Christmas weekend

 Santa Ham image of the day:

I think Santa likes boatanchors! Or is that a space heater? Tell me AI, which is it?  I asked for a boat anchor!

As you might expect - not too much going on this weekend.

Contests:

RAEM Contest - 0000Z-1159Z, Dec 24 - https://raem.srr.ru/rules/

CW QRS Xmas Activity: 0000Z, Dec 24 to 2359Z, Dec 31 - https://cwqrs.it/en/xmas-activity-2023-rules/

Olivia Digital Mode Winter 2023 QSO Party

Dec 24-Dec 31, 0000Z-2359Z, NW7US, Fayetteville, OH. Olivia Digital DXers Club. 28.1225 21.0725 14.0725 7.0725. Certificate. Tomas Hood, PO Box 110, Fayetteville, OH 45118. PDF Certificate for even one QSO in Olivia mode during QSO Party. Frequencies are listed on website. Celebrating 20 years of Olivia. OliviaDigitalMode.org

Special Events

Nada, zip zilch

The 80 Meter Fox Hunt went pretty much as I expected, last night. I was able to hear Drew K9CW in Illinois, quite weakly at first, but stronger and stronger as the evening progressed. I managed to get into his log at 0230 UTC, the 30 minute mark of the hunt.

I never heard Brian K0DTJ in California, and from his submitted log, he didn't hear much of anybody, either.  He reported working only three California Hounds. He had noise problems - severe static crashes due to an active thunderstorm cell in his part of the country. That will kill your ability to copy less than 599 signals, all right.

So I can report that not only was I not shut out this week, but my Batting Average for the week was .250. If I was a Major League Baseball player these days, that would be worth millions.

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!-

Sky Buddy

Picture as promised. It doesn't appear to be in too bad shape. I haven't connected it to the variac, yet.

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Interesting

Not Amateur Radio related in the strictest sense - but interesting, anyway:

https://wapo.st/2NT9c9k

A Washington Post article on plans to recover the radio apparatus used on the RMS Titanic.

"If carried to the surface, it could perhaps be restored to working order, RMS Titanic Inc. said, meaning “Titanic’s radio — Titanic’s voice — could once again be heard."

That would be one heckuva restoration job! After all these years under saltwater, I doubt there'd be much left of the original radio that would be recyclable.

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Our friend, Vinnie

Seems like I'm writing about Silent Keys these days.

Vinnie Lobosco KC2IZK was a member of the South Plainfield Amateur Radio Club, among others. One day this past January, the club received an e-mail from his niece. Sadly, she informed us that Vinnie had suffered a heart attack, and that the prognosis was not good. A few days later, Vinnie was taken off life support and passed away.

Vinnie was a confirmed bachelor, having no wife or children. He lived in his parent's house and he became what could be called (charitably) "an extreme collector" of antique radios and audio equipment. There was so much equipment left behind that his niece opened the house Friday and Saturday to anyone who might be interested in obtaining some of Vinnie's collected treasures.

Marv K2VHW and I made the trip yesterday. When we entered the house, the first thing you noticed was the smell of old paper and dusty, old equipment. Was met our eyes was this - antique radios and phonographs and test equipment from floor to ceiling.

The garage had even more equipment, including TVs - including this extremely rare Hallicrafters TV.

Marv found a gold plated Astatic D104 microphone, a Golden Eagle. It was in excellent shape.  I found this old Hallicraftes S-53A, with all the tubes in place, including an instruction sheet on the inside. I've always wanted a piece of either Hammarlund or Hallicrafters gear in my shack ever since I was licensed in 1978. Thanks to KC2IZK, that dream has come true.

I think it's in good condition. The power cord has been switched out to a current type and everything on the inside looks clean. In a few days, I'll plug it in and will flip the big switch. I'm going to see if anyone in SPARC has a variac that I can borrow so that I can "ease" it back to life. As long as I have this receiver, KC2IZK will always be around.

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Going retro

Thanks to Bob W3BBO, I have a line on acquiring a Drake 2-NT, which was my Novice transmitter.

 

 

Last weekend, Bob and a friend went to a meeting of the Lake Erie Boatanchors, and spotted one.  He knows I have been looking to get my hands on one, so he got the owner's contact information. We have been corresponding back and forth and it looks like I may purchase it soon.

 

The next question will be - what to use as a receiver?  As mentioned before, I had a Heathkit HR-1680, but the prices I have been seeing on used ones are a bit more than I would like to spend.

 

Any suggestions for a decent Novice receiver of the 60s or 70s that wouldn't cost an arm and a leg?

 

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!