Paul, Congrats on 75 years, and that's a great story to tell. For some, it's hard to believe that a single-step regen can perform well on an uncrowded band but apparently many ops used some form of a simple regen well into the '40s.
Question: Since you mentioned 160m, did you learn code and theory through Marshall Ensor's (W9BSP) on-air tutorials? Even if you didn't, do you recall hearing his big signals on 160m during the 1930s? Paul, W9AC ----- Original Message ----- From: "Paul Elliott" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, January 19, 2012 10:38 AM Subject: Topband: A Ham for 75 Years > A Ham for 75 Years > > > > Seventy five years ago today, 19 January 1937, I was issued a Class C > Amateur Radio Operator License and my Station License W5GGV by the FCC. At > the time I was 14 years old and a sophomore in high school in Kingsville, > TX. My code test was given by a Class A Operator who worked mainly 160 m > phone. I still have in my mind a very clear image of his end fed antenna > being clipped directly (no blocking capacitor!) on the output tank coil > (1500 volts) The antenna exited the room by going thru a one inch hole in > a > window screen. > > > > My first rig, built with parts from defunct Atwater Kent radios, consisted > of a UX45 tube in a TNT circuit (maybe three or four watts output on 40 m) > and a 2-tube regenerative receiver. My antenna, clipped on the output > tank > (200 volts), also went out through a hole in a window screen-but I did use > a > blocking capacitor. My key was made from a hacksaw blade. > > > > I did not get on 160 m until I moved to Hobbs, NM, after retirement in the > late 1980s (Hobbs was chosen because of my other hobby-glider pilot). > Trying to work 160 m DX from an electrically noisy 120 x 120 foot city lot > in SE NM is not for those who are easily discouraged. I have managed to > confirm 183 current entities on 160 m and have the credits, cards, and > LOTW > for 9-band DXCC and 321 total current countries overall. I have two > antenna > tuners and two transmitting antennas: one bent piece of wire and one > slanted piece of wire. > > > > Some thoughts that tell me that I might be getting an to be an old 160 m > DX > chaser: > > > > 1. I remember that I talked to Civil War veterans when I was a child. > > 2. I remember the Great Depression. > > 3. I remember that every kid who was building a crystal set KNEW that > he > couldn't use any old oatmeal carton for his coil form -it had to be a > Quaker > Oats carton or his set wouldn't work. > > 4. I remember what happened when I tried to make a galena crystal > because I didn't have a dime to buy a piece of galena. The dictionary > said > galena was lead sulphite, an ore of lead. I had access to lead, sulphur, > and a small gas-fired heater. Nuff said. What I got didn't appear to be > galena-but it worked. > > 5. I remember that, when I became a ham, there were no 60 m, 30 m, 15 > m, > nor 6 m bands. There was a 5 m band. There was no phone on 40 m. There > was no SSB nor FM on any band. There were three classes of Operator > License: A, B, C. > > 6. I remember WW II (The Pacific Ocean is very big). > > 7. I remember that I was the first ham in South Texas to operate SSB > in > the 1950s. > > 8. I remember I have had a pilot license over 70 years. > > 9. My CW speed has dropped from 35-40 wpm to 25-30 wpm. > > 10. I still log on paper by hand. > > 11. The size of any amplifier I have is limited by the weight that my XYL > can lift. > > > > Kind and knowledgeable people on this forum have, at times, provided me > with > help and information. To them I express my deepest thanks and > appreciation. > > > > Now it is on to the next 75 years (and how I can improve reception on 160 > m > at my QTH). > > > > > > 73 Paul W5DM > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK _______________________________________________ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
