wrote:
wrote:


. . . five dollar 12V ARC-5 Jeep radios . . . or were they 6V?

I've seen 12 volt ARC-5s (special units from a collection) and it was
no hard task to convert them for six volts. Easy compared to
homebrewing.

. . mmmm . . maybe mine was a 24V unit . . heh . . The only mods I
made to my 80M version to change it from a military version to a
Novice ham version were (1) rewired the filaments (2) yanked the the
tubes in the calibration circuit and circular filed 'em (3)
disconnected the roller inductor loading coil from the PA tank circuit
(4) fired it up and used a flourescent lamp tube taped to the antenna
wire to find the "hot spot" along tank coil and soldered the end of the
wire to that spot on the coil and took it to the airwaves.

Founders exits aside it was the "adjusting to the new
market realities"
which knocked out the U.S. radio builders. GM is
still trying to catch
up with Honda. Darwin prevails.

Darwin got some help in those areas, though. Detroit spent the '50s and
'60s building big cars and was completely surprised by the oil
embargoes. American electronics manufacturers, run
by "PROFESSIONALS IN RADIO", didn't know how

I can see him now, sternly lecturing Art Collins about how to design a
ham rig . . .

to compete with
Japanese products. The rest is history.

.. . . Darwin treated those of us out here in the trenches well . . he
did not treat Detroit, Collins or Drake well . .

Or look at the SB-101 from the mid 1960s. $369 for the rig,
almost
another hundred for the power supply, CW filter and
speaker. Say $450 -
for a kit! What's that in today's dollars?

Beats me but the point is there.

http://www.westegg.com/inflation

says:

$629 in 1975 inflates to $2355.99 in 2005

Slick. Love those little Java calculators.

and

$450 in 1965 inflates to $2681.16 in 2005

Either of those will buy quite a bit more rig than a TS-520S or SB-101.

I did a "reverse" run. I paid $500 for my little TS-50 HF mobile xcvr a
few years ago which is far more radio than either of those boat
anchors. I would have paid $99.25 in 1970. Which is about what one of
the early clunker CB SSB xcvrs cost in those days.

If I paid $500 for it in 1965 it would be $2,900+ today, I coulda
bought an S-Line for $2,900.

Ahhh . . the "good old days" . . but enough of wallowing in 'em . .
ONWARD!

73 de Jim, N2EY

w3rv

Joe Guthart wrote:
I am glad the FCC finally took charge of the situation and
decided to drop the code requirements.

Well, it's what they're proposing to do, anyway.

Here's why ...

I like Amateur Radio and want it to be a life-long hobby
for me ... however, I just plainly can't take time
to effectively study the code at this point in my life.
I think my story is pretty common for most of the
new people entering Amateur Radio today. I am a
43 year old married father of three children. I
have a background in Aerospace Engineering and my
full time work is in the high technology sector
working with many well known computing infrastructure
companies. I got my Technician license about two and
a half years ago because it was a neat little challenge
for me to combine radio communications with some of
the newer digital modes. Basically, it was fun, not
really technical challenging, but a nice way to relax.
I do enjoy making contacts on 6 meters. I would
play around with some different radio, antenna, and
computer configurations and started to develop a relationship
with some fellow ham buddies. Soon I became limited
with the VHF/UHF band and wanted to hop onto HF. Of
course, by the current rules one would have to jump on
and take on learning Morse Code. I am absolutely sure
I could do this if I had enough time. Having an ongoing
career and being a family man, doesn't really leave
a whole lot of time to practice dits and dahs. I have
actually played around with the code several times, but
real life events and changing priorities always got in
the way; not en excuse just reality. I really do see
learning the code as similar to my older engineering
brethren making me learn how to use a slide rule; it's kind of neat, but not really effective for me, or most folks, given the advance of other computing methods and devices.

So what that boils down to is this, Joe: You don't want to
spend the time or effort needed to learn enough Morse Code
to pass the test.

What about the written tests for General and Extra? In order
to use digital modes on HF, you need at least a General
Class license.

Fellow hams need to sit back and take an objective look
at this hobby because it is dying a rapid death!

How do you figure?

