Dear Friend,
This week my QSO is with Mike Murphy, WU2D, who advocates for us old timers to go back and re-build our Novice stations. I have to say that with all that there is to do in amateur radio, there is a side of me that would love to have the Heathkit HW-16 Novice rig back in my shack. I love the radios that I have now including the Icom IC-7300, the Elecraft K2, and my 40 year old Kenwood TS-520. The HW-16 was my first exposure to getting on the air. I did not make a lot of contacts with it, yet every one was fun. I wasn't much of a CW operator and wanted to get to phone as soon as I could upgrade to General.
Bob Heil, K9EID, has been promoting his "Pine Board Project" for a couple of years now on the Ham Nation Podcast. He told me at Pacificon last year, that the response has been phenomenal. Lots of hams are building the simple tube radio transmitter, power supply, and AM modulator. He announced this week that a power amplifier is the next addition. Maybe because the rig is simple to build, exotic to the eye in an age of surface mount technology and microchips, and works like a champ that attracts hundreds of hams to build it.
Let's face it, the old gear appealed to all of our senses. Maybe its the burning dust under the cover that assaults my nose that had the appeal for me. The knobs, dials, meters, and buttons bring out the kid in me. Of course to construct the old gear would cost a fortune by today's manufacturing standards. Fortunately for us there is tons of it out in the market place. I see it all of the time on Ebay - one of my regular haunts.
After an hour with Mike, WU2D, I am waxing nostalgic for my old rig. Maybe you will be too.
Thanks for listening.
Happy New Year
73, Eric 4Z1UG |
