About me

My name is Simone, and I was born in 1970  in Florence.

I’m on air since I was 15.  Started with a small cb radio in  the mid of 80’s.

I soon discovered the exciting world of DX, being able to talk to spanish station on legal 40 channels. So I investigate a bit on single side bands, and started making contacts all over the world.

During that years CB radio was very popular, and during following years I started my BCL  activity too, QSLing with several Broacasters world wide, and enjoying the art of low signals reception.

I got my first Ham Radio licence  only in 1997 but I started real activity in 2006 due to personal issues.

My interests in ham radio covers most aspects, but mainly dxing and antennas.

I’m  an IT engineer and I’m involved in different aspect of IT, from software development and analysis to complex infrastructure setup and maintenance,  to support and help desk, ITIL compliance process reviews, and even some project management.

Enjoy your visit in my blog and leave a comment here below.

I do this for you and for my memories.

73

de

IW5EDI

Simone

A note for US hams…. cb radio in europe cannot be compared to the US one. I know CB means to hams only troubles, problems and QRM; well I can only say it was not the same here in euroland. CB has been a good learning ground for new Hams.

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65 thoughts on “About me”

  2. Hi Simone,

    Great website! and for me, especially the antenna section.

    Maybe catch you on air.

    73 de M0GME Gary

  4. hi simone..thanks for great and clear biuld ideas for the portable 2 element yagi,,which i have been seaching for a long time..most dont go into to much expalnation on the gamma match , ecspecially the biuld concept ..they go more into technical explenations..which made it very difficult to understand..i modified your 10 meter anntenna to suite cb 11 meter 27.255 here in melbourne australia.. we just play a little, usually using vertical 1/4 waves,and dipoles but have wanted to build a yagi beam for a few years now..and thanks to you ..WE HAVE ..I DID HAVE TO SOURCE THE LENGTHS FOR BOOM AND RAIDAILS FROM AROUND THE PLACE …..BUT USED YOUR GAMMA MATCH PICS AND STUFF..we also used an old, very large tv anntenna for the parts ..with great success , so the cost was almost NILLL..LOLOLOL ..so now we have to mount it on the garage and hand turn it ..we dont need an electric rotor..lolol allthe best and thanks ..zol..oh tuning was excellent….we were lucky to get the correct measurements for the boom and elements..lolollol about 1.5 1…

  5. I have been trying to figure out why an inductive extra turn loop is required to connect a tuned loop antenna to a radio tuner. Surely, if you can connect a basic 13″ by 13″ 16 turns untuned loop antenna dirctly to a tuner with 300ohms input when there is no 365pf tuning capacitor involved, you must be able to connect the tuned antenna directly to the same inputs of the radio tuner? Why not just put the capacitor in parallel with the tuner? There doesn’t sem much point in building atuned loop antenna if you can’t connect it directly to a radio tuner 300ohm input. Your reply appreciated.

  6. Simone, Excellent website. I come here often just to read the articles. Good work on collecting so much valuable information. The only comparable website here in the US is AC6V(SK)’s site. I thoroughly enjoy coming here. Well done, keep up the excellent work. Best 73’s to you and your family. John.

  7. Hi simone !

    A GREAT thanks for your Site !
    Looks a little like an ” Rothammmel ” online 😉 Rothhammel ist a German Holy Book of Antenna Building ;-). I don`t realy know in Moment its know worldwide.

    I save your Homepage- Adress in a Folder called the Best !

    gbu 73
    charlie
    bye

  8. hi simone.., i’m from indonesia, thanks for the site, it’s help me very well, especially in antenas, give me a lot of understanding about antena, hope can catch u in the air,

    73

    bye bye bye

  9. Hi Simone,
    I really like the site you have here, well done!
    I also got into Amateur radio via CB, down here in New Zealand.

    Good signals.

    73 de ZL3TPQ. 🙂

  10. Nice site, just built the 2 element 10 beam thats on here, now permanant on the mast it works fantastic.
    just what i needed, tuning was spot on without the atu.

  11. I have a question on the Simple J-Pole design. Your picture measurement between both poles are 1.75 inches from inside to inside. On the actual photo you show measurements of 1.75 inches outside to inside. Which is correct?

    Thanks

  12. Just a word to say that I am using a MARC 2 receiver. Could do with a larger memory bank though. 16 not enough.

    Arthur G7IKG

  14. I have read your 20m QRP Dipole antenna but can not see the pics except the one at the top that shows the finished product. The antenna is just perfect for my use but if I could see the pics it would help me build it.

    Many thanks for your time and trouble.

