The Dx Adventure Radio Club (DA-RC) is delighted to introduce to you 32DA101 Alex from the vibrant Republic of Chile, in the western part of South America.
The newest addition to our imposing 32 Division Team, Alex joins with the DA-RC in October, 2022, excited at the prospect of first-rate conditions on HF frequencies with the arrival of Solar Cycle 25.
Pictured above, Alex is a licensed ham radio operator and vehement 11m DX Hunter; a well-known and professional guy in both communities.
Alex satisfies DA-RC Membership requirements with more than 100 DXCC worked and confirmed on the 11m band.
See https://www.delta-alfa.com/about/membership/ .
“I’ve been a licensed radio amateur since 1981,” says Alex.
“At this time, I was just 14 years old…”
According to the atlas, Chile occupies a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west.
It is among the longest north-south countries in the world.
From the extreme north with the driest desert in the world to the austral south with eternal ice and inverted waterfalls, 32DA101 Alex’s country is an amazing collection of diverse landscapes.
The tranquility of vast sandy esplanades and intense sunshine contrast with deep blue lagoons, small towns where the native customs are kept intact and large cities with beautiful beaches.
32DA101 Alex has impressive home and portable stations.
For work on both recognised ham bands and 27 MHz frequencies, 32DA101 Alex employs a range of high end transceivers.
In the southernmost country in the world, Alex’s home station consists of a family of Icom and Kenwood transceivers.
In the ICOM range an IC-746 pro, IC-7000, IC-761 and rare IC-740s are highlights.
In the Kenwood range, a TS -2000x, TS- 440sat, TS-140s and TS- 430s are the ideal DX firepower.
Competing for air space with several home brew yagis for ham bands, including 6m, a new Sirio Tornado base station antenna, high above his home residence, provides omnidirectional high power handling capability.
This 5/8 λ ground plane antenna is tunable form 27 to 30 MHz and is regarded as an exceptional performer on the Freeband.
In his car, 32DA101 Alex uses a Yaesu FT-100D with an Eco veicolare helical antenna made in Italy.
On his Kawasaki motorcycle, seen pictured above, he has installed an Alinco DR-135 MKII VHF transceiver.
32DA101 Alex works in the transportation industry, driving big rigs, among other things!
It takes him far and wide, but he’s always with a radio in tow, with an ear closely attuned to DX signals.
“I was born in 1967 in the town of Quillota,” 32DA101 Alex tells.
“But these days I’m in Limache…”
Limache is a Chilean town and township in the Marga Marga Province, Valparaíso Region.
It spans an inland area of 293.8 km2 in Chile’s Zona Central, is located 43 km east of the port city of Valparaíso and 103 km northwest of the national capital of Santiago.
32DA101 Alex’s QTH is famous for its tomato production.
It is also well-known for its religious feast of “The Virgin of the 40 Hours”.
The Feast of the Virgin of the 40 Hours (La Fiesta de la Virgen de las 40 Horas) begins in Limache 40 hours before the last Sunday in February with masses every hour, culminating on Sunday with a procession through the city.
When’s he’s not behind the microphone of any one of his rigs from his impressive home or portable station, 32DA101 Alex enjoys spending time with his family, out and about in the Chilean countryside.
“I’ve been happily married to my wife, Claudia Bernal, since August 28, 1993,” he says proudly.
“We have two children.”
Like most Dx Adventure Radio Club members, 32DA101 Alex is QRV on the international call frequency, 27.555 MHz USB.
He’s keen to exchange QSL cards with any DX Hunter to confirm a contact with his station.
QSL INFOS
P.O. Box 594 Limache Chile
Welcome Alex ! Best 73s from Nicolas 14DA026