Winter 2011 CX

Yesterday was the Winter 2011 Classic Exchange. This event offers a great chance to get on the air with older gear. Participants putting multiple vintage transmitters and receivers on the air have a big score advantage, but it's fine to put only one vintage station on the air or work others using, even, a software defined Flex-5000A.

This year, after going through the possibilities, I settled on five stations I'd like to have in the CX:

• Drake R4B/T4XB
• Collins 75A3 / EF Johnson Navigator
• NC270 / Eico 720
• NC303. EF Johnson Ranger II
• NC101X / 1934 "46 Job"

In all I made 11 contacts (but only 10 counted for points) and I used 4 of my 5 stations. The CX gave me a chance to play with a couple of radios I haven't used in a while and to fine tune a little what I'm looking for in my favorite "boat anchor" station.