[ARC5] ARC5 Digest, Vol 173, Issue 31

[Richard Knoppow]

    I have been following this thread with great interest. I am 
not a contester and have never been attracted to it but I think 
the contests help to keep the bands alive and prove to the FCC 
and others that there is still justification for the ham bands.
    Most of my reactions have been stated by others. I will say 
only that I've seen a few people who were used to rigs that did 
it all for you become totally lost when confronted with any sort 
of manually operated rig. I also think part of the justification 
for having ham radio at all is still to have a corps of people 
with some communication skills. I also have the awful nightmare 
of the time the LGM (Little Green Men) of ancient science-fiction 
fame, destroy all life on Earth and the contest goes on all run 
by computers. This is one reason I think some modest ability at 
Morse should still be a part of getting a license.

On 6/19/2018 11:08 AM, Kenneth G. Gordon wrote:
> On 19 Jun 2018 at 12:40, Mkdorney via ARC5 wrote:
> 
>>
>> Contesting is not my thing, so I wouldn´t know. But it´s a big deal with our local club on field day.
>> So I work the go-to station and make sure the kids have fun.
> 
> The ONLY "contest" I have ever enjoyed is Field Day.
> 
> I did make a "personal" contest, once, out of seeing how many DX stations I could work with
> my AN/GRC-109: 15 watts crystal controlled, and an end-fed wire.
> 
> Last count was 35 countries, mostly on 40 meters.
> 
> I haven't done that for a while though.
> 
> And another friend of mine, Carl Heuther KM1H, made DXCC using a 1930s designed
> push-pull TPTG transmitter, just to prove it could be done. I don't remember what he used
> for tubes: maybe 211s.
> 
> He told me that he was asked what transmitter he was using by only ONE of the DX entities
> he worked.
> 
> Of course, his TPTG transmitter's signal quality rivaled modern rigs'. No chirp, nor drift, nor
> clicks. Beautiful tone, in fact.
> 
> Much like Jack Meadows' push-pull 809s in a TPTG transmitter. I have a photo of Jack's rig
> on my website, and have worked him on 80 and 40.
> 
> I  love the old stuff.
> 
> Ken W7EKB
> 

-- 
Richard Knoppow
1oldlens1 at ix.netcom.com
WB6KBL