[ADXA] Novice Rig Roundrup

[Dennis Schaefer]

Great, Joel - I saw your name on the membership list.  I have a Drake 2-B receiver and 2NT transmitter set up but haven’t made any contacts yet.  I think I made several last year.   I also have a Knight T-60, which I built as my first Novice rig.  I used it with a Hallicrafters S-108 receiver.  Near the end of my time as a Novice, I got a Drake 2-B and that was an amazing upgrade.  I no longer had to keep my hand on the dial to compensate for drift.  

I sold the T-60 to a new ham, and eventually sold the 2-B later.  I’ve acquired another T-60 and a 2-B but a couple of years ago, I was given the Drake 2-NT which is an excellent Novice rig.  

I am crystal controlled with these rigs.  It wouldn’t be hard to find a VFO, but this is how I prefer to do it for now.  I’ve ground crystals, and rubbed solder on them, etc, to get a set that covers almost every khz or so between 7.100 and 7.125 and several for lower frequencies.    I even worked a ZL on 20 meters with this rig by using a crystal low in the 7 Mhz range.  

I have a Hallicrafters SX-99 but wouldn’t consider using it on the air.   It’s in good physical condition but not a hot performer.   If anyone wants an SX-99, we could probably work something out :) 

The “Novice Rig” position also has a Collins 75S1, which doesn’t really qualify as a Novice rig but is almost 70 years old!  I just got it because I lusted for a Collins as a young ham.

73,
Dennis, W5RZ

> On Mar 8, 2021, at 8:23 PM, w5zn at w5zn.org wrote:
> 
> How many of you remember ARRL's Novice Roundup contest?? This was an annual contest held in February aimed at Novices with the objective to provide an avenue for them to improve their code proficiency and pick up some new states. It originally ran for two weeks covering three weekends with a maximum of 40 hours operating time. Beginning with the 1972 event it was shortened to nine days and covered two weekends with a maximum operating time of 30 hours.
> 
> There is an annual event that began a few years ago to commemorate the original Novice license and equipment from that era called "Novice Rig Roundup". Details are at:
> 
> NOVICE RIG ROUNDUP
> 
> Dennis, W5RZ and I have membership numbers. There are no dues. Those of you who were here for our September 2019 meeting saw my original Novice rig, a Heath DX-60B transmitter and HR-10B receiver. Those have now been relocated to the operating desk so I can press them in to service occasionally. During my Novice days having your transmitter crystal controlled was mandatory. The HG-10B VFO I have is the original VFO I purchased once I upgraded to General.
> 
> If you were first licensed as a Novice, particularly during the highpoint in the Novice era in the 60's and early 70's check out the above link if for no other reason than to reminisce!
> 
> ZN
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