classic radio
Even today, new hams still have their ‘novice accent’ …
Friday, Jan. 24, 2020 I like to listen a lot to QSOs on the 75 meter band in the evenings. Its an old habit, one that dates back to my teenage years as an SWL. […]
bugs
Gold Bug arrival doesn’t disappoint …
The latest addition to my code key collection arrived earlier this week, Bunnell Gold Bug s/n 477. The key was sold on eBay with its original case and instruction sheet. The key is basically in […]
bugs
New Year and new rig arrive … and a brief SKN report …
Saturday, January 4, 2020 My new little QRP rig, the FT-817, arrived earlier this week. The sale was from someone who as selling it for the estate of a Silent Key, and of course, the […]
CW keys
Headphones, microphones, keys and SKN — oh my!
Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2019 — Belated Merry Christmas wishes to my readers, and here’s hoping for a safe and joyous New Year! Just a quick entry to catch up on my ham radio musings and […]
bugs
Chinese QRP clone is a fun, full-featured little rig …
Sunday, Dec. 8, 2019, midnight — For the last few nights I’ve been using a little QRP transceiver I picked up a year or so ago, its the Chinese RS-918 HF SDR transceiver, which is […]
classic radio
Tuner? I barely knew ‘er!
Thursday, Nov. 21, 2019 — The MFJ 986 Differential T tuner I obtained from eBay arrived a couple of days ago, and as is always the case when buying an antenna tuner, I took time […]
bugs
Tuner tune-up ahead …
Thursday, Nov. 14, 2019 — I received a couple of antenna tuner-related items in today’s mail — both are 4:1 baluns, a 300-watt version and a larger 3kw version. I was going to buy balun […]
bugs
Keys, tuners, stuff and more …
Greetings from my frosty hill overlooking the frigid waters of Cox’s Creek. We’re in the midst of a November snow, the first snowfall of the year — and an early one at that. I figured […]
bugs
CW keys, band conditions, and ladder line — OMG!
Thursday, Oct. 23, 2019 — I keep waiting for band conditions on 80 CW to improve, but perhaps its a little too early to think that winter-time conditions will prevail. The good news is I’ve […]
bugs
Fall arrival brings improved band conditions — finally!
Friday, Sept. 27, 2019 — Its after midnight, but I’m hoping to get an update completed before I head to bed. It has been a productive day here on the farm. I reassembled a kitchen […]