KC3VYM
Amateur Radio Station • USA
ON THE AIR HF · VHF · UHF 73 DE KC3VYM
W3OC Repeater Stream
W3OC Repeater live via Broadcastify — press play in the player above
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📟 The Shack

Icom
IC-725
Classic all-band HF transceiver. 100 W output, covers 1.8–30 MHz. Solid analog feel with a clean receiver — a reliable workhorse for HF work.
HF 100W
Icom
IC-735
Compact HF powerhouse. 100 W, all-mode, with a digital frequency display and excellent selectivity. Great for contests on all HF bands.
HF 100W All Mode
Icom
IC-7300 mk2
The flagship of the shack. Direct-sampling SDR architecture, crystal-clear waterfall display, 100 W. A modern classic dominating HF and 6 m.
HF 6m SDR 100W
Yaesu
FT-1500M
Rugged 2 m mobile FM transceiver. 65 W, wide RX coverage, CTCSS/DCS encode/decode. Perfect for local nets and repeater work while mobile.
2m VHF 65W FM Mobile
DL2MAN
(tr)uSDX
Open-source QRP SDR transceiver kit by DL2MAN. Multi-band HF, SSB/CW/AM/FM, ~5 W. A marvel of homebrew ingenuity — big adventures in a tiny package.
SDR QRP HF Multi-band Open Source
Digital Modes
FT8 · FT4 · JS8
Weak-signal digital operating via WSJT-X and JS8Call linked to the IC-7300 mk2 over USB CAT/audio. FT8 & FT4 for long-distance contacts, JS8 for keyboard-to-keyboard QSOs even when signals are barely above the noise floor.
FT8 FT4 JS8Call WSJT-X
Nooelec
GOES Satellite SDR
Nooelec GOES weather satellite bundle — RTL-SDR receiver, dedicated patch antenna, and low-noise amplifier for pulling live full-disk Earth imagery direct from NOAA GOES-16/18 at 1.694 GHz. Decoded with goestools.
RTL-SDR 1.694 GHz GOES-16/18 Weather Sat
Morserino
Morserino-32
Open-source CW trainer, keyer, and decoder. Wi-Fi enabled, touch paddles, built-in Koch trainer and QSO simulator — the ultimate tool for sharpening Morse code skills from beginner to contest-ready.
CW Trainer Keyer Open Source
Handheld ×2
2m & 70cm HTs
Two handheld transceivers covering 144 MHz (2 m) and 430–440 MHz (70 cm). Always ready for local repeaters, APRS, and portable ops.
2m VHF 70cm UHF HT Portable
CURRENT MONITOR FREQ 14.225.00 MHz  ·  USB  ·  RX

⚙ Keys & Paddles

MFJ
MFJ-564 Paddle
Iambic dual-lever paddle with adjustable tension and spacing. Heavy base keeps it planted during fast CW sessions. Pairs perfectly with the Morserino-32 or any keyer input.
Iambic Dual Lever CW
CWMorse.us
Standard Key
Hand-crafted straight key from CWMorse.us. Solid feel, adjustable contact gap, built for hours of comfortable sending. A beautiful piece of the shack.
Straight Key CW Handcrafted
Collection
Additional Keys
A growing collection of CW keys — each with its own character and feel. From vintage straight keys to spare paddles, there's always a key ready for any operating style.
CW Collection

📡 Antennas

HF · 10–40m
Center-Fed Dipole
Horizontal center-fed dipole covering 10–40 m, oriented North–South for broadside radiation East–West. Fed with ladder line or coax through a balun. Covers the money HF bands.
10m–40m Horizontal N–S Dipole
HF · 40m
NVIS Antenna
Near Vertical Incidence Skywave antenna for 40 m — hung low to the ground to maximize high-angle radiation. Ideal for regional comms within 300–500 km, EmComm nets, and ARES/RACES operations.
40m NVIS EmComm Regional
VHF / UHF
2m / 70cm J-Pole
Dual-band J-pole covering 144 MHz and 430–440 MHz with omni-directional coverage and near-unity gain. Low noise, no ground plane needed — great for repeater access and local nets.
2m 70cm J-Pole Omni

📡 Bands & Modes

Band Frequency Mode Radio(s)
160m1.8 – 2.0 MHzSSB / CWIC-725, IC-735, IC-7300 mk2
80m3.5 – 4.0 MHzSSB / CW / DigitalIC-725, IC-735, IC-7300 mk2
40m7.0 – 7.3 MHzSSB / CW / FT8IC-725, IC-735, IC-7300 mk2, (tr)uSDX
30m10.1 – 10.15 MHzCW / DigitalIC-735, IC-7300 mk2, (tr)uSDX
20m14.0 – 14.35 MHzSSB / CW / FT8All HF rigs
17m18.068 – 18.168 MHzSSB / CWIC-735, IC-7300 mk2
15m21.0 – 21.45 MHzSSB / CWIC-725, IC-735, IC-7300 mk2
10m28.0 – 29.7 MHzSSB / FM / CWIC-725, IC-735, IC-7300 mk2
6m50 – 54 MHzSSB / FMIC-7300 mk2
2m144 – 148 MHzFM / SSBFT-1500M, HT
70cm430 – 440 MHzFMHT

💡 Projects & Links

👤 About KC3VYM

Welcome to the station page for KC3VYM! Amateur radio is more than a hobby — it's emergency communications, global friendship, and the joy of building a signal that reaches halfway around the world with nothing but skill and RF.


The shack runs a mix of classic Icom iron and a modern IC-7300 MkII for serious HF work, a Yaesu FT-1500M for mobile 2 m, and the open-source DL2MAN (tr)uSDX for QRP adventures. Two handheld rigs round out VHF/UHF coverage wherever the day takes us.


Favourite activities: FT8/FT4 digital modes · CW · Local nets on 2m · QRP portable ops


Find me on QRZ.com. 73 de KC3VYM