  15. hi simone great website,well done it gives me more understanding of antennas,also more pictures of each stage of build would be very helpful. de m3ike

  16. Found some cool antenna info here! Thanks..

    You’re right about the CB band. I’m from the US and I learned about DX on our 40ch SSB. It can be a great learning experience, but there are some people on there that you wouldn’t want to spend much time around in person if you know what I’m saying.

    Again, thanks for hosting the antenna plans and info.. nice!

    Pat – WB0LSR

  17. Hi Simone, I was in Spello Italy in Oct 2010, and loved it, even met a ham he has no email that I can find though. Ik0tok,Pietro. Well any way I have a helical vertical pole 160, like your pic. Mine is 4 toy slinkies soldered together (268ft) of wire 30 ft tall pvc 2″, with capacity hat on top 3ft x 3ft. @ 1.9mhz has 2.0 match. I use a Palstar tuner to move around, but it is a giant 30ft dummy load. No one hears me. Even at 800 watts. I have many ground radials too.
    I was wondering about the feed point on yours? At the bottom of the coil with shield then hot up to the sloper then the sloper back down to a support?? Or fed at the top and the shield is to the coil on the pole and the hot to the sloper?? I was thinking about adding a long wire instead of the cap hat on mine?? Any ideas? Nice site, good reading, Thanks, Eric

  18. Ciao Simone, ho letto del tuo sito mentre cercavo dati su balun in DX-ZONE.
    Vedo che la gavetta della CB è stata il preludio di molti futuri OM.
    Complimenti per i dati resi a disposizione e buon lavoro per il futuro, tante buone cose anche per la vita.
    Di me trovi qualcosa su QRZ.com

    Un saluto cordiale , 73 de Maurizio IK4JQS

  19. Hello Simone, very nice website with lots of details!

    I found your unstruction on how to create a Swiss-Quad. I need to constract this antenna for frequency outside the amateurradio-bands.
    I can’t download the excelfile “Download the chart tool (6 ko): SQc.zip”
    it seams it’s not there.

    Can you please send me this zip-file to my emailadress?

    tnx, 73 de dl6sbo

  20. hallo Simone,
    I also started “my career” as a Ham from the “CB-LAND” .
    I was provided with my call sign, in 1992.I have been also computer specialist since 1971.
    I can assure you that I will try the QSL MAKER SOFTWARE downloaded onto my Pc this morning (10/3/2011).
    73
    Dimitris SV1CEL (ATHENS-GREECE)

  22. Hello Simone! Seems like all of us started with C.B. Radio, then graduated into Amateur Radio. I too love building antennas, and i just wanted tell you that i’m very impressed with your designs. Thanks and take care! Best 73’s! De, Jeff Anglesey/KB7TJM Salt Lake City, Utah USA Grid Sq. DN30XP

  23. Gostei das materias sobre antenas parabens, algum dia vou ser um radio amador deste quilate

  24. Hello Simone, very nice your website. I’m amateur radio from indonesia. Goodluck, thank u and ’73 de YD2WKC

  25. Hello Simone,
    Excellent website! Very helpful antenna tips. 73 from Cape Cod Massachusetts USA.
    ka1qma

  26. Hi Simone,

    I want to congratulate you for your website, and at the same time send you greetings from Veracruz, México. We are making radio on this side of the world.

    Best Regards. Keep up the good work.

  27. Hi,

    I would like to know which antenna modeling program you use to calculate boom length, element length and element spacing? Please e-mail me with website where I can purchase the program. Thanks.

    Regards,
    Wesley

  29. Hi Simone good G5RV info.I have been using the G5RV for several years due to space concerns. Works very well with a line tuner but as you say it may lose its charactristics some with a tuner…it does outperform a simple diople. I work mostly and with that antenna have worked some DX and many stateside and even some contacts on 160 meters, all with 50-75 watts…most of my contacts occur on 40,30,20 meters…my antennas’ apex is only 25 feet with its legs out almsot 180 degrees.

    73 Randy AA5OZ

  30. Very nice website. A lot of good information on antennas. Thanks for making this available.

  31. Hi Simone!
    Thank you for the good site. I ‘m a ham since 1964, UA9SKZ, RA9JK and now KC8HYR, Ohio
    In Siberia where I lived, I made a double delta loop for 20M using only one mast. The top of both loops were connected together and coax 75 Ohm was connected to the middle of bottom side. The Second loop has tuned stub.
    73’s and best to you and Family.
    Anatoly

  32. Hi Simone,
    Very nice web site very useful, good information. CB was very popular here in the seventies also. And several Hams I know in the U.S.A. were originally interested in Radio from those times (me included). This is contrary to what they lead you to believe on the air. Keep up the good work, it takes much effort to maintain such a nice and useful website.
    Best Regards,
    Steve KY4SDB

  33. Hi, Simone,

    I just found your website and your excellent articles on antennas. I just got my ham license, again!, after 35+ years. I am very interested in CW, antennas, dx, etc. I like things better when I can make them myself.
    Your articles are very helpful to me. Thank you for all of your work.
    If an antenna could transport me to Italy, I would have built it already! hahaha (Land of my parents.)
    Hope to meet you on the air.

