 3176 km (1973 miles) at 62.6 degrees | ********* |
2107z 26 Sep | K1TTT | 21084.0 | 20 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Peru, MA | 3498 km (2174 miles) at 60.1 degrees | ********** |
2107z 26 Sep | VE7CC | 21083.9 | 22 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Maple Ridge, BC | 2120 km (1317 miles) at 336.1 degrees | ****** |
2107z 26 Sep | WE9V | 21083.8 | 22 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Bristol, WI | 2309 km (1435 miles) at 53.7 degrees | ******* |
2107z 26 Sep | KO7SS | 21083.9 | 38 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Mt. Lemmon, AZ | 23 km (14 miles) at 18.1 degrees | |
2106z 26 Sep | N6TV | 14093.9 | 13 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | San Jose, CA | 1141 km (708 miles) at 302.1 degrees | *** |
2106z 26 Sep | W6BB | 14093.9 | 26 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Berkeley, CA | 1213 km (754 miles) at 304.4 degrees | *** |
2106z 26 Sep | KO7SS | 14093.9 | 39 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Mt. Lemmon, AZ | 23 km (14 miles) at 18.1 degrees | |
2104z 26 Sep | W6YX | 7083.9 | 21 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Stanford, CA | 1182 km (734 miles) at 302.2 degrees | *** |
2104z 26 Sep | WA7LNW | 7083.9 | 26 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Washington, UT | 595 km (369 miles) at 337.3 degrees | * |
2104z 26 Sep | KO7SS | 7083.9 | 32 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Mt. Lemmon, AZ | 23 km (14 miles) at 18.1 degrees | |
2103z 26 Sep | KO7SS | 3583.9 | 18 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Mt. Lemmon, AZ | 23 km (14 miles) at 18.1 degrees | |
0529z 26 Sep | N6TV | 14083.9 | 18 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | San Jose, CA | 1141 km (708 miles) at 302.1 degrees | *** |
0529z 26 Sep | WA7LNW | 14083.9 | 49 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Washington, UT | 595 km (369 miles) at 337.3 degrees | * |
0529z 26 Sep | K6FOD | 14083.9 | 25 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | South Pasadena, CA | 706 km (438 miles) at 289.1 degrees | ** |
0529z 26 Sep | CX6VM | 14083.9 | 17 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Cerro Largo, Uruguay | 9317 km (5789 miles) at 134.5 degrees | **************************** |
2335z 25 Sep | CX6VM | 14093.9 | 20 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Cerro Largo, Uruguay | 9317 km (5789 miles) at 134.5 degrees | **************************** |
2331z 25 Sep | K1TTT | 14093.9 | 15 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Peru, MA | 3498 km (2174 miles) at 60.1 degrees | ********** |
2330z 25 Sep | KO7SS | 14093.9 | 33 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Mt. Lemmon, AZ | 23 km (14 miles) at 18.1 degrees | |
2330z 25 Sep | N6TV | 14093.9 | 16 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | San Jose, CA | 1141 km (708 miles) at 302.1 degrees | *** |
2327z 25 Sep | W6BB | 14093.9 | 12 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Berkeley, CA | 1213 km (754 miles) at 304.4 degrees | *** |
2326z 25 Sep | W6YX | 14093.9 | 22 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Stanford, CA | 1182 km (734 miles) at 302.2 degrees | *** |
2325z 25 Sep | CX6VM | 14093.9 | 14 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Cerro Largo, Uruguay | 9317 km (5789 miles) at 134.5 degrees | **************************** |
2321z 25 Sep | K1TTT | 14093.9 | 17 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Peru, MA | 3498 km (2174 miles) at 60.1 degrees | ********** |
2320z 25 Sep | KO7SS | 14093.9 | 33 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Mt. Lemmon, AZ | 23 km (14 miles) at 18.1 degrees | |
2319z 25 Sep | N6TV | 14093.9 | 18 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | San Jose, CA | 1141 km (708 miles) at 302.1 degrees | *** |
2314z 25 Sep | W6YX | 14093.9 | 24 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Stanford, CA | 1182 km (734 miles) at 302.2 degrees | *** |
2310z 25 Sep | W6BB | 14093.9 | 13 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Berkeley, CA | 1213 km (754 miles) at 304.4 degrees | *** |
2310z 25 Sep | K1TTT | 14093.9 | 21 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Peru, MA | 3498 km (2174 miles) at 60.1 degrees | ********** |
2310z 25 Sep | KO7SS | 14093.9 | 33 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Mt. Lemmon, AZ | 23 km (14 miles) at 18.1 degrees | |
1957z 25 Sep | WE9V | 21083.8 | 24 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Bristol, WI | 2309 km (1435 miles) at 53.7 degrees | ******* |
1957z 25 Sep | KO7SS | 21083.9 | 42 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Mt. Lemmon, AZ | 23 km (14 miles) at 18.1 degrees | |
1956z 25 Sep | W6YX | 14093.9 | 20 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Stanford, CA | 1182 km (734 miles) at 302.2 degrees | *** |
