Winter 2022 Vintage Radio

As of last Sunday my winter 2022 vintage radio season is history. Along the way I was on the air in five different events using 5 receivers and 5 transmitters. Three of these events are sponsored by the Antique Wireless Association ( https://www.antiquewireless.org/homepage/contests/ ). One other, Straight Key Night, is sponsored by the ARRL ( https://www.arrl.org/straight-key-night ). The fifth was the Novice Rig Roundup ( http://www.novicerigroundup.org/ ). These events allowed me to get comfortable with my new QTH and were low key enough that I could identify any hidden station quirks without feeling rushed or having to worry about keeping QSOs as short as possible. Each of these events was more like a saunter through the bands rather than a sprint.

The Novice Rig Roundup was my favorite. Its nine day operating window let me work around stormy weather, other contests, family obligations and propagation while still having fun.

I did find that I really like my Drake 2NT/R4B station. The 2NT operates break-in well with the R4B and its delay/timing circuit allows the crystal oscillator to run between code character elements. This minimizes chirp, even for the laziest of crystals. The R4B has KHz frequency readout and great filtering options. This pair is a keeper.

With almost 40 years of radio technology between my '29 transmitters and the 2NT it is not surprising that my '29 station is the more unique (and challenging) to use. Challenging, though, does not mean unusable. While unique and challenging my '29 station is still usable. Depending on conditions I can switch between an SW3, an early 30s National regenerative receiver, and my early 80s Drake SPR4. Once and a while it is good to go back and experience ham radio roots.

We've already had temperatures in the 60s this year. With spring arriving the snow has melted here in southeastern Minnesota. Now I'll start thinking about my QRP in the Park plans.

Winter Operating Events

The first of this winter's Classic/Boat Anchor Radio operating events is on the  horizon, only a few weeks away. I've been working on rigs since last spring. Now I'll have more chances to put them on the air.

First up is the AWA Bruce Kelley Memorial CW QSO Party in early November. This one requires that transmitters be of 1929 or earlier design and use tubes available in 1929. I'll use my Push Pull Colpitts with either an SW3 or my Simple Superhet. If things get really tough I'll move my KX3 over for the receiver.

Next is the ARRL Straight Key Night on New Years Day (UTC). This is ARRL's "Uncola" of contests (Does anyone remember those Uncola 7 Up ads?). It runs for 24 hours and has no scoring, only interesting QSOs. I'll probably bounce between several rigs but I think I'll have my Drake 2NT and R4B running as the primary station.

Right after SKN, in mid January, is the AWA  Linc Cundall Memorial CW Contest. In this one extra points are scored for rigs designed before 1950. I've three stations that would fit but I've just gotten my National FB7 checked out and running again. I'll operate it with my "CW Jr" as a 1934 station.

Next is the Novice Rig Roundup. The NRR emphasizes rigs from the early Novice era when novices had to be crystal controlled and run only 75 watts. My Heathkit HW16 is newer for me so I'll run it on 80 and 40 for this event. The backup receiver will be my KX3.

Finally, the AWA John Rollins Memorial DX Contest is in mid-March. This one emphasizes contacts on 40 and 20 using rigs designed before 1960. I'll have a chance here to use my Collins 75A4 with my Eico 720. This may not be a real DX station but, for me, it has a lot of class. 


Listen around and participate. All of these except the Bruce Kelley Memorial CW QSO Party allow you to join in using modern gear . If you hear me give me a call. 

This winter should be a lot of fun.

Winter Contest Season

With cooler weather my operating has moved indoors. Here in Minnesota it's a little cold for QRP in the park. Now I'm on the air using my boat anchors in the basement. Real radios keep you warm in the winter.

December kicks off the winter contest season for me. This is the month for the AWA Bruce Kelley 1929 QSO Party. See http://www.antiquewireless.org/bruce-kelley-memorial-cw-qso-party.html . This QSO Party has a strict equipment requirement that sets it apart of most other ham radio operating events. Any transmitter used must be of 1929 (or earlier) design and use tube types available in 1929.

The ARRL sponsors Straight Key Night on New Year's eve and day. See http://www.arrl.org/straight-key-night . Participants are encouraged to get on the air and simply make enjoyable, conversational CW QSOs. While not specifically oriented towards vintage gear it is certainly boat anchor friendly.

The AWA Linc Cundall Memorial CW Contest occurs in early January. See http://www.antiquewireless.org/awa-linc-cundall-memorial-cw-contest.html . Here the objective is to contact the greatest number of participating stations using pre-1950 designed gear.

 In early March there will be the Novice Rig Roundup. This is a nine day operating event encouraging the use of vintage ham radio equipment from the early era of the Novice License. See http://novicerigroundup.com/ for the details.