    Ciao,
    Bob KD8UFC

  34. Ciao!
    dal mio cognome puoi vedere che sono del Fiore anch’io.
    Vivo a Roma dal 1959. Fra le cose che, come tutti o quasi, tengo in soffitta (leggi garage) ho ritrovato il mio vecchio Yaesu FT 101 che comprai in quel di Tokyo nel 1978. L’altro ieri l’ho tirato fuori dopo più di 20 anni. Ebbene, ho acceso l’FT 101 e non funziona più! Non me ne sono mai voluto disfare. Purtroppo non ho più l’antenna che usavo a quel tempo. Era una direttiva fatta in USA 4 elementi orizzontali e copriva i 20 40 80 160 + gli 11 che mi servivano per i 27 e+ 2 antenne in parallelo per i 144. Ho ancora il rotore messo da una qualche parte. E’un CDE CD-44 della Cornell-Dubilier Electr.
    Ah! dimenticavo il mio nominativo era IW0ANB (se ben ricordo)
    Mi piacerebbe ritornare in “onda” e tornare ad usare il v ecchio FT 101. Mi puoi suggerire come fare per rimetterlo in funzione? Le istruzioni che mi sono rimaste sono in giapponese.
    Per ora ti ringrazio e ti saluto cordialmente

    Renato

  35. Hi and hello Simone,

    thanks for the nice page of yours. I remember, I startet my ham-hobby in cb 1978 with only 12 channels and 0,5 watt PEP !!.
    Please note, I would like to stay again of Malta this year – look at my page on qrz.com. Hope we meet us, 73 good luck.
    Klaus

  36. Hello Simone,

    It is very nice of you to have such a nice site. I see that many people also like it. Thank you very much and I hope and pray the very best for you and your loved ones. 73 Leo

  37. Hi Simone,
    Nice website. I’m interested in DX receiving. I just bought a Yaesu FRG8800 with VHF option and 2 Dressler wideband active antennas.
    The noise on HF is unbearable! I think it must be due to all the consumer devices that are in use these days, like WiFi and cellphones, etc.
    So, I’m looking at making an ATU and better antenna for HF (VHF is OK for local signals).
    Also going to try audio DSP to filter out noise.
    Regards,
    Dylan.

  38. hi mr my name is hossein and from iran {gorgan city}
    iam very very intrested to fm dxing please help to me for build a
    yagi antenna for 102 to 106 mhz
    iwanna use 9.5 millimeter element dia for antenna .is front to side very
    important for me and naroow beam patrrn.please help to me to an nice design
    very very thanks

  39. I’d like put my information here instead of leaving it in the other page.

    I am also an IT guy who is focusing on infrastructure and I started my ham life from 2008 with call sign BG4FNF.
    My license can only operate on UHF/VHF and listen on other bands before 2013. CRAC replaced CRSA about 1 year ago and they changed the policy to give us more rights on different bands.

    VY 73

  41. Caro Simone, questa una piccola nota per dire grazie per il suo sito, supratutto la sezione antenne.
    Cordiali saluti da Irlanda!

  43. hi I have been trying to make a base antenna for gmrs band.I have been having a hard time finding a lot of info on it? maybe a 2 or 3 element yagi or quad. thank you Jeff

  44. How is possible register wawe tools 1.0 i cant input serial number.please answer. I would like have full version. Thank you
    Jarda

  45. I’m a new HAM (have had my technician license for a little over a month) and although I am still going through it, I am finding your website immensely helpful and informative Thanks and keep up the great work!

  46. Simone – Very interesting site! Thank you! I downloaded the Yagi Designer and installed it on my Windows 7 PC. I get an “out of memory” “2004” error message every time I try to run it. Any suggestions?

    73 Roger W8IO

  47. Greetings

    just visited your web site
    Big help to me indeed

    trying to work out size for 40m 7.100 mhz
    My main problem am I right in saying my 75 ohm feeder should be about 14ft long (5.36M)

    Your site is a big help

    thank you again

    Karl M3FEH 73s

  49. Hi Simone my name is Dan YO9ZMR i m from Romania and i have problem with my Hy Gain DX88 antenna manufactured in 1996 i don t now the order of coils only thing i now is the numbers of turns of each coil . Can you help me ? 73!

