From the Republic of the Philippines in southeast Asia, 79DA117 Bong links with the Dx Adventure Radio Club (DA-RC) in April 2020.

79DA117 Bong has been immersed in radio comms since 1979, as a licensed ham operator and avid citizens band radio user, making him one of the most experienced hobbyists in the club.

Pictured above, 79DA117 Bong balances his membership with the DA-RC with the Philippine Amateur Radio Association (PARA).

Key membership benefits of PARA, I’m told, include the sponsorship of amateur radio operating awards and radio contests, and a QSL bureau for those members who regularly communicate with amateur radio operators in other countries.

Like all DA-RC Members, however, Bong’s passion is for the 11m band and he’s very active on the International Call Frequency 27.555 MHz USB, chasing DX and making daily contacts with other DXCC in the Asia-Pacific region.

Pictured above, 79DA117 Bong’s station consists of a Kenwood TS140S HF transceiver designed for SSB, CW, AM and FM modes of operation on all amateur bands (160-10 Meters), as well as a 40 channel President Grant AM/SSB CB radio.

For HF operations, including 11m DXing, 79DA1117 Bong employs a homemade quarter wave vertical antenna and a dipole.

Other antennas above the roof of his home include Diamond F23 and Diamond CP22E verticals for VHF work.

79DA117 Bong’s archipelagic country is situated in the western Pacific Ocean and consists of about 7,641 islands.

The island of Luzon, which carries the IOTA Reference OC-042, is where he calls home!

Here, 79DA1117 Bong’s city is Pasig, a 1st class highly urbanized city in Metro Manila.

Pasig City has a mix of offices and upscale housing, popular for mall complexes in and around the Ortigas Center area.

Hip eateries serving modern Filipino fare cluster in Kapitolyo village, and parks like Greenfield District host weekend markets with local food and crafts.

Cultural sites include the Pasig City Museum, exploring local history, and the stone Immaculate Conception Cathedral.

The Pasig City public market, Pasig City Hall, Ortigas Center, Guanio residence (site of the “Nagsabado sa 

Pasig”), the Bahay na Tisa (Tech House) and the Pasig City Revolving Tower (Pictured left) are other prominent features in 79DA1117 Bong’s home QTH.

79DA117 Bong’s city shares its name with the Pasig River which runs through it.

Seen below and right, the city’s name was believed to have come from the old Sanskrit word “pasega”, meaning “sand”.

This refers to the tribal community beside the sandy edges of the river.

Out and about in the community, 79DA117 Bong is a keen and talented sportsman and this enables him to escape the daily grind of his job as a Sales Manager.

He’s skilled in precision shooting, using weapons such as an accurized scoped long gun (e.g. designated marksman rifle or a sniper rifle).

He also loves basketball!

There’s no doubt 79DA117 is a callsign you’ll be hearing lots about in the coming years as Solar Cycle 25 starts to produce greater propagation on 27 MHz frequencies.

QSL INFO

12B Silver Street, Munting Bahayan, Pinagbuhatan, Pasig City, Philippines 1602