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Ham Radio in the 1970s (and earlier, with some cool Jazz). What favorite rigs do you see?


Rogier PA1ZZ sent me this today.Β  I think I may have seen pieces of it before, but this restorationΒ 
is really nice.Β  But ham radio seems to have been a lot cooler in California.Β  I don't remember it being so socially advantageous on the East Coast.Β  Β See Dilbert cartoon below.Β 

So many memories:Β 

-- The video opens with someone working on a QF-1 Q multipliers.Β  We have destroyed so many of these relics, in pursuit of the variable capacitors (which turn out to be not so good).Β 

-- A Drake 2-B on Field Day.Β 

-- An HT-37 in a shack.

--What looks like an HW-32a in a mobile rig.Β 

-- Maybe an HW-101.Β 

--Β  A BC-348.Β 

-- The ATV station with lots of homebrew gear was very cool.Β 

-- I also liked the single THERMATRON homebrew CW rig made from an old TV.Β  FB.Β 

-- The CW used in the video was all pretty good.Β  There was a lot of chirp.Β  This, of course, adds character to a signal.Β  FB.

After the video, they take a walk down memory lane, looking at ham radio magazines with some cool jazz playing in the background.Β  I saw a Swan 240 and a D-104.Β  The debauchery of the 1970s was evident on the magazine covers.Β  Even QST seemed to be caught up in this.Β  Check out the August 1975 cover of QST.Β Β 

Anyway, this video was a lot of fun.Β  Thanks Rogier!Β Β 

What favorite rigs do you see?Β  Β Make note of them in the comments.Β 


This video and the Dilbert cartoon reminded me of a discussion we had many years ago about THE KNACK:Β 

A Paraset and the Heathkit SG-6 Signal Generator (Video)

Mike WU2D put out this nice video (above) about whether or not he should part out his Heath SG-6 signal generator, using the parts in a Paraset construction project.Β  I faced a similar question years ago:Β 

https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/search?q=SG-6

I just solid stated the SG-6.Β  I was influenced by Farhan and the drinking straws that he picked up with his kids at a McDonalds in Hyderabad.Β 

As with the QF-1, I say to Mike: GO FOR IT OM!Β  You need those parts for other projects.Β  Don't feel bad about the SG-6.Β  But keep that switched coil assembly -- it is quite useful.Β 


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