- 3,657
- 27
- 48
- Location
- Dallas, Texas
Too bad most hams can't fix their own radios much less build one from household scraps. The people getting into ham radio today are mostly equipment operators. They have little interest in the pleasure making something they can buy. That is a shame.wow, what a collection. I would like to see all that stuff, despite the fact that
I am so ign'r'nt that I don't know what most of those numbers mean.
I just recently learned what an M35 is. Sure is fascinatin', though!
3 or as many as you can carry with both hands and a backpack, cheers
for the ham radio notices. I currently don't have a license but have had
off and on over more than 50 years.
Being an old geezer, I long for the old days of hand-wound coils and discrete
components, and, of course, Fleming valves. I don't quite date to crystal
xcvrs and spark xmtrs, but I have messed about, with both critters.
I think that youngsters miss a lot of fun, with all this solid state stuff.
And, yes, I do think that all hams should know Morse code.
So there!
Not learning code never stopped me from doing what I like with high power electronics. I don't get on the air much even though I moved my license up since the code requirement was lifted.
During the time the FCC was taking petitions and comments on the code subject, there wre many heated discussuions. The most loudly vocal group was those that desired code to remain a requirement and they gave all sorts of reasons, the most common two being "riff raff filter" and "able to communicate with almost no equipment", but the most numerous group was those that did not see a bias for one mode over another as being a valid filter of quality operators or the knowledge pool, nor would it compensate for a (non existent) shortage of phone or digital equipment.
I recall listening to many people who got their code test done, just to go to HF for long distance SSB and act like very rude gentlemen, and never even used code again. The code test never kept CB operators or lids out.
It is a great mode, and a fine hobby. Like AM with vacuum tubes and plate modulation. Sometimes I wish those (and VHF-FM) were the only modes. I have noticed that most people who run either CW or AM almost exclusively are very gentlemanly on the air. I believe that is because they respect the time honored ways.
My interests are hands-on enginering and technical work. AM mixes audio and RF directly at high power levels, and that is always a pleasure to implement. A dummy load will do for experimenting. Hopefully this year I will get a 100FT dipole up. I have been restoring some AM BC gear and an old KW Phone TX.
I prefer glass and iron but I'm not above throwing some sand and plastic in where it makes sense.
Sorry for going on about it. I feel strongly about the ham radio hobby.
I attached a couple pics - a guy over on AMFONE is breadboarding a transmitter. 1500 Volts baby!
Attachments
Last edited:
