[Hallicrafters] Ham radio operation.

[Rich Oliver]

Skip,

Yes, CW is worth the effort.  Don't worry about your speed; most of us 
would rather slow down to whatever speed is comfortable than miss a QSO 
with you.  No matter how slow or sloppy your CW there will always be 
worse on the bands.  I once hooked up with a fellow who was very hard to 
copy and it was starting to get to me until he told me he had 
Parkinson's.  That was the last time I begrudged trying to decipher 
imperfect CW.  Just stay with it and soon you will be slowing down to 
accommodate the rest of us.

I would suggest you look for something basic like a Hallicrafters HT-40, 
Drake 2NT, or Heath DX-60 designed for Novices back in the 60's.  They 
are simple and fun, and there are still many such sets around at 
reasonable prices.  Note that you will need a VFO (preferred) or a pile 
of crystals with any of these old Novice rigs.

My favorite bands are 40M, 30M, and 20M, in that order.  80M is usually 
too short and too noisy for my taste.

73, Rich, KC9GQ

Waldo Magnuson wrote:
> I'm looking for suggestions, comments, and advice:
> I'm a long-time graduate electronics engineer (retired) and grew up 
> listening to CW on the Hallicrafters S-41G my father gave me for 
> Christmas in 1946.  I went to college when vacuum tube technology was 
> 80% of the curriculum but quickly became "transistorized and 
> computerized" on the job.  Well, after retirement I've kind of returned 
> to vacuum tube roots and have been repairing Zenith Transoceanic radios 
> and Hallicrafters radios (S-38, s-41, & two SX-42s).
>    A few months I got a Ham license (finally) and am (I think) ready to 
> take the code test.  My questions revolves around CW operation.  I don't 
> have a particular desire to use AM or SSB voice and have always enjoyed 
> the idea (or mystic) of code operation.  Yet I hear very little CW now 
> days.
>    So my questions are:
> 1)  Should I bother with CW - are there enough people out there who 
> would respond?
> 2)  Would a 5 -> 7 wpm beginner be welcomed (if I can make contact)?
> 3)  What transmitter would you recommend (Hallicrafters of course) to go 
> with my SX-42 receiver?  I do all of my own maintenance, rebuilding, etc.
> 4)  I live in Spokane, Washington - what band would be suggested?
> 5)  There are lots of other questions - but this should do for now.
> 
> Welcome back Duane.
> 
> Thanks,   Skip Magnuson  KD7VRM
> 
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> List Administrator: Duane Fischer, W8DBF **for assistance**
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