When I became a ham in 1967, there were about 260,000 US hams.
Now there are over 650,000. The peak was about two years ago,
but there have been ups and downs before.

Amateur Radio needs me and people just like me to join in on
the HF bands and to use our real world high tech expertise to
help further Amateur Radio.

OK, fine, how *exactly* will that happen?

Will you design and build new high tech radios?
Develop new high-performance modes of communication?
Set up some sort of new radio network?
Get more people interested in amateur radio by
demos, articles, etc.?

Where will the time come from to do that stuff?

For that matter, where will the time come from for
you to set up an HF station and operate it?

Amateur Radio also needs my $$$$. Take a look at
the declining number of amateur radio manufacturers
and radios.

Did that in another part of this thread. The trend is
opposite to what you're saying.

How could any business justify spending a
lot on research and development in a market
that is collapsing?

Well, the manufacturers don't think it's collapsing!

Finally, I honor all those of you who are code proficient.

Thank you!

I too may one day still be code proficient even if there is no formal testing.

Why not now?

20-45 minutes a day for 4-6 weeks should get you to 5 wpm. There
are freeware Morse Code trainers that will run on most PCs. I
recommend the G4FON one.

However, I do think that the right decision has been made
by the FCC and will ultimately be finalized with little
changes.

I don't think it's the right thing, but I'm afraid FCC will
do it anyway.

This will not kill our hobby, but will inject more life into
it.

I hope you're right.

73 de Jim, N2EY

wrote:
wrote:
wrote:

. . . five dollar 12V ARC-5 Jeep radios . . . or were they 6V?

I've seen 12 volt ARC-5s (special units from a collection) and it was
no hard task to convert them for six volts. Easy compared to
homebrewing.

. . mmmm . . maybe mine was a 24V unit . . heh . .

Most of them were 24 volt units, but some 12 volt ones were made.
I've seen 'em.

The only mods I
made to my 80M version to change it from a military version to a
Novice ham version were (1) rewired the filaments (2) yanked the the
tubes in the calibration circuit and circular filed 'em (3)
disconnected the roller inductor loading coil from the PA tank circuit
(4) fired it up and used a flourescent lamp tube taped to the antenna
wire to find the "hot spot" along tank coil and soldered the end of the
wire to that spot on the coil and took it to the airwaves.

I did all sorts of mods to the transmitters but they weren't really
that good unless you got lucky. The receivers were and
are much better.

They're also good as parts sources and VFOs. The Southgate Type 6
design has a lot of ARC-5 parts in it. You should see the
VFO - took a transmitter, cut off the chassis from just behind the 1625
sockets forward, drilled out the rivets and made a squashed chassis for
the VFO. A lot less work than making one
from scratch. Which I did for the Type 7

Founders exits aside it was the "adjusting to the new
market realities"
which knocked out the U.S. radio builders. GM is
still trying to catch
up with Honda. Darwin prevails.

Darwin got some help in those areas, though. Detroit
spent the '50s and
'60s building big cars and was completely surprised by the oil
embargoes. American electronics manufacturers, run
by "PROFESSIONALS IN RADIO", didn't know how

I can see him now, sternly lecturing Art Collins about how to
design a ham rig . . .

yeah, right - couldn't even solve a simple heterodyne design
problem...

to compete with
Japanese products. The rest is history.

. . . Darwin treated those of us out here in the trenches
well . . he
did not treat Detroit, Collins or Drake well . .

Collins was still selling the S-line in 1975 (saw it in the same QST as
the TS-520).

What finally happened to Collins was that it was bought out by
Rockwell. Part of the deal was that they'd still make ham gear.
So Rockwell/Collins developed the KWM-380, an advanced rig with
an incredible price tag. Not many were sold, of course. There
was a general-coverage version called the HF-380, too.

It should be remembered that Collins' main products were avionics,
BC transmitters and such. Ham gear was a sideline - some sources
say the ham division was not intended to show a profit.

Drake, OTOH, is still around in a way, making general coverage
receivers. But not a line of ham gear.

Or look at the SB-101 from the mid 1960s. $369 for
the rig, almost
another hundred for the power supply, CW filter and
speaker. Say $450 -
for a kit! What's that in today's dollars?

