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Ham Radio in the 1970s (and earlier, with some cool Jazz). What favorite rigs do you see?
6 September 2024 at 08:59
Rogier PA1ZZ sent me this today. I think I may have seen pieces of it before, but this restoration
is really nice. But ham radio seems to have been a lot cooler in California. I don't remember it being so socially advantageous on the East Coast. See Dilbert cartoon below.
So many memories:
-- The video opens with someone working on a QF-1 Q multipliers. We have destroyed so many of these relics, in pursuit of the variable capacitors (which turn out to be not so good).
-- A Drake 2-B on Field Day.
-- An HT-37 in a shack.
--What looks like an HW-32a in a mobile rig.
-- Maybe an HW-101.
-- A BC-348.
-- The ATV station with lots of homebrew gear was very cool.
-- I also liked the single THERMATRON homebrew CW rig made from an old TV. FB.
-- The CW used in the video was all pretty good. There was a lot of chirp. This, of course, adds character to a signal. FB.
After the video, they take a walk down memory lane, looking at ham radio magazines with some cool jazz playing in the background. I saw a Swan 240 and a D-104. The debauchery of the 1970s was evident on the magazine covers. Even QST seemed to be caught up in this. Check out the August 1975 cover of QST.
Anyway, this video was a lot of fun. Thanks Rogier!
What favorite rigs do you see? Make note of them in the comments.
This video and the Dilbert cartoon reminded me of a discussion we had many years ago about THE KNACK:
