K9ISO

Welcome to the K9ISO home page (formerly known as KD9RDH). I am excited you have found my page and hope to meet you on the air.

Please take a look around our website to learn more about my shack and the local area. Please feel free to contact me via my Contact page with any questions!

I recently relocated from Oswego,IL to Charlotte, NC and will be updating the site content soon.

73's,

Michael Wareman, K9ISO

About Me

I am a SKYWARN Weather Spotter, HAM radio operator, Home Automation enthusiast and Information Security professional.

I've been interested in radio since the mid 80's - where I dabbled in CB, built antennas and transmitters in the UK. I studied and passed my HAM test in the UK back then - but never applied for my license (for some reason). Fast forward to 2020 - and the opportunity presented itself (thanks to AC9Y who gracefully offered to run a class during the pandemic). Feeling empowered - I took my test and passed with a perfect score. In mid-2022 I had reason to obtain duplicate certificates from my younger years - and found that my C&G RAE exam pass was still valid. So - I now (finally) also have my UK full license (G1ISO) that you may hear me on if I am traveling in a CEPT country.

I do also have my GMRS license (WRJL575) mainly for family communication (others in my family do not have a HAM license). My US DMR ID is 3173933 but I am not often on DMR.

As far as non-radio interests - computer security, radio, electronics, scuba, shooting, flying just about covers it.

I have a QRZ page at https://www.qrz.com/db/K9ISO and you can link to my social media via About.ME. You can also view my weather station data via APRS at this link and during local severe weather events you will find me on the KD9FA and KC9OEM (2m) repeaters.

Equipment:
Radios:
Yaesu FT3D
Yaesu FT5D
Yaesu FTM-200
Yaesu FTM-400
Yaesu FTM-500
Yaeus FT-991A
RFinder B1+
Anytone 578
VGC VR-N7500
B-Tech DMR 6X2
B-Tech UV-5001
B-Tech UV-5x3 (often mistaken for a Baufeng)
Several actual Baufengs (who doesn't.... be honest!)
Baufeng GT-5R
Xiegu G90

Antennas
Ed Fung TBJ-1 Tri-band Antenna (WB6IQN) on LMR-400 in the attic
ANLI A-100 Dual-Band Antenna (attic mounted)
Home-made coppy pipe J-Pole (ground level)
Tram 1191 (Glass mounted on the car)
Nagoya UT-72 (for rental cars)
HF Kits EFHW Kit with 49:1 torroid (Usable for 40,20,15)
Wolf River Coils TIA (with center load option)
TWAYRDIO dual-band 2m/70cm 3/5 element yagi in the attic
5 matched hamstick pairs (10, 15, 20, 40, 80)
TWAYRDIO Dual Band Yagi Antenna

Misc
Astron RS35M 13.8v 35A PSU
Audiotek AT-PS12 13.8v 12A PSU
Yaesu HRI-200
SignaLink USB
Digirig
mAT-30
SAA-2N Nabo VNA
TinySA Ultra
RCA Rotator
Dummy Load (60W)
MFJ-2100 Octopus
Rotator (for Yagi)

Repeaters

Here are details of some repeaters local to me.

