----- Original Message -----
From: "Eddy Swynar" <deswynar@xplornet.ca>
To: "Tom W8JI" <w8ji@w8ji.com>
Cc: <topband@contesting.com>
Sent: Sunday, September 16, 2012 3:19 PM
Subject: Re: Topband: Old Radios
On 2012-09-16, at 12:47 PM, Tom W8JI wrote:
Specifically, every year The Antique Wireless Association (NY, USA)
sponsors the "Bruce Kelley 1929 QSO Party" for two weekends in late
autumn: this year marks the first time that 160-meters will be added to
the existing 80- and 40-meter bands of activity. Details may be seen at
http://www.antiquewireless.org/pdf/AWA_2012-2013_Event_Schedule.pdf
The gist of the event is simply this: members dust off any available
1929 (and earlier) active devices---also known as "tubes"(!)---and
incorporate them into homebrewed, self-excited transmitters, with a
maximum limit of 10-watts input (double that, optional, after midnight).
I have a TPTG pair of 45 tubes, but I don't think 160 meters is a good
idea during the ARRL contest. I hope someone made the AWA aware of the
conflict.
:-)
Hi Tom,
Rest assured that both I, as well as Paul (N1BUG), reminded the gang of
that fact!!! I think they're all resolved to the reality of the one
weekend conflicting with the ARRL event, & so will restrict themselves
(ourselves!) to specifically the 80- and 40-meter bands at that time...
Heck, it's tough enough by times during the ARRL 160 fray to be able to
copy kilowatt stations through the wall of QRM with even the tightest of
IF filters, never-mind attempting to QSO a 10-watt chirpy / yoopy signal
whose self-excited & unbuffered frequency is only as steady as the wind
that might be tossing about its antenna! Hi Hi
Well, Tom, if you have pair of 45s in a TPTG set-up, why not take a break
during the non-contest weekend on the band & join us...? Or at least tune
around & soak-in some of the on-the-air ambiance, & imagine that that's
how things most likely sounded during the Roaring Twenties. It's really
quite infectious, AND a whole lotta fun...seriously!
Do you have coils made to cover Topband...? If not, there's plenty of time
to get that done, well in advance of the event. I hope to use a somewhat
more "modern" rig here, i.e. a master-oscillator-power-amplifier
consisting of a Hartley 227 oscillator, driving a paralleled pair of 227s
(but it needs a bit of work here still to "tame" the frequency). For a
receiver I want to employ the services this year of my homebrewed
1929-style 12-tube superheterodyne (224s, 227s., & 245s galore!).
~73~ de Eddy VE3CUI - VE3XZ
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I'll try to get a 210 on 160 for ARRL and see how many states I can work. If
not the modified 1928 Radiola 60 superhet is all ready to at least listen.
It took 2 1/2 years to work DXCC on 80 with PP 211's which were very stable
but Ive taken that apart and now building a 160-20 rig starting off with a
27 and ending in a 860.
Carl
KM1H
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UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
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