Hello, this is DD1ZZ…
For many years, I have thought about becoming a ham. This started back in 2010, when we had work experience at school and I chose to get mine at the German public broadcaster Deutschlandradio. I have also spent some time back then with the team responsible for maintaining the audio and electronic hardware, and I had the task to assemble a shortwave radio by soldering an electronic kit (here's a photo of that kit: Franzis-Bausatz Kurzwellenradio (external link)). This made me delve into what this stuff is all about and what ham radio actually is. Since then, I have never left this area completely, but I only did my German licence in 2022. Since then, my call sign is DD1ZZ.
In a nutshell
- Call sign: DD1ZZ
- DMR ID: 2636363
- German licence class A since November 2022
- German novice license class E since June 2022 (former callsign: DO6CGN)
- Tx mostly on 2m and 70cm band for now, DMR and analogue
- Out and about, quite often in the German Rhinelands, but also in the Benelux countries
My not (yet) existing shack
Currently, I only have a hand-held VHF/UHF radio (Anytone AT-D878UV II Plus) as I have neither time nor space to have a "proper" shack for now. As I live in Cologne and have a not too small but also not too big flat, it will take quite some time till I get myself a proper shack. Until then, I will also use our club station DL0IL every here and then. However, you will most likely find me on UHF/VHF on DMR/BrandMeister or analogue repeaters in the Cologne/Düsseldorf area.
My activities "off-band"
I am member of the German DARC and its local group G11 in Leverkusen. I am also participating in the local group G24 in Cologne-Deutz. Generally speaking, I love visiting all kinds of ham events as it is such a diverse hobby and there's so much to discover. So we may meet at some regional ham event here in the Rhinelands or maybe even some interesting event somewhere else, be it a regular ham gathering, field day, conference or flea market.