When I began ham radio in (SWL in 1959, ticket in 62), SSB was just on its
way in.
The phone bands were still 99.xx % AM.
In my QTH, there were only 2 or 3 OM on SSB.
We three high school kids decided to go that route and in 1963 I got my
Galaxy 300 SSB transceiver.
It cost $300 which was a lot of money for a school boy.
Mowed a lot of lawns and washed a lot of cars to pay for it.
Once on SSB, we found many of the locals, our "friends", refused to talk to
us.
For the next several years, the bands slowly shifted from AM to SSB.
However in 1970, there were still small groups of OM working AM and swearing
they would stay on AM until they died.
In many cases, their wish came true.
(Note: this is not to be compared with those today who work AM for the fun
of it. These guys never went on SSB and never spoke to SSB stations.)
We kids shook our heads at them and I promised myself I would never get like
that.
Today's ham world is rapidly migrating to SDR.
Many OM are saying they will never go that route.
But ham radio will go that way, with or without them.
HISTORY DOES REPEAT ITSELF.
Reluctantly I am going to force myself to move on.
Most likely I will adapt.
If I fail to adapt, it may be because I am too old and set in my ways,
but it won't be because I was too stubborn to try it!
Anyone have a dirty car I can wash? ;-)
73 - Rick, DJ0IP
(Nr. Frankfurt am Main)
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