[Boatanchors] BA's at Field Day

[Rodger]

Although it wasn't Field Day, I had my own experience with vintage gear 
during a contest in the mid 90's.  At that time I had recently purchased 
a new Yaesu FT-1000MP and added a full complement of Inrad filters for 
the receiver.  I was operating in the CQ 160 meter contest using the MP, 
my homebrew triple 4CX800 amplifier and a Hy Gain Hy Tower modified to 
work as an inverted L on 160.  I was working plenty of NA and SA 
stations but nothing from EU and a few hours in the contest I went 
inside to check email and found I had an inbox full from EU stations 
complaining I wasn't responding to their calls.  I then switched over to 
my tried and true Drake C line (stock except for a narrow Sherwood CW 
filter) and started working stations from across the pond.  At least on 
CW, the Drake could follow a weak signal down into the noise and 
interference but the much newer MP with its cascaded filters and and DSP 
could not do so.

 I just picked up an additional mint R-4C/T-4XC/AC4/MS4 loaded with 
extra crystals, filters, and NB for $200 and I am thinking of now going 
back to my original C line and adding some of the Sherwood mods to it.  
You can't computer control them and switching bands is a little slower 
but performance wise the C line can still hold its on.  Just for fun I 
did make a few FD contacts using my Ranger/Desk KW/SX-88 combo which is 
a little large for field usage but it was the first time the SX-88 was 
used in a contest in over 25 years since I just acquired and restored it 
after it had been sitting in storage.

 
Rodger WQ9E


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