1956z 25 Sep | N6TV | 14093.9 | 19 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | San Jose, CA | 1141 km (708 miles) at 302.1 degrees | *** |
1956z 25 Sep | KO7SS | 14093.9 | 40 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Mt. Lemmon, AZ | 23 km (14 miles) at 18.1 degrees | |
1956z 25 Sep | W6BB | 14093.9 | 29 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Berkeley, CA | 1213 km (754 miles) at 304.4 degrees | *** |
1954z 25 Sep | W6YX | 7083.9 | 18 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Stanford, CA | 1182 km (734 miles) at 302.2 degrees | *** |
1954z 25 Sep | WA7LNW | 7083.9 | 21 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Washington, UT | 595 km (369 miles) at 337.3 degrees | * |
1954z 25 Sep | KO7SS | 7083.9 | 32 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Mt. Lemmon, AZ | 23 km (14 miles) at 18.1 degrees | |
1953z 25 Sep | KO7SS | 3583.9 | 19 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Mt. Lemmon, AZ | 23 km (14 miles) at 18.1 degrees | |
0409z 25 Sep | VE7CC | 7050.0 | 8 dB | CW | 15 wpm | Maple Ridge, BC | 2120 km (1317 miles) at 336.1 degrees | ****** |
0003z 25 Sep | N2QT | 14083.9 | 11 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Forest, VA | 2924 km (1817 miles) at 69.9 degrees | ********* |
0002z 25 Sep | KM3T | 14083.9 | 18 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Amherst, NH | 3617 km (2248 miles) at 59.6 degrees | *********** |
0002z 25 Sep | WA7LNW | 14083.9 | 30 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Washington, UT | 595 km (369 miles) at 337.3 degrees | * |
0002z 25 Sep | W6YX | 14083.9 | 21 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Stanford, CA | 1182 km (734 miles) at 302.2 degrees | *** |
0002z 25 Sep | CX6VM | 14083.9 | 25 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Cerro Largo, Uruguay | 9317 km (5789 miles) at 134.5 degrees | **************************** |
0002z 25 Sep | K1TTT | 14083.9 | 28 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Peru, MA | 3498 km (2174 miles) at 60.1 degrees | ********** |
0002z 25 Sep | W6BB | 14083.9 | 36 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Berkeley, CA | 1213 km (754 miles) at 304.4 degrees | *** |
0002z 25 Sep | W3RGA | 14083.8 | 20 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Sunbury, PA | 3176 km (1973 miles) at 62.6 degrees | ********* |
0002z 25 Sep | WZ7I | 14083.9 | 26 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Pipersville, PA | 3304 km (2053 miles) at 63.8 degrees | ********** |
0002z 25 Sep | K6FOD | 14083.9 | 33 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | South Pasadena, CA | 706 km (438 miles) at 289.1 degrees | ** |
0002z 25 Sep | WE9V | 14083.8 | 28 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Bristol, WI | 2309 km (1435 miles) at 53.7 degrees | ******* |
0002z 25 Sep | N6TV | 14083.9 | 21 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | San Jose, CA | 1141 km (708 miles) at 302.1 degrees | *** |
0002z 25 Sep | NG7M | 14083.8 | 31 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Syracuse, UT | 987 km (613 miles) at 354.3 degrees | *** |
0002z 25 Sep | K5EM | 14083.9 | 23 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Seattle, WA | 1969 km (1224 miles) at 334 degrees | ****** |
2005z 24 Sep | W6YX | 14083.9 | 12 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Stanford, CA | 1182 km (734 miles) at 302.2 degrees | *** |
2005z 24 Sep | NG7M | 14083.8 | 23 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Syracuse, UT | 987 km (613 miles) at 354.3 degrees | *** |
2005z 24 Sep | W6BB | 14083.9 | 23 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Berkeley, CA | 1213 km (754 miles) at 304.4 degrees | *** |
1840z 24 Sep | VE7CC | 21083.9 | 25 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Maple Ridge, BC | 2120 km (1317 miles) at 336.1 degrees | ****** |
1840z 24 Sep | W3RGA | 21083.9 | 24 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Sunbury, PA | 3176 km (1973 miles) at 62.6 degrees | ********* |
1840z 24 Sep | KO7SS | 21083.9 | 38 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Mt. Lemmon, AZ | 23 km (14 miles) at 18.1 degrees | |
1839z 24 Sep | KO7SS | 14093.9 | 40 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Mt. Lemmon, AZ | 23 km (14 miles) at 18.1 degrees | |
1839z 24 Sep | K6FOD | 14093.9 | 14 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | South Pasadena, CA | 706 km (438 miles) at 289.1 degrees | ** |
1839z 24 Sep | NG7M | 14093.9 | 25 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Syracuse, UT | 987 km (613 miles) at 354.3 degrees | *** |
1839z 24 Sep | W6BB | 14093.9 | 31 dB | RTTY | 45 bps | Berkeley, CA | 1213 km (754 miles) at 304.4 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.
| ![]() |
RTTY CornerFor more on RTTY, see here.
|
![]() |
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. |
![]() |
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.