[CW] Vintage equipment CW calling frequency?

Tue Nov 17 17:48:30 EST 2009

FWIW, I am compelled to respectfully comment that not all QRP radios that
fit into "tins" are novelties and kits should not be discounted.
My ATS3B (built in to an Altoids tin) was a fairly challenging kit to build
(all surface mount).  I do homebrew I but attribute it to the many kits that
fueled the process..  The firmware of the ATS3B is open source and lots of
learning was involved as I undertook recompiling it to customize its
performance.  I guess it would be a novelty to use it in the shadow of my
primary station gear but I operate it as a CW station when I go out
backpacking. The whole station weighs exactly one pound.  That includes the
antenna, tuner, paddle, batteries, feedline, a zip up carrying case, and the
radio itself (which has a DDS vfo, 400 cycle crystal filter and puts out an
honest four plus watts).

Ken
aa7jc

 -----Original Message-----
From: cw-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:cw-bounces at mailman.qth.net]On
Behalf Of n2ouv at optonline.net
Sent: Tuesday, November 17, 2009 2:04 PM
To: CW Reflector
Subject: Re: [CW] Vintage equipment CW calling frequency?

  Don,

  Lately I've been on around 3615 with my homebrew TNT which Im not sure if
its considered vintage, antique or outlawed hi hi. I work some AWA members
also using very old homebrew self excited transmitters. Its pretty quiet up
there which is good because we run low power typically under 10 watts and
the QRM really hurts us. I have a several other xtal controlled vintage
transmitters I plan on operating up there over the winter months.

  I must confess though I have one of those novelty cat food can QRP
transmitters.....built mine from scratch though not a kit in my senior year
of high school even etched the PCB myself.

  Those old LD-2 crystals are neat, I would love to get a hold of some for
80 meters.

  73,
  Joe

  ----- Original Message -----
  From: "D. Chester"
  Date: Tuesday, November 17, 2009 1:29 pm
  Subject: Re: [CW] Vintage equipment CW calling frequency?
  To: cw at mailman.qth.net

  > That is one problem I have with working CW on any frequency. I
  > often have
  > to go through 3 or 4 rubber-stamp QSO's with Yaecomwoods before
  > I find
  > someone I can strike up an interesting conversation with, radio
  > related or
  > not. I always enjoy it when I run across someone running a
  > homebrew
  > transmitter (a real transmitter; I am not talking about a
  > novelty QRP rig
  > built in a cat-food tin).
  >
  > There is a little gap above the rtty/data operation, below 3600,
  > where there
  > is usually room for one or two CW QSO's. Sometimes a group of
  > Canadian CW
  > stations operates there. I have contacted a few of them after
  > they
  > concluded their initial contact and they were always open to
  > calls from hams
  > outside their group. I don't care for CW "roundtables"; I
  > prefer
  > one-on-one. If you can converse in French, there is also a very
  > friendly
  > slow-speed Canadian CW group that meets from time to time on
  > about 3700 kHz.
  > They always seem thrilled to someone from outside their region
  > call them and
  > communicate with them in their language.
  >
  > THERE IS NO REASON NOT TO OPERATE CW ABOVE 3600. We didn't lose
  > an iota of
  > CW privileges with the phone band expansion; CW is still legal
  > from 3500 all
  > the way to 4000, and the lower end of the 3600-3700 segment is
  > often devoid
  > of signals, just like most of the segment was when it was
  > exclusively
  > CW/data.
  >
  > CW exclusivity in 3600-3700 was lost because it was so little-
  > used for CW.
  > Except during contests, even 3500-3600 is often sparsely
  > populated, even
  > when the band is wide open and QRN is non-existent, just as
  > 3600-3700 now
  > is usually sparsely populated by phone stations.
  >
  > My transmitter uses the old fashioned crystals in the round
  > holders about
  > the size of a half-dollar that fit into a 5-pin tube socket. I
  > think I have
  > a crystal for 3599, and I know I have several in the 3600-3650
  > range. I
  > have good stable VFO capability, but it is still fun to use the
  > old xtals
  > from time to time.
  >
  > I dislike the term "boat anchor" because I remember it being
  > used so
  > frequently in the 60's-70's to deride those of us who were seen
  > lugging
  > vintage parts and equipment to the vehicle at hamfests. I find
  > the term "old
  > buzzard" a lot less offensive.
  >
  > Don k4kyv
  > _______________________________________________________________
  >
  > This message was typed using the DVORAK keyboard layout.
  >
  > http://www.mwbrooks.com/dvorak/
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  >
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