Full write-up
Michael was first licensed in **1990** after receiving excellent tuition at **Mexborough Radio Club**. His callsigns are **G7IDJ** in the UK and **DL6MS** in Germany.
Michael is active across a wide range of bands and modes. He can often be found on **23 cm FM, 4 m, 2 m, and HF**, with favourite HF bands including **12 m, 15 m, 17 m, and 20 m**. He is also registered on **EchoLink** and uses both **D-Star** and **DMR**, mostly through a hotspot. On D-Star he is often around **Reflector 001 Module C**, and on DMR he uses **Talkgroup The Light 31479**.
A long-time fan of **Yaesu equipment**, Michael has used a number of Yaesu rigs over the years. During a period of regular long commutes between the North of England and London, he searched for the ideal mobile HF setup. He started with an **FT-817**, automatic ATU and amplifier, before moving to an **FT-897**. Although a great radio, it proved too large for practical mobile use and later became part of his home station. He eventually settled on an **FT-857** with a detachable head and **ATAS-120** antenna, which worked extremely well for mobile HF operating and made the long journeys far more enjoyable.
Michael also has an interest in **military radio equipment**, particularly the Clansman range. After buying several Clansman 6 m / 4 m FM radios and a shortwave set, he developed a real appreciation for how these radios were designed and used in the field. Their rugged construction, capability and history make them a fascinating part of the hobby.
His home QTH in England is in **Barnsley, South Yorkshire**, between Sheffield and Leeds and around 50 miles east of Manchester. In Germany, his home QTH is **Paderborn in Nordrhein-Westfalen**, where he has also been active under his German callsign **DL6MS**. In Germany he uses a **Yaesu FT-847**, covering HF through to UHF, and often monitors the local 70 cm repeaters.
Another major interest for Michael is **emergency communications**. After seeing contests and projects based around independent emergency radio setups, he took on the challenge of building his own compact system. After several months of planning and redesigning, he produced a portable emergency communications box powered by a deep-cycle lead-acid battery, with integrated VHF/UHF and HF radios, solar charging, phone charging, antennas and other useful features.
Michael also has a strong technical background, having worked for around **30 years** as a college lecturer and manager in **IT, IT security and electronics engineering**. Alongside this, he has been involved in **Christian radio** since 1999, including work with a small FM radio station in Gulu, Northern Uganda, and a Christian satellite radio project that broadcast across a large part of the world’s populated areas. He continues to help organisations set up their own radio outlets.
Michael speaks **German and English fluently**, and also knows a little Russian. He brings to the club a broad mix of amateur radio experience, technical knowledge, mobile HF operating, digital voice, emergency communications and international radio work.
**73s and God bless.**