Like it's 1978

Cleaning the garage, I found this photo of me in my radio shack in 1978.

It was strictly a VHF and UHF operation back then. On the desk was a Gonset Communicator 2-meter AM transceiver (that I have no recollection of owning!), a Motorola UHF commercial transceiver converted for 450 MHz FM and an ICOM IC-230 2-meter FM mobile transceiver (under the antenna rotor control box).

On the shelf was a Wilson 2-meter handheld that was responsible for kicking off my ham radio writing career. I added the Touch-Tone pad to the Wilson and wrote a how-to article that Wayne Green, W2NSD, published in 73 Magazine.

Next to my knee was a Gonset 2-meter 500-watt amplifier. My fledgling beer can collection was on the shelf behind the Wilson.

I still own the Heathkit SWR/power meter and the table under the amp. Everything else is long gone. (Wish I still owned the amp!)

Arrived

My First Heathkit ― The HR-10B Receiver

Yesterday, UPS delivered the Elecraft KX3 transceiver kit that I ordered at Hamvention. UPS also delivered an anti-static mat and wrist-strap that I ordered to use while assembling the KX3.

I have built plenty of Heathkits in the past and did not need any stinkin' anti-static devices. However, the KX3 kit is not your father's Heathkit.

The KX3 kit is a no soldering needed kit. Basically, I build the KX3 enclosure and plug-in various preassembled and tested pc boards. Those boards contain sensitive components that may be damaged by Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) simply by touching them, thus the need for the anti-static devices.

Last night, I unpacked the box from Elecraft and checked that everything I ordered had been delivered (it had). Then I began reading the kit assembly manual and plan to build the radio this weekend (3 to 4 hours are required to build it).

Surfin’: Numbering 600

This week, Surfin’ reaches the 600 mark and commemorates the event numerically.

Surfin': Got Kits?

This week, Surfin’ considers those other vintage ham radio kits.

Surfin’: Got Heathkits?

This week, Surfin’ celebrates Heathkit’s reentry into the kit business.

Surfin’: My Field Days

This week, Surfin’ considers the ham radio event of the year, ARRL Field Day.

WA1BXI

I read in the obituaries today that John Karezna, WA1BXI, died.

John was the first person to answer a voice CQ from me.

After I passed my Technician Class license, I bought a used Heathkit Twoer and put it on the air on 2-meters AM in April 1971. John came back to my first ever voice CQ and we became fast friends, chatting away for hours on the old Connecticut Mobileers channel (145.35 MHz).

John worked with my grandfather, Andrzej Gogolewski, at Chase Metal Works in Waterbury and being into metal, he built a tilt-over tower from scratch. The tower was about 75-feet tall and I drove over to John's house in Wolcott to see it was duly impressed.

I eventually moved to 2-meter FM leaving John on 2-meter AM, thus ending our long chats. I occasionally ran into John on the air during VHF contests, but during contests, there was no time for long chats and our friendship waned.

Anyway, 73, my old friend and thank you for answering my "CQ."

Surfin': Contesting for the Fun of It

This week's Surfin' recalls contesting the June VHF QSO Party with a lot of enthusiasm, but not much equipment.

Surfin': Getting Heathkit Manuals and Getting Smart

This week, Surfin’ looks for old Amateur Radio manuals online and finds a ham radio in a recent flick.

Old Heathkit Manuals Forced Offline

"Even though the company (Heathkit) stopped making and selling kits back in 1992, it apparently just sold the copyrights on its old manuals to another company, which is going around forcing any old manuals offline and demanding people buy them instead..."

Read all about it here.