KD2BBC: Miguel Ferrier's dream amateur radio station
We head to West Nyack, New York State, to meet Miguel Ferrier (KD2BBC) and his truly extraordinary station. Three limited-edition Icom IC-7850s, a fleet of transceivers, kilowatt amplifiers, a forest of antennas and a carefully built ESSB audio chain: welcome to one of the most impressive “superstations” you can admire on QRZ.
🔗 About this article: this profile is based on KD2BBC's QRZ page, full of details and photos shared by Miguel himself. All the photos in this feature come from his QRZ page. Thanks to him for sharing such inspiring material.
👤 Who is KD2BBC?
Miguel Ferrier, callsign KD2BBC, operates from West Nyack, New York State (USA). A QRZ lifetime member, he is a DX and operating enthusiast who has built up, over the years, a station that many would call a “dream station”. Its most striking feature: instead of a single all-purpose transceiver, Miguel has made the rare choice of dedicating one radio to each band. That way he can switch instantly from one band to another without ever reconfiguring anything.
At KD2BBC, each band has its own radio, its own amplifier, its own wattmeter and its own remote controller. An enthusiast operator's set-up, designed for comfort and quick reactions in a pile-up.
An overview of KD2BBC's station, almost entirely equipped with Icom gear. (Photo: © KD2BBC, via QRZ)
📻 The transceivers: an impressive Icom fleet
The heart of the station is almost entirely Icom, with top-of-the-range models that few radio amateurs are lucky enough to own, often several of each:
3× Icom IC-7850 (limited edition)
Three units of Icom's flagship, numbered 1, 2 and 3 out of 150 worldwide, dedicated to the 20, 40 and 10 metre bands.
2× Icom IC-7851
Icom's current flagship, in duplicate, for the 15 and 12 metre bands.
2× Icom IC-7700 + IC-7800
Icom's “contest” benchmarks, assigned to 6 metres, 17 metres and as back-up.
Icom IC-9700 & co.
For VHF/UHF/1.2 GHz SSB, supplemented by IC-38As, IC-48As, Kenwood (TM-631A/731A) and Yaesu (FTM-400XDR, VX-6R) sets.
🎛️ Control: each IC-7850 and IC-7851 has its own Icom RC-28 remote encoder (five encoders in all), for optimal tuning comfort whichever set is in use.
The sets line up on the desk, one per band, each with its own remote controller. (Photo: © KD2BBC, via QRZ)
⚡ Amplifiers and tuners: power under control
| Equipment | Role |
|---|---|
| ACOM 2000A | Automatic HF linear amplifier, 1.5 kW (US legal limit) |
| ACOM 2100 | 1.5 kW amplifier dedicated to 6 metres (HF/50 MHz) |
| RM Italy LA-250V | 200 W VHF amplifier |
| Palstar HF Auto ×2 | Automatic antenna tuners (HF and 50 MHz) |
| Ameritron ARB-704 ×9 | Sequencing buffers (one per radio, plus a spare) |
| Array Solutions PowerMaster II ×6 | Precision digital power/SWR meters, 3 kW couplers |
One of the station's kilowatt linear amplifiers. (Photo: © KD2BBC, via QRZ)
🗼 Antennas, towers and rotators
A station of this calibre would be nothing without an antenna system to match. KD2BBC does not do things by halves:
HF beams
OptiBeam OB9-5HD (9-element multiband) at 35 feet, and a Palomar OCF wire dipole strung at 55 feet in the pines for 40 and 80 m.
6 metres & VHF/UHF
InnovAntennas 6-element LFA on 6 m, and M2 Yagis for 2 m, 220 MHz, 70 cm and 23 cm (1.2 GHz).
Verticals & discone
Hustler, Diamond X-6000A and Imax 2000 verticals, plus a Diamond D3000N wideband discone for listening.
Towers & rotators
Glen Martin roof towers (RT-832, RT-424) and Yaesu G-1000DXA / G-800DXA rotators with thrust bearings and dampers.
🧵 A cabling anecdote: to connect it all, Miguel has laid, in his own words, “a huge amount” of coax: about 2,000 feet of LMR-400 (more than 600 metres!), plus RG-213, RG-8U and LMR-240.
Antennas and towers: the key to DX success. (Photo: © KD2BBC, via QRZ)
🎙️ An obsession with audio: the ESSB chain
What really sets KD2BBC apart is the care taken over audio quality on phone. Miguel is a fan of ESSB (Extended SSB), the pursuit of a wide, natural sound that is highly prized by SSB audiophiles:
High-end microphones
Three Heil PR-40s in a “trinity” configuration, Yaesu MD-200A8X units, and a fine collection of Icom microphones (SM-50, SM-8, SM-20).
Dedicated speakers
Numerous external Icom (SP-34, SP-20, SP-38, SP-10) and Kenwood speakers, one per set, for optimal listening.
Footswitches & controls
Heil FS-3 footswitches for hands-free PTT, in the finest tradition of top contest operators.
Precision metering
Six PowerMaster II wattmeters to keep a constant eye on power and SWR on each chain.
Part of the microphone collection, at the heart of the quest for great sound (ESSB). (Photo: © KD2BBC, via QRZ)
🖼️ The gallery of his shack
Over to the pictures! Click a thumbnail to view it full size. Navigate with the arrows (on screen or keyboard), and close with the cross, the Esc key or by clicking the background.
All photos: © KD2BBC (Miguel Ferrier), via his QRZ page.
🇨🇭 What such a station inspires in us
Rest assured: you don't need to line up three IC-7850s to enjoy yourself on the bands! Most radio amateurs in Vaud operate with a modest station, and that is perfectly fine. But a station like KD2BBC's is a reminder of one thing: amateur radio is a hobby with no ceiling, where everyone can develop their station at their own pace and within their own means.
At HB9V, the Radio Amateurs of Canton Vaud club, we love these profiles that spark ideas, whether it is an antenna to try, a way of organising the shack or simply the urge to progress. And who knows, perhaps you will come across KD2BBC in a transatlantic pile-up one evening when the band opens for DX.
📻 Fancy building your station?
From a simple handheld to a complete HF station, our Swiss partner will advise and equip you.
See the amateur radio equipment →🤝 Our partners
Phonicom.ch, amateur radio specialist in Switzerland
Fancy building your own DX station? Phonicom, an amateur radio dealer in Switzerland, is there to help: Yaesu and Anytone transceivers, Diamond antennas, tuners, power supplies and accessories. Whether you are just starting out or aiming for long-distance contacts, enjoy personal advice and delivery within Switzerland.
Visit phonicom.ch →📚 Also on HB9V
- 🏔️ KC4NX: a dream shack in the Smoky Mountains: another spectacular station profile
- 📻 Icom IC-7110: the X-026 unveiled: the latest release from KD2BBC's favourite brand
- 📊 Radio Propagation Conditions: Complete Guide: for successful DX contacts
- 🗺️ Swiss Amateur Radio Band Plan: all the bands from HF to 23 cm
📖 Sources: KD2BBC's QRZ page (Miguel Ferrier). Photos and video: © KD2BBC, via QRZ and YouTube. This article is an independent profile with no commercial connection.
Article written by HB9HPG for HB9V.ch, Radio Amateurs of Canton Vaud
Profile based on KD2BBC's QRZ page, with our thanks
73 and good DX! 📻