NC IL
State Location Repeater RX PL Tone TX Features Website Notes
IL Batavia, Illinois W9CEQ 2m 147.210 103.5 Hz +600 KHz FM http://www.frrl.org FRRL Net: Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m.
IL Batavia, Illinois W9CEQ 70cm 444.300 114.8 Hz +5 MHz FM http://www.frrl.org
IL Boligbrook, Illinois K9BAR 2m 147.330 107.2 +600 KHz FM https://www.k9bar.org Nets: BARS and SKYWARN
IL Boligbrook, Illinois K9BAR 70cm 443.525 114.8 +5 MHz FM https://www.k9bar.org Nets: BARS and SKYWARN
IL Boone County, Illinois WA9GWM 2m 147.375 100.0 Hz +600 KHz FM http://www.wa9gwm.org BTARC Net each Sun at 8pm
IL Boone County, Illinois WA9GWM 70cm 442.825 114.8 Hz +5 MHz FM http://www.wa9gwm.org BTARC Net each Sun at 8pm
IL Channahon, IL W9CHI 70cm 444.600 100.0 Hz +5 Mhz YSF https://www.qrz.com/db/W9CHI Generally set to YSF America Link on WiRES-X.
NC Charlotte, NC W0UNC 442.650 88.5 +5 MHz FM ECHOLINK UNC Charlotte Echolink 573102
NC Charlotte, NC W4CQ 444.450 82.5 Hz +5 MHz FM CARC Channel 36 Dallas, NC @ 1500ft - 80w. ALLSTAR #62458 ECHOLINK #288650
NC Charlotte, NC W4FTK 442.1250 D315 +5 MHz FM ALLSTAR ECHOLINK W4FTK FleetTalk Amateur Radio Group. Allstar 40040. Echlolink 367365
NC Charlotte, NC W4TOP 444.700 100.0 +5 MHz FM Tower of Power Radio Club
NC Charlotte, NC WB4ETF 147.060 -600 Khz YSF CARC Uptown Charlotte @ 450ft AGL / 1200 ft ASL - 100w FUSION Room 03951
IL Chicago, IL (Lincoln Park) WA9ORC 2m 146.760 107.2 Hz -600 Khz FM http://www.chicagofmclub.org/ Weekly information net conducted at 9pm on Tuesdays
Also, CSRA has there Monday Night Net at 8:00pm (as well as Thursday Nights at 7:00pm at 21.331 MHz (15m) USB)
IL Cook, IL WA9DZO 2m 146.850 100.0 Hz -600 Khz FM https://www.repeaterbook.com/repeaters/details.php?state_id=17&ID=278
NC Dallas, NC W4TOP 145.350 82.5 -600 Khz FM Tower of Power Radio Club
IL DeKalb, IL KARC 2m 146.730 100.0 Hz -600 Khz FM https://www.karc-club.org/ Weekly net on Monday evenings at 8:30 PM Local time.
IL Geneva, Illinois KC9OEM 2m 145.47 103.5 Hz -600 KHz FM http://www.kc9oem.org ARES/Skywarn Net: Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m.
IL Geneva, Illinois KC9OEM 70cm 444.525 114.8 Hz +5 MHz FM YSF http://www.kc9oem.org ARES/Skywarn Net: Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. YSF Default is IL-CHICAGO-LINK 82483
IL Glendale Heights, IL K9XD 70cm 444.875 114.8 Hz +5 MHz FM https://dupagecountyares.org/ N Illinois ARRL Net - Thursdays at 21:00
IL Lisle, IL W9AUX 2m 146.655 107.2 Hz -600 Khz FM https://dupagecountyares.org/ ARES/Skywarn Net: Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m.
IL Lisle, IL W9AUX 70cm 442.050 114.8 Hz +5 MHz FM https://dupagecountyares.org/
IL Lisle, IL WA9WSL 2m 145.170 107.2 Hz -600 Khz FM http://www.wa9wsl.org https://iharc.blogspot.com/
IL Lisle, IL WA9WSL 70cm 442.225 114.8 Hz +5 MHz FM YSF http://www.wa9wsl.org https://iharc.blogspot.com/
NC Mecklenburg, NC W4BFB 145.230 118.8 -600 Khz FM Mecklenburg Amateur Radio Society Located on Spencer Mountain
NC Mecklenburg, NC W4BFB 145.290 118.8 -600 Khz FM Mecklenburg Amateur Radio Society Located Wells Fargo downtown Charlotte
NC Mecklenburg, NC W4BFB 146.940 118.8 -600 Khz FM Mecklenburg Amateur Radio Society Located on Orr Rd in northeast Charlotte. Metroliner 2M Emergency NET - 9pm local time. Mecklenburg ARES Net Wednesdays 7:30pm
NC Mecklenburg, NC W4BFB 224.400 FM Mecklenburg Amateur Radio Society Located on Orr Rd in northeast Charlotte
NC Mecklenburg, NC W4BFB 444.600 118.8 +5 MHz FM Mecklenburg Amateur Radio Society Located Wells Fargo downtown Charlotte
NC Mecklenburg, NC W4BFB 145.090 Mecklenburg Amateur Radio Society 1200 baud FM simplex Packet
NC Mecklenburg, NC W4BFB 440.550 +5 MHz DMR Mecklenburg Amateur Radio Society Located on Duke Energy in Charlotte, connected to the NCPRN system
NC Mecklenburg, NC W4BFB-9 145.010 Mecklenburg Amateur Radio Society 1200 baud FM simplex Packet. Anderson Mtn
NC Mecklenburg, NC W4BFB-9 223.400 Mecklenburg Amateur Radio Society 1200 baud FM simplex Packet
NC Mecklenburg, NC W4BFB-9 446.500 Mecklenburg Amateur Radio Society 1200 baud FM simplex Packet
IL Morris, IL KB9SZK 2m 147.270 107.2 Hz +600 Khz FM http://www.grundyarc.org/ Health and Wellness net every day at 16:00
Net each Monday at 7pm
IL Oswego, Illinois KD9FA 70cm 443.600 (was: 440.725) 107.2 Hz +5 MHz FM YSF Used by Kendall County EMA (AC9Y) during weather emergencies. YSF Default is CHICAGO-W9DIG 21741
IL Schaumburg, IL K9IIK 2m 145.230 107.2 Hz -600 Khz FM https://www.n9rjv.org/repeaters/
IL Schaumburg, IL K9IIK 70cm 442.275 114.8 Hz +5 MHz FM YSF https://www.n9rjv.org/repeaters/ Default on IL-CHICAGO-LINK / #82483
IL Wheaton, IL W9CCU 444.475 114.8 Hz +5 MHz FM YSF http://www.w9ccu.org/ DuPage OHSEM practice weather net at 7 PM on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of each month
IL Yorkville, IL WX9KRC 2m 145.150 103.5 Hz -600 Khz FM http://wx9krc.org/ Kendall County ARC
IL Yorkville, IL WX9KRC 70cm 443.550 114.8 Hz +5 MHz FM http://wx9krc.org/ Kendall County ARC / Keldall EMA

