Cleaning House

[W9ZSL]

Howdy!

They say age before beauty.  In my case it's age complete with cataracts, arthritis, heart problems  AND NOW GOUT.  There goes Miller Time and big steaks.  Hit me on Easter.  So, I'm parting out the Jonque Boxes and invite you to the party.

You know those big wax boxes that hold 50# of chikkin?  One is full of just resistors and capacitors.  A fellow ham / Elmer had a Radio / TV store and I stopped at his garage sale.  Found lots of copperweld and made me a dipole tuned to 3885.

I'm still keeping enough stuff to scale back again to the 200 watt job with a single supply.  Might screen modulate an 813.  I have another Thordarson that's good for a solid 1,250 V under load.

But first, remember I mentioned the ground up build of the Heath AT-1?  Still cleaning parts. The DX-20 is another story so I decided to concentrate on my code and replace the power caps.  Next up the Gonset G-33 (needs a new cord) and I'll have a copy of my first decent Novice station.  Start the "Way-Back" machine.

I need to move the station upstairs and for now I'm sticking with 75 Meters. The dipole with 1:1 balun is up exactly 20 feet with center support.  SWR at 3885 is so close to 1 to 1 that I can't see any difference in reflected to transmitted.  I also have a restored Kenwood TS 440 and the complete DX-60B station.  Back to basics.  May even plate modulate the three Heaths!

Thanks for letting me vent a bit.  Will keep you posted.  73!

Mike
W9ZSL

[KA0HCP]

"Agonizing Reappraisal"

Hang in there. As long as you have the interest, it's still fun.  best, bill

[W9ZSL]

Thanks Bill!

Yeah, if I can't build from scratch right now, I have to do what the Pastor preached about tonight:  "Is it worth it?"  His conclusion was that it depends on how much you want it.  I'm a classic case of "The spirit" is more than willing but the flesh is short-circuited!  Too often that's how ambition dies.

Here is my station when I sold the DX-20 and got the Ranger.  That was a hell of a station.  Worked 38 states all with a lowly Gonset G-33 and all on 40 before going to the UW in Madison Fall '64. The antenna was a copperweld, simple dipole with just an insulator in the middle up about 20 feet on the other side of the house.  Yes, I still live there!  No SWR meter.  The pix was taken in my bedroom with my dad.  The local paper company published a magazine and I got a write-up.  Go Sherman!

I was K9ZSL and was part-time on WOBT the local station.  Got the recording & production bug so I built a Gates Yard look-alike.  The dipole ran from a tree to a pole.  Big Box Elder...the weed of trees.  Pieces have been falling off for years.  It's down to an 8 foot stump which is going to be carved into a Gnome village.  My daughter restores Gnomes.

Right now the shack is in the basement which is also my Recording Studio. Station is coming upstairs.  Maybe I can get more active. God works in mysterious ways because now that the flesh is doing it's thing, I can separate the two.  I wanted to combine the studio and a BIG RIG but the less I have to go down into the basement now, the better.  Anyway, I can always yank something out and hook it up to the XTR.  I experimented with the DX-60B with a dbx over-easy compressor through an audio pad into the mic input.  Didn't have an XTL mic just the studio dynamics and condensers.  RF got into the dbx.  I scored a beautiful D-104 and just tried the 60B once or twice.  Never was happy with the audio.  Now.

The DX-60B has been modified.  I'll take that up with tech.  I scored an NOS Electro-Voice 911 mic as used on the Ranger.  This is perfect...in the box with original cord which is waiting for gosinta plug!  I'm going to concentrate on the DX-60B and wire the 911 to it and head for 3885 barefoot.  

You'll have to help me out with the modulation.  I'm sticking with what's in there but might replace the tubes first.  I don't have any scopes or test gear.  

If someone out there might be interested in re-treading an OT and taking some time to get the modulation right in a QSO, here I is.  I can keep you posted. I'm in Rhinelander, Wisconsin 200 miles north of Madison.  My current 75M dipole (on the other side of the house now) is nearly 1:1 SWR at 3885 and is laid out roughly Ne by SW.  I've included the pix of the heath station and studio circa 1995.  TNX/73!

Mike
W9ZSL

[W2PFY]

Sorry to hear about your condition Mike! Father time gets us all at some point That's a very nice DX-60 setup and now that prices seem to be dropping on ePay, perhaps I'll find a cherry? I know we love to hate ePay but it's a great source
to sometimes find what you are looking for be it a radio or otherwise....

[DMOD]

Hi Mike,

Down here

http://amfone.net/Amforum/index.php?board=46.0

There are a number of modifications that can be made to the Dixy Sixty to improve audio and modulation.

Wish we were closer (I am in Eastern Iowa) man -  I'd help you out. 

Phil - AC0OB