Beats me but the point is there.

http://www.westegg.com/inflation

says:

$629 in 1975 inflates to $2355.99 in 2005

Slick. Love those little Java calculators.

and

$450 in 1965 inflates to $2681.16 in 2005

Either of those will buy quite a bit more rig than a TS-520S or SB-101.

I did a "reverse" run. I paid $500 for my little TS-50 HF
mobile xcvr a
few years ago which is far more radio than either of those boat
anchors. I would have paid $99.25 in 1970.

Which would have got you a Heath HW-16. As a kit, without any
accessories.

Which is about what one of
the early clunker CB SSB xcvrs cost in those days.

Never followed that stuff closely. As I recall the AM ones cost about
that much back then. They were primitive single-conversion 455 kc IF
jobs with basic MOPA transmitters.

If I paid $500 for it in 1965 it would be $2,900+ today, I
coulda bought an S-Line for $2,900.

Well, IIRC, the cost of a 75S-3, 32S-3, power supply and filters would
run you more than $1500 back then. Which works out to almost
$9000 today.

Ahhh . . the "good old days" . . but enough of wallowing
in 'em . . ONWARD!

The best part is that if someone wants to use old gear, it's out there.
Some bargains, some not, but we have more choice now than ever before.

73 de Jim, N2EY



73 de Jim, N2EY

w3rv

From: on Jul 24, 6:26 pm

Joe Guthart wrote:

I am glad the FCC finally took charge of the situation and
decided to drop the code requirements.

Well, it's what they're proposing to do, anyway.

You thought that out by yourself from Notice of PROPOSED
Rule Making (NPRM)? :-)

Here's why ...

I like Amateur Radio and want it to be a life-long hobby
for me ... however, I just plainly can't take time
to effectively study the code at this point in my life.
I think my story is pretty common for most of the
new people entering Amateur Radio today. I am a
43 year old married father of three children. I
have a background in Aerospace Engineering and my
full time work is in the high technology sector
working with many well known computing infrastructure
companies. I got my Technician license about two and
a half years ago because it was a neat little challenge
for me to combine radio communications with some of
the newer digital modes. Basically, it was fun, not
really technical challenging, but a nice way to relax.
I do enjoy making contacts on 6 meters. I would
play around with some different radio, antenna, and
computer configurations and started to develop a relationship
with some fellow ham buddies. Soon I became limited
with the VHF/UHF band and wanted to hop onto HF. Of
course, by the current rules one would have to jump on
and take on learning Morse Code. I am absolutely sure
I could do this if I had enough time. Having an ongoing
career and being a family man, doesn't really leave
a whole lot of time to practice dits and dahs. I have
actually played around with the code several times, but
real life events and changing priorities always got in
the way; not en excuse just reality. I really do see
learning the code as similar to my older engineering
brethren making me learn how to use a slide rule; it's kind of
neat, but not really effective for me, or most folks, given the
advance of other computing methods and devices.

So what that boils down to is this, Joe: You don't want to
spend the time or effort needed to learn enough Morse Code
to pass the test.

Amazing intellect you display, Jimmie!

However, before you slide into more snide remarks, try
to understand that NOT everybody lives a life of
radiotelegraphy. True!

What about the written tests for General and Extra? In order
to use digital modes on HF, you need at least a General
Class license.

Tsk, tsk. Misdirecting into the writtens again, are you?

Let's get back to the MORSE CODE TEST NPRM, WT Docket
05-235. NOTHING in that NPRM proposes to change
anydamnthing in the WRITTEN test elements.

Fellow hams need to sit back and take an objective look
at this hobby because it is dying a rapid death!

How do you figure?

Is morse code ANYTHING in radio in this new millennium
besides being a niche interest area for a bunch of
olde-tyme hammes stuck on telegraphy?

When I became a ham in 1967, there were about 260,000 US hams.
Now there are over 650,000. The peak was about two years ago,
but there have been ups and downs before.

Tsk. There has been a slow but STEADY decline in
licenses for two years.

Amateur Radio needs me and people just like me to join in on
the HF bands and to use our real world high tech expertise to
help further Amateur Radio.

OK, fine, how *exactly* will that happen?

