From the travelled lands of Western Europe, our Dx Adventure Radio Club (DA-RC) is thrilled to introduce to you practiced DXpedition enthusiast, efficacious DX Hunter, and competitive Freeband contester, 14DA029 Pat.

Regarded in EU for his professional demeanor on the airways, 14DA029 Pat connects with the DA-RC in early August 2022, ticking membership criteria boxes in both the DX Hunter and DXpedition categories (See: https://www.delta-alfa.com/about/membership/).

We’re delighted to have him on board, to embrace the favourable conditions of Cycle 25, after some 20 years away from the hobby, blamed partly on work, marriage and children that swallowed his time!!!!!!!

“I’m a radio enthusiast since 1984,” explains our newest French member.

“I started with a little FM TX with 0.250w — yes very QRP!”

For the first 16 years of his involvement in radio comms, Pat enjoyed remarkable success as a DX Hunter, accumulating an impressive 246 DXCC in the first few years as an Alfa Tango member, and then as a Romeo Charlie DX group member until the year 2000.

“Before 2000,” says Pat, “I made several dxpeditions to places such as Chausey Island (EU-039), Portugal (31 Division), Lichtenstein (40), Switzerland (21) and Belgium (16), as well as many french departments.

“I participated with enthusiasm in some AT and RC contests also….”

Due to common constraints at his home QTH (i.e. space, neighbors), 14DA029 Pat elects to do all radio ops as a portable station, however, this certainly doesn’t curtail his wonderful DX spirit.

“We have lots of beautiful islands, lighthouses, castles and fortresses, and parks in close proximity to my QTH,” he says.

“So these will be on my 11m radar in the not so distant future!”

14DA029 Pat’s portable armoury consists of an Icom IC-7000 100w transceiver, matched with a Lemm 2000 Turbo stick antenna and, very soon, a Skypper with directional capabilities for DXpedition work.

In fact, already Pat has embraced the field of dx adventure, teaming up with 14DA017 Pat (of the same first name), to deliver an exciting Lighthouse On The Air (LOTA) activity from the grounds of one of Brittany’s most striking lights.

In the north-western part of the country, 14DA029 Pat resides in Chateaulin, a picturesque commune in the Finistère department and administrative region of Brittany, once known for its salmon fishing and slate production.

Pat’s town is situated on the banks of the Aulne River, which flows down the hills and empties into the roadstead of Brest, one of the many fjord-like bays just south of Brest.

Surrounded Mountains of Arrée and Black Mountains, Châteaulin continues to entrance visitors with the charm of its historical and architectural heritage, as well as by the beauty of its landscapes which are conducive to walking and cycling.

In modern times, popular tourist destinations here include a cake shop — “Histoire de Macaron” — famous for its wide range of tasty macarons; the St. Idunet Church which was rebuilt in the 2nd half of the 19th century in an elegant neo-Gothic style; the tomb of Jothane Trésiguidy; and a beautiful painting of Saints Crispin and Crispian — patron saints of shoemakers — inside incredible altarpieces of the 17th and 18th centuries.

In addition to supporting football, my hobbies are SWLing on ham bands and, now again, activity on the eleven meter band.

I also enjoy computers and combine much of my radio comms leisure time on the PC.

Like many Delta-Alfa members, Pat uses HamSphere to satisfy a craving for DX when the band is not available.

HamSphere is an awesome subscription-based internet service which simulates amateur radio comms using VoIP connections over the net.

The simulator allows licensed hams, as well as unlicensed enthusiasts, to communicate with one another using a simulated ionosphere, using all the accepted QSO traditions.

A quick check in the HamSphere database too, indicates that Pat has racked up many magnificent awards for his DX work using this medium, across a number of different bands as well.

When QRV as a portable station on 27 MHz frequencies, 14DA029 Pat will most likely be active from a special entity on the Brittany Peninsula, such as a lighthouse, castle, fortress, inland water island, or perhaps even another DXCC.

Keep a look out in the DX Activities section of our website for news of his upcoming dx adventure!

QSL INFOS

58 Quai Charles de Gaule – 29150 Chateaulin – France