 During the last few days of the Novice Rig Roundup, if you are looking for another contest/event in which to use that novice gear, there is the AWA John Rollins Memorial DX Contest. See http://www.antiquewireless.org/awa-john-rollins-memorial-dx-contest.html . It is open to all and runs on 40 and 20 meter CW. Pre-1960 equipment, such as 1950s novice gear, earns a multiplier and also various power levels including below 75 watts, the original "Novice gallon".

Novice Rig Roundup

The Novice Rig Roundup is an nine day operating event "where radio amateurs contact stations using vintage ham radio equipment from the early era of the Novice license."

I ended up putting 6 transmitters and 7 receivers on the air, everything from a 6AG7/Regen combo to a Drake B Line. It was great to get these guys on the air. Now that they are out of mothballs I'm looking forward to putting them all on the air on a more regular basis. Next year? That 75A4 and CE 20A should make a nice CW station.

To find out more take a look at NRR website at http://www.novicerigroundup.com/

AWA Linc Cundall Memorial CW Contest Recap

I've wrapped up another LC ...

 

... certainly not a barn burning score but I did get two of my vintage stations on the air. 

On Saturday, January 14, I ran my Utah Jr driving push-pull TZ20s at about 35 watts output. While only a 3-4 x power increase over my Wednesday 6J5-6L6 rig, I did find it easier to make contacts.  Was the power the difference or propagation or noise or weekday vs weekend participation or something else? I can't tell based on only this one contest.

Winter includes two AWA CW Contests, the Classic Exchange, and the Novice Rig Roundup. Each of these gives me a chance to get my old gear on the air. I haven't decided yet if I'll be in the CX or not but the NRR is relaxed enough to fit my non-contest operating style. I'm starting to think about which of my rigs will get operating space and time in this event.

AWA LC CW Contest

Right now we are in the middle of the AWA Linc Cundall Memorial CW Contest. See http://www.antiquewireless.org/awa-linc-cundall-memorial-cw-contest.html

Last Wednesday evening I used my early 40s homebrew pair, a 6J5-6L6 transmitter (1940) and a simple superhet (1941). Results were disappointing. A high noise level here, limited operating time, and, possibly, low activity level resulted in only three contacts and 36 points.

Tonight I plan to move to my HRO Sr and Utah Jr driving a TZ-20 amplifier. Compared to many of the rigs I put on the air this one is QRO running 70 watts input and about 35 watts output.

I've configured my mid 30s operating positions so that the TZ-20 amplifier can be shared between the Utah Jr/HRO Sr and my 1934 "CW Jr"/FB7.

ARRL Straight Key Night

This afternoon I got on the air for the ARRL Straight Key Night (SKN). The receiver this year was my improved Simple Superhet . Along with it I used my 6J6-6L6 transmitter running about 10 watts to my winter vertical (with the Christmas lights still hanging off of it). Straight Key Night, as the name implies encourages the use of straight keys. I put away my keyer and used a military surplus J-37 mounted on a bakelite "I" base.

As usual my QSO count was not very high, in fact only one, NI9Y, but I enjoyed the QSO. Getting 70-80 year old technology on the air, even for one QSO, brings with it a lot of satisfaction.
Click here

Up next in my winter operating event schedule is the AWA Linc Cundall Memorial CW Contest.  I'll probably use this station for at least part of this contest.

AWA BK 1929 QSO Party Recap

The AWA Bruce Kelley 1929 QSO Party wrapped up a week ago. Unfortunately I had a fairly small window of opportunity here for operating. I did make 5 contacts, though. All in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Listening to my signal on my 75A4 I thought it sounded pretty good with just a hint of a musical tone due to antenna sway. Certainly it was up to 1929 standards but with enough personality to be recognized on today's ham bands.

Click here


Now I'll start working on my station for the AWA Linc Cundall Memorial CW Contest. See http://www.antiquewireless.org/awa-linc-cundall-memorial-cw-contest.html

AWA Bruce Kelley 1929 QSO Party

Last weekend and this coming weekend was the AWA Bruce Kelley 1929 QSO Party. For this event only transmitters of 1929 (or earlier) design/technology are allowed. I try to participate every year. See http://w0vlz.blogspot.com/search/label/AWA%201929%20CW%20Contest .

This year I again started out trying to get my Hull Hartley to sound reasonable on 80 and 40. See http://w0vlz.blogspot.com/2009/10/more-1928-hartley_21.html Somehow since 2009 something has changed giving my Hartley a raw AC buzz and some signal drift. Swapping out parts/tubes and cleaning all of the contacts did not help. As a final effort I moved the entire station away from the shack outside wall (nearest the antenna). It still drifted and had a  T7 to T8 tone...it went back on the shelf and down came my trusty TNT.