Will you design and build new high tech radios?
Develop new high-performance modes of communication?
Set up some sort of new radio network?
Get more people interested in amateur radio by
demos, articles, etc.?

Let's put it this way: It AIN'T gonna be by "designing
and building state-of-the-art VACUUM TUBE transmitters
in the 1990s!" :-)

Where will the time come from to do that stuff?

What...are you now a time-study man for the "amateur
community" management?!?

For that matter, where will the time come from for
you to set up an HF station and operate it?

Isn't it about time YOU came up with some solid-state
designs yourself?!?

The solid-state era in all electronics happened 40
years ago.


Finally, I honor all those of you who are code proficient.

Thank you!

Jimmie, you are an absolute CREDIT to amateur radio...of
the 1940s.


I too may one day still be code proficient even if there is no
formal testing.

Why not now?

Why EVER?

20-45 minutes a day for 4-6 weeks should get you to 5 wpm. There
are freeware Morse Code trainers that will run on most PCs. I
recommend the G4FON one.

Gosh, Jimmie, a half hour to an hour a day studying solid-
state circuitry could get you into shape to "design and
build your very own TRUE state-of-the-art transmitter!"

Why, heck and darn, all your neighbors could come over and
admire it, go oooh and aaahh and you explain every solid-
state bit of it!

However, I do think that the right decision has been made
by the FCC and will ultimately be finalized with little
changes.

I don't think it's the right thing, but I'm afraid FCC will
do it anyway.

Have courage. Do not be afraid!

The sun will come up...tomorrow...down music

This will not kill our hobby, but will inject more life into
it.

I hope you're right.

He IS right, sweetums. All this radiotelegraphy was
beginning to stagnate in-place. Gangrene is sure to follow.

New, BETTER blood needed, stuff that doesn't want to revert
to 1940s and 1930s in standards and practices!

But...YOUR amateur radio world looks dark and dreary indeed.
No more will you be able to show off your "federally
authorized" morsemanship rank/title/privileges!

What will your neighbors say then?

dot dot

wrote:
From: on Jul 24, 6:26 pm


For that matter, where will the time come from for
you to set up an HF station and operate it?

Isn't it about time YOU came up with some solid-state
designs yourself?!?

The question was " . . . you to set up an HF station and operate it?"
When was the last time you set up your personally-owned station and
operatated it yourself solid state or otherwise Sweetums?

Thought so.

One more laughable pot calling the kettle black pile of bafflegab from
the bowels of L.A.

But...YOUR amateur radio world looks dark and dreary indeed.
No more will you be able to show off your "federally
authorized" morsemanship rank/title/privileges!

Nah, all we have to do is quietly show up at a Field Day getogether and
go brasspounding and watch the crowd of codeless wonders gather 'round
in amazement.

What will your neighbors say then?

dot dot


w3rv

wrote:
wrote:

From: on Jul 24, 6:26 pm


For that matter, where will the time come from for
you to set up an HF station and operate it?

Isn't it about time YOU came up with some solid-state
designs yourself?!?


The question was " . . . you to set up an HF station and operate it?"
When was the last time you set up your personally-owned station and
operatated it yourself solid state or otherwise Sweetums?

Thought so.

One more laughable pot calling the kettle black pile of bafflegab from
the bowels of L.A.


But...YOUR amateur radio world looks dark and dreary indeed.
No more will you be able to show off your "federally
authorized" morsemanship rank/title/privileges!


Nah, all we have to do is quietly show up at a Field Day getogether and
go brasspounding and watch the crowd of codeless wonders gather 'round
in amazement.

I'm sure that the world of amateur radio looks bleak indeed to a
sourball standing on the outside, looking in. Morse Code testing or no,
Mr. Anderson will still be on the outside looking in. There isn't a
snowball's chance in hell that Leonard will obtain his "Extra right out
of the box" before he completes his mission of taking up space and using
up oxygen.

Dave K8MN

Dave Heil wrote:
wrote:
wrote:

From: on Jul 24, 6:26 pm


For that matter, where will the time come from for
you to set up an HF station and operate it?

Isn't it about time YOU came up with some solid-state
designs yourself?!?


