New Old Guy

[boots]

Jack, let me know when you are up & running, and we can get on the air and try it out.

[rhardman]

Sorry, I realized I was derailing the thread, but ham radio man, ham radio.... I just get so excited, I just couldn't HEY!!! SQUIRREL!!!!!

[rhardman]

I spent most of my time on 6 meters…had to build a bunch of high pass filters for the neighbors. I used to wipe out Channel 2.

[boots]

I have spent a lot of time on 6 meters - the Magic Band. Right now I just moved and don't have the 6M antenna back up yet.

[rhardman]

I have spent a lot of time on 6 meters - the Magic Band. Right now I just moved and don't have the 6M antenna back up yet.

I had a three element Yagi and a Knight T-60 with .a Hallicrafters SX-100.

And an ancient tube convertor for the SX-100. Lucky if I could get out of the neighborhood.

[Jack Hester]

Jack, let me know when you are up & running, and we can get on the air and try it out.

Well, as it turns out, there's a fellow tube guy over on the Hoffman Amp forum that is getting more than interested in obtaining his ticket. He goes by the handle Richie200. Here's the thread that he bumped back into being active:

http://www.el34world.com/Forum/index.php?topic=5336.0

I just put my hands on a nice ICOM 725 that was part of the estate buy that my tube Swan came out of. It's practically in new condition with a matching power supply. I'm holding off on using it, as I believe that I have a 726 that I would rather use. I tend to keep new things in that condition, if I have another that I can use.

Anyway, headed for the shop for some digging. I'll look the Swan over good, but not bring it to the house, just yet. Need to make more room.

Jack

[Structo]

Thanks guys, because when it all comes down to crunch times, you guys will be the only ones that are able to communicate.

Throughout history, when disasters happened, HAM radio guys were the link to the disaster.
We all know that amateur radio has lost a lot of interest among the younger kids.

But, it seemed almost pioneering to a younger generation of kids (me) back when.
I was never able to get the code down for a beginner license.

I understand now that you don't have to be fluent in code to get a license anymore which is good.
But code is always a good thing to know.

[beasleybodyshop]

Thanks guys, because when it all comes down to crunch times, you guys will be the only ones that are able to communicate.

Throughout history, when disasters happened, HAM radio guys were the link to the disaster.
We all know that amateur radio has lost a lot of interest among the younger kids.

But, it seemed almost pioneering to a younger generation of kids (me) back when.
I was never able to get the code down for a beginner license.

I understand now that you don't have to be fluent in code to get a license anymore which is good.
But code is always a good thing to know.

I dont know about young, but im 24 and I would love to get into HAM radio. I grew up in the middle of nowhere, and whenever the weather got rough or there was an emergency all the oldtimers with their radios would give the local radio station realtime updates on local emergencies.

The way I see it, those folks still provide a vital link in emergency situations, especially out in the country where cell service is unpredictable.

[skyboltone]

I dont know about young, but im 24 and I would love to get into HAM radio. I grew up in the middle of nowhere, and whenever the weather got rough or there was an emergency all the oldtimers with their radios would give the local radio station realtime updates on local emergencies.

The way I see it, those folks still provide a vital link in emergency situations, especially out in the country where cell service is unpredictable.

Well then just do it. I passed the novice, general and advanced written tests in one day. If you have a background in electronics it's easy. I went back the next weekend and passed the 5wpm and 13wpm tests. I had studied for those for a few months using cassette tapes in the car. That was harder. I've never operated as anything but an Advanced Class ham and now they've gotten rid of the Advanced license altogether. I had a bunch of fun for quite a few years and will certainly take it up again if I outlive my airplane addiction.

[Jack Hester]

I was never able to get the code down for a beginner license.

I understand now that you don't have to be fluent in code to get a license anymore which is good.
But code is always a good thing to know.

I learned it the hard way, and will probably use the same old study tapes to do it again. My wife gave me a Crosley retro player, that has a turntable, cassette recorder/player, CD-RW, radio. If and when I find my study tapes (I may go now and look), I plan to put them on CD as MP3 tracks. If and when I do, you're welcome to a copy. I'll post here, when it happens.

But after I had learned the code, the first time, I met an old technician at work that had been a radio operator in the Army who told me that they learned code by phonetics.

For example, a back-slash (/) in punctuation is: -..-.

He said to remember 'shave and a haircut' as the phonetic. I'll never forget it. He didn't tell me anymore, but there is a code study that uses similar called Code Quick. It works, but it ain't cheap.

Jack

[boots]

Jack, let me know when you are up and running, I can get on the air any time, I just need a good excuse to do it. The radios sit idle most of the time.

If anybody needs any help or encouragement to get their ham license, just holler. If you know enough basic electronics to be messing with guitar amps, you're almost there. You just need to learn some rules & regulations, etc. to pass the test. I think www.arrl.org has all the current licensing requirements (they seem to change frequently).

WA7VHW

[Jack Hester]

I just went out to the shop yesterday, looking for the IC-726. I'm at the age of self-doubt, so I'm now doubting that I ever had one. At least, it's not to be found. But, I did take a close look at the Swan. I've never been on the air with a tube radio before. It really looked appealing. I may drag it out on Saturday, put a dummy load on the output, and bring it up on the lamp limiter. I suppose I need to test the tubes, first. Found some extras in a cigar box with it. I'll snap a couple pics of it, when I get it out.

I'll keep looking for the 726, though I'm not now as interested in using it, after looking over the Swan.

Went looking for my old Gordon West tapes, to bone up on the code. Didn't find them, but found four CD's where I had dubbed the tapes over. I saved the tracks to a computer that I have at work. I'll do the same when I get home this evening. I'll study during lunch, and a bit each evening, though early mornings are when I originally studied them. That may be a better time.

More to come, in the quest to get on the air.

Jack

[boots]

That Swan should be a great rig. You should check the PS filter caps if it's been sitting idle that long though. Does it have TV sweep tubes for the final amp?

[skyboltone]

I've got a couple of Drake TR-3s that I like very much. I've never owned a Swan. I ran a complete Collins S line rig for many years. They are pretty spectacular even by today's standards for raw performance. I used a digital noise processor between the audio output of the 75S-1 and it's speaker.

There is simply no reason for folks like us to use the fancy new stuff unless you are mobile. I may do that someday soon because I live in a bullshit gated community and I don't feel like fighting WWIII over an antenna. I could stick a pair of Ham Sticks back to back in the attic for single frequency use if they still made them.

[Jack Hester]

That Swan should be a great rig. You should check the PS filter caps if it's been sitting idle that long though. Does it have TV sweep tubes for the final amp?

It's been sitting idle for years, some before I got it. As the PS is separate, I'll give it attention, first. As to the tubes, I'll have to find a manual (pdf, maybe) and see what I have. I wrote the model down, but don't remember it. Notes are my short-term memory. As long as they don't get washed with my shirts.

Jack