This coming weekend I plan to be on 80 with my  210 x 2 TNT running 10 watts in and about 3 watts out. The receiver will be my KX3 with PX3 panadapter. I've given up on using a vintage receiver for the BK. 80 meter noise is pretty loud here. I need all the help I can get to hear anyone. Visible in the photo besides my TNT transmitter and KX3 receiver with PX3 panadapter is the backside of my regulated HV power supply. The wood box visible in the near left encloses my 2.5/7.5 V filament supply. In the milk crate is a QRP watt meter and Triplet milliampere meter. Notice that I have a shaft extension on my TNT transmitter. This rig is sensitive to hand capacity. Moving my hand close to the normal tuning knob changes the transmitter frequency making it difficult to zero beat another station without this extension.

2016 Novice Rig Roundup Wrapup

The 2016 Novice Rig Roundup ended last night.

It was neat to hear rigs on the air that I haven't heard in a long time. The NRR also gave me a reason to put my own tube gear on the air. Too often it is easier to sit down, flip on the KX3 and have a QSO. During the NRR, faced with 20 knobs and two meters spread between the 75A4 and Eico 720, I couldn't help but feel master of my universe. There was always one knob more that can be tweaked.

Next year I'll be certain to also have my NC303 / Ranger II combo on the air and, maybe, my Drake B Line.

Novice Rig Roundup

I got my novice ticket in 1966 so this year marks, for me, 50 years of ham radio. Back then I had an Eico 720 and a military surplus BC342. 

Last night and today I've been able to participate in the Novice Rig Roundup. This is a week long chance to use and hear vintage novice rigs on the air. It runs for another two days.

For this year's NRR I'm running an Eico 720 at 60 watts and a 75A4. My winter vertical loads up fine on 80, 40 and 15 so I'm having a great time.

Special Event Station K0M

A major focus for my spare time this past spring and early summer has been putting a special event station on the air. We ended up making 214 contacts over five days. See http://radiok0m.wordpress.com/  for the details.

The equipment and focus wasn't particularly vintage or QRP (unless you count the 25 year old Heath SB-1400) but I did try out a new antenna (a MFJ-1777 102' center fed (with window line) doublet) and now I know more about setting up a special event station.

One advantage of a special event station is that there are no contest type rules. You can put as much into it as you wish. It could certainly be used to introduce other local hams to QRP operating or vintage equipment. A 1x1 call can even be reserved at http://www.1x1callsigns.org/ . Fortunately WB4AEJ's posting at  http://forums.qrz.com/showthread.php?444979-Planning-and-Operating-a-Special-Events-Station-2014  covers a lot of the how-tos.

AWA LC CW Contest

Last week was the AWA Linc Cundall Memorial CW Contest. I used my 1934 style crystal controlled oscillator-buffer (47 to two 46s in parallel)  driving two TZ-20s in push-pull. The receiver was a 1936 vintage HRO Sr.

QSOs included W0CWU (MN), K1TG (CT), VE3AWA (ONT), N0EK (ND), WA9WFA (MN) and WB8APR (MI). Unfortunately, as I wrapped up with WB8APR, my transmitter output dropped to zero. Earlier I had had a hint of trouble when two stations reported chirp on my signal. I was keying the buffer stage, not the oscillator. Any chirp should have been slight. Contest or no contest the transmitter wasn't getting better by itself. After a few minutes of tube swapping and coil reseating I knew I wouldn't be back on any time soon. Eventually I found the problem: a bad solder connection. A little heat and solder fixed it. I had a working transmitter but I couldn't turn back the clock. The contest ended without my making any more contacts.

The HRO Sr and a three stage crystal controlled transmitter does make a nice late 30's CW station, though. It is one of my favorite winter operating positions. I'll be on it a lot. After all it is below zero today, I'm certainly not heading to the park.
 

Bruce Kelley Memorial 1929 QSO Party

This past weekend I was able to put a 1929 transmitter on the air and participate in the AWA Bruce Kelley Memorial 1929 QSO Party.

I stayed on 80 meters making 18 contacts. Stations worked were as far west as VE7SL in British Columbia, as for east as N1BUG in Maine and even a little south to N4GJV in North Carolina.


This year I used a transmitter I acquired from Vance, K5CF (SK). Vance, my step father, gave me my novice test in 1966. He enjoyed ham radio for over 70 years. Several years ago Vance encouraged me to participate in the 1929 QSO Party. Vance's transmitter is a TNT (or Tuned plate Not Tuned grid) transmitter using a single type 210 tube. With 340 volts on the plate it runs 9 watts input and about 2 watts out. Vance built his transmitter based on the one Bill Orr described one in the January 1973 issue of CQ but the original design dates from the 20s. See the December 1929 issue of QST for George Grammer's version of the same transmitter. For an antenna I used a 105' end fed inverted L only about 15' off the ground.