If a local repeater is missing and you want it listed - please email me (via the 'Contact' page)
Another reference to area repeaters is located here
A fantastic resource for Chicago area nets - CAND (Chicago Area Net Database) by KC9UNS
Florida area repeaters can be found here
Contact Us
Michael Wareman

K9ISO

Web Links

Mastrodon - https://mastodon.radio/@k9iso

QRZ - My profile at QRZ.com.

Illinois Band Plan

APRS - Where was I when I last beaconed?.

Zello - Not HAM Radio - but you can reach me via Zello as well.

ARRL - ARRL is the national voice for ham radio and a weath of information.

Antenna Building - Steve James, KA9NPT, a member of our club suggested this site for building your own antennas.

Licensing Exams - If you are ready to get licensed in ham radio, or advance your license level, you can search hear to find all the testing locations.

Amatuer Radio Band Plan - Helpful information for all the bands amatuer radio operators can operate on

Q-Codes - Ham radio operators often use "Q" codes to shotren transmissions. An extensive list of some commonly used codes

Grid Mapping - Grid mapping is needed for some contests hams participate in

Northern IL ARES - ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Services) is the emergency communications arm of ARRL.  NIARES serves Boone, Winnebago, and Stephenson Counties

NWS Chicago North Illinois Repeater Network

Illinois county Map

Chicago Area Hamfest Directory

Chicago Area Net Database


Report severe WX to the NWS


List of public SDR receivers (and a map)

SDR: N4BUT (Florida)

SDR: W9XA (Batavia, IL

SDR: W9AD (Barrington Hills, IL)

Remote CCW CQ spotting

Digital modes spotter