[Elecraft] OT: SAQ schedule

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

Station equipment tended to stay around as long as it worked. Whenever a
significant new technology appeared, the old technology was shifted to the
"back-up" position, but still maintained. That was most particularly true on
ships, where the Safety of Life at Sea regulations required a complete,
functional and independent back up station for use in emergency.

When I last worked on ships in the early 1990's, many CW consoles in the
radio room still used a regenerative receiver as the "back up" emergency
receiver. True, they were found mostly on ships that had spent a number of
years in the "mothball fleet" and which were returned to duty to haul
supplies to Gulf War I, but they did the job. My biggest problem was
teaching a few younger radio operators how to use a regenerative receiver. 

One time when visiting a real old timer "Sparky" who had been coaxed out of
retirement to work on an equally old ship going to Gulf War, I observed that
it was impossible to use the regenerative receiver too close to other
stations because they overloaded it and splattered all across the band. 

He cast a critical eye on me and said, "Sonny... If this ol' tub's a sinkin'
in the middle of the ocean and some guy is so strong he's splattering across
the dial, he's the one I WANT to talk to!" 

True 'nuf.

Ron AC7AC 

-----Original Message-----
Thanks for the link Ron, if I am not mistaken thats an AR88 in the upper 
photo top left.  I was surprised to see it still in use at that time. 
(I have one under the shack bench, purely for nostalgia purposes you 
understand :-))

Trev G3ZYY