  50. Hi Simone –
    (KJ6PER here from California USA. My son is studying for his Technician license.)

    Long ago I read your article about grounding your antenna, and I remembered your callsign. I remembered you had a nice picture of an Italian city on your old web page.

    Well, over dinner my family mentioned Italy so I thought “Hey – I know of an Amateur in Italy, IW5EDI. Let me bring up his webpage.” Well, your new site is nice but your old one had that fine picture of town on it.

    Your site from 2012, I found via the Wayback Machine: https://web.archive.org/web/20120418110553/http://www.iw5edi.com/ . So I showed the picture to my family.

    Anyway, good to see you are still blogging!

    If I pass my General license perhaps we can connect over the air some time.

    Cheers,
    73 de KJ6PER
    Sean Medina

  51. Hi Simone,
    Started in the hobby August 2016 and have been having a great time. Whenever I do google searches for something I seem to, more often than not , wind up at your site (Dbl Bazooka this time!) and I wanted to take a moment to say “THANK YOU” for maintaining it and for sharing your knowledge and experiences. I hope to someday hear you on 20 meters and to be able to thank you personally.
    Best regards and Chow!
    John K1JRF

  53. Hi Simone,

    This is just to let you know that I have learnt lot of things about antennas from your site. Wealth of information for new people like us. Just thought I will let you know about that. Keep up the good work.

  54. Simone,my name is vic thomas,KJ4GWH,in Tenn.USA.My wife,KJ4OQU,will be visiting your country in October.She is of Italian decent and loves to visit..My concern may not be realistic but i would like to secure a viable communications plan should something major occur.Not sure of an exact plan but i have instructed her to contact a Ham operator in whatever city she is in at that time…My request is how to find hams in the cities she will visit? Is it possible that you could suggest assistance in this…?

  56. Hi Simone.
    I just came across your blog and landed here. You’re very right about the CB and the old days. I got my ham license in 1980 after spending some time on the CB, which was illegal by then in Spain, so I joined an org to make it legal (1st of August 1983).
    Was active for some years on the bands, then moved from home, sold the radio equipment, got married, kids… so I’ve been away from the radio for quite a long time. But the passion is still there, so I’m buying a new rig soon. Just now I´m active at the virtual ham radio (hamsphere).

    A couple of years ago I was in Florence Toscana area and stayed at San Gimignano: So all I can say is I love your city and country.

    Again congrats for the blog and all the great info you share. Keep at it.

    73’s de LuisXL aka EA6VY (Mallorca, Balearic Islands)

  57. I downloaded YAGIMAX 3.11 but it doesn’t work in my pc with win10 64bit.
    Did you a correct version for works in my pc?
    where i take it?

    thans for answer

    Murilo

  58. Hi Simone, I found your site by researching Beverage Antennas and I want to thank you for the information. Also, my wife (XYL) and I have visited magical Florence four times, in fact, both Kathi and my wedding rings are from Florence. We both absolutely love Italy!

    73,
    Wayne
    K4GWJ
    North Carolina

  59. I’m almost the same age Simone. I’m here in California first started on CB in the early 1980s and switched to ham radio very quickly. Worked in avionics form many years and am currently on my “sabbatical” as i like to call it…before moving on to the next thing. Currently getting setup again for HF and appreciate your antenna descriptions.

  60. Dear Simon,
    I am a Ham operator from SriLank! My call is 4S7LF, I am interested to construct a magnatic Loop Antenna for 40 meters, I tried to down load your smart loop calculator but I cannot get it ! Please be kind enough to tell me how to down load it please!
    Kindest Regards and Best of 73!
    Leonard Fernando.
    4S7LF.
    E mail. oz6zv@ Yahoo.com

  61. Hi Simone, great website, especially the home-brew antenna section.
    I started with ham-radio in 1968, before heard ham signals in AM using a homebrew detector radio.
    I try to build some antennaes with students; just started an education course, despite the situation as a e-learning course.
    Take care and hope to see you on the bands one day in cw, my favorite operation mode.
    73 Uli, DL8UKW, near Berlin

  65. ….”I’m on air since I was 15.  Started with a small cb radio in  the mid of 80’s”…..

    Hello Simone,
    me too. Iam from Hamburg an we use a homebrew tripple leg circ. (2,75 vertical with 3 radials in 45 degree) at 10 Meter high in 1980. I remember many Italy people at CB. Very good DX condition at this time. Maby i heard you too ?
    Greetings from bavaria, Michael, Do7mic

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