[Hallicrafters] AM calling freqs or whatever!

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

On Mon, Dec 22, 2008 at 8:54 PM, Carl <km1h at jeremy.mv.com> wrote:

Sorry for the delay in replying, was away for a few days for
Christmas. Hope everyone enjoyed and got some radio time in, too.

> I have no use for crystal control either or being restricted to any box.

I have a few old crystal-controlled rigs that are fun to play with, no
doubt in part because I *know* I'm not restricted to it. It's the
self-inflicted restrictions of some who then wonder why others don't
do the same that is difficult to grasp. Within the provisions of the
rules, any restrictions in amateur radio today - license class,
frequency, power level, mode, etc is completely up to the individual.

> Most of my AM QSO's are down in the lower regions of the bands, especially
> on 10M.

AMers in general seemed to gravitate to the new phone spectrum when it
was opened up a couple years back. Though some returned to the 'old
haunts', a goodly number still use the new privileges with excellent
results, providing AM activity in other parts of the bands while
helping to alleviate at least a small part of the self-inflicted
congestion issues.

> Youve probably heard me on the new 80M frequencies working Europeans. With
> vertical polarization and at least 20dB F/B plus Beverages on receive
> attempts to deliberately QRM me are more humorous than effective. I
> sometimes switch the TX array direction to make a "statement", and then go
> back to enjoying a QSO.

Haven't come across you yet Carl, hope to work you someday. Worked
Pete a while back down in the 80m portion, had a nice AM contact with
him. W1IA and W2INR have switchable wire arrays which do quite a job
for them. Brent was a bit too close for me to fully see the
difference, but when Gary switched his array in Syracuse east to west
and back, there was a 10-20db difference depending on band conditions.
Makes all the difference in signal and yes - the jammers are more like
the little no-see-ums trying their best to annoy, yet covered up well
by a good signal.

> The 304TL's look nice on modulation peaks!

I bet they do! I get a nice glow and flicker out of the 4-250s along
with some help with the winter heating bill. Class E is sooooo not for
me. But more power to 'em for extending AM into the 'new technology'
realm.

73,

~ Todd/'Boomer'  KA1KAQ/4