The question was " . . . you to set up an HF station and operate it?"
When was the last time you set up your personally-owned station and
operatated it yourself solid state or otherwise Sweetums?

Thought so.

One more laughable pot calling the kettle black pile of bafflegab from
the bowels of L.A.


But...YOUR amateur radio world looks dark and dreary indeed.
No more will you be able to show off your "federally
authorized" morsemanship rank/title/privileges!


Nah, all we have to do is quietly show up at a Field Day getogether and
go brasspounding and watch the crowd of codeless wonders gather 'round
in amazement.

I'm sure that the world of amateur radio looks bleak indeed to a
sourball standing on the outside, looking in. Morse Code testing or no,
Mr. Anderson will still be on the outside looking in.

And he built that wall around himself himself. Unbelievable . . .

There isn't a
snowball's chance in hell that Leonard will obtain his "Extra right out
of the box" before he completes his mission of taking up space and using
up oxygen.

Yeah but yoicks would you really like to have him show up on the
bands?? Ye Gods . . ! Maybe we oughta just leave well enough alone
before he goes ape and climbs over his wall and does something we'll
regret.

Dave K8MN

w3rv

wrote:
Dave Heil wrote:
wrote:
wrote:

From: on Jul 24, 6:26 pm

For that matter, where will the time come from for
you to set up an HF station and operate it?

Isn't it about time YOU came up with some solid-state
designs yourself?!?

The question was " . . . you to set up an HF station and
operate it?"
When was the last time you set up your
personally-owned station and
operatated it yourself solid state or otherwise Sweetums?

Thought so.

Well, we know that he once had a cb set. And was once co-owner of
some sort of land-mobile VHF system.

And about a quarter-century ago he plunked down the coin for
an R-70 - a manufactured general-covverage receiver.

All the rest I've read has been about his use of stations owned
and set up by others.

One more laughable pot calling the kettle black pile of
bafflegab from the bowels of L.A.

But...YOUR amateur radio world looks dark and dreary
indeed.
No more will you be able to show off your "federally
authorized" morsemanship rank/title/privileges!

Nah, all we have to do is quietly show up at a
Field Day getogether and
go brasspounding and watch the crowd of
codeless wonders gather 'round in amazement.

Been there. Done that.

Remember the year the one CW station made more points than
the three 'phone stations put together? Oh wait - that was
every year we operated...

I'm sure that the world of amateur radio looks bleak indeed
to a
sourball standing on the outside, looking in.
Morse Code testing or no,
Mr. Anderson will still be on the outside looking in.

And he built that wall around himself himself.
Unbelievable . . .

Like those "gated communities" where the houses are walled in...

There isn't a
snowball's chance in hell that Leonard will obtain
his "Extra right out
of the box" before he completes his mission of
taking up space and using up oxygen.

Maybe he will get a license once the code test goes away.
Doubtful, since he's never held any class of amateur
radio license, despite code test waivers, accomodations,
the creation of a license class with no code testing at
all, etc.

Yeah but yoicks would you really like to have him show up on the
bands?? Ye Gods . . ! Maybe we oughta just leave well enough
alone
before he goes ape and climbs over his wall and does something we'll regret.

Getting a license is one thing. Actually setting up an effective
station is something quite different. For all of his talk and
bluster, he doesn't have a single ham radio project to show us.
Sure, he did some articles for a defunct magazine - a quarter century
ago. All basic theiry, covered elsewhere long before.

Nor will he set up a station unless somebody else is paying the
way and it's all manufactured appliances.

Antennas? Don't hold yer breath.

All talk - no action. That's ol' Len.

73 de Jim, N2EY

wrote:

Nah, all we have to do is quietly show up at a Field Day getogether and
go brasspounding and watch the crowd of codeless wonders gather 'round
in amazement.

You're certain that it's amazement?

Dave Heil wrote:

I'm sure that the world of amateur radio looks bleak indeed to a
sourball standing on the outside, looking in. Morse Code testing or no,
Mr. Anderson will still be on the outside looking in. There isn't a
snowball's chance in hell that Leonard will obtain his "Extra right out
of the box" before he completes his mission of taking up space and using
up oxygen.

Dave K8MN

Always the optimist.