Bruce Kelley Memorial 1929 QSO Party Preparation

Last night I set up my station for this year's AWA Bruce Kelley Memorial 1929 QSO Party. I decided to go with my TNT transmitter this year and, as a book end for ham technology, pair it with my Elecraft KX3 running as the receiver. With 275 volts on the 210 plates my TNT transmitter runs at just under 10 watts input. Output is 2-3 watts....about to be expected for this sort of transmitter.

After confirming via the Reverse Beacon Network that I was indeed getting out on 80 I tried a QSO this morning. I worked W4DBV near Nashville, TN. When quizzed about my signal Bryan reported:

 "I can't really assign your tone a number, and my verbal description is about as close as I can come.  I have heard much worse, and I have also heard other rigs that are about the same as yours -- usually vintage or HB vintage designs, most running QRP levels of power.  Your note did not have a frank buzz, I can say that."

While not the best signal report it will certainly do for this weekend. In the meantime I'll play with the loading to see if I can improve it a little.

AWA 2012 Linc Cundall OT CW Contest

This afternoon I wrapped up my participation in this year's Linc Cundall OT CW Contest. Obviously I'm not a major contester. During the 48 hour contest I netted nine contacts. Not many contacts/points but I did enjoy putting my latest homebrew transmitter on the air.

This year I used my new "Taylor 75", a 1934 style oscillator-buffer deck driving two Taylor TZ-20s in push-pull. The receiver was a National NC-101X. Everyone that commented indicated that the transmitter sounded fine. Keying the buffer stage helped. With the crystal oscillator running continuously (on transmit) there was no sign of chirp.

I went ahead and created a QSL card to send out.

AWA Bruce Kelley Memorial CW QSO Party

The last two weekends I operated in the AWA Bruce Kelley 1929 QSO Party. This is always a great time to get an early rig on the air and work others doing the same.

On the first weekend I operated as K5CF from Poteau, OK using Vance's type TNT transmitter running about 6 watts using a single type 10 tube. While I heard W0LS, KB0RON, N8YE and KB0MM fairly well I could never get a response to my calls. Power out looked OK so Vance's Gap Titan DX vertical on 80 may have been the problem.

This past weekend I was back in Rochester, MN using my Hartley transmitter to make ten contacts. This event allows any receiver to be used. This year I used my 1941 simple superhet. I have only a fairly low end fed wire antenna and my contacts reflected this. Seven were right here in MN, two were in OH and one "DX" contact was in SC.

What might I change? The antenna is always an issue. I have a 29' base loaded vertical this winter but the recent snow seems to have detuned it. I'll need to check it out before the LC CW Contest in January.

On the Air with my Hartley

The AWA 1929/Bruce Kelley CW Party is coming up the first two weekends in December and the weather has started to cool off here in Minnesota. I've put the K1 back into it's winter operating position (a top the 75A4) and started to warm up the classics.

Right now I'm running my Hartley paired with my 1940 Simple Superhet. They make a good pair but my signal reports remind me of one of the Hartley's main limitations. On the 18th I worked Lynn, NG9D. Lynn commented that my signal had a fast QSY to it. Last night I worked Dave, WA9DOF. Dave reported that he wouldn't have known the transmitter was a vintage rig if I had not told him. The difference was the wind. Last night we had no wind here while on the 18th the wind was 10-15 mph. The antenna blowing in the wind shifts the load slightly that it presents to the transmitter. This in turn pulls the frequency slightly. Lightly loading the rig when tuning up helps (see my Nov 16, 2009 Blog entry) but wind can still be a factor. Pulling my wire antenna tighter or a completely new antenna might be needed. I'll see what I can do.

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.

2010 AWA Bruce Kelley QSO Party

The last two weekends I participated in the AWA Bruce Kelley QSO. Except for curious visitors, transmitters must be limited to 1929 (or earlier) designs and not crystal controlled.

This year I used my Hull Hartley at 10 watts input and a Drake 2B receiver. The change from last year was having a 80 mtr vertical available rather than a simple end fed wire. Unfortunately SE MN was under a blizzard warning for most of the first weekend of the party and I was busy elsewhere for most of the second weekend. Self excited oscillators like the Hull Hartley are prone to frequency wobble whenever the antenna load changes. My vertical swaying in the blizzard wind was too much for it. Rather than wobble all over the band I again used my 105' end fed inverted "L".

Even with only 3 watts out to a low (10' -15' off the ground) antenna I made 11 contacts and worked both east and west coasts. I had a good time.

Maybe next year I'll have an amplifier for my Hartley so that I can use the vertical (with the sway) and run closer to 6-7 watts out.