[TenTec] Fw: Re [Ten Tec}OT - Entry Level for Boys

Fri Aug 19 23:52:58 EDT 2016

In 1962 I built Lew McCoy’s “Novice Gallon” or General 150 Watter”.

I used parts removed from old T sets from Bob’s TV in Sioux City, Iowa. I even got my power transformer from a TV set.

A really nice man from Friend Sheet Metal made my chassis for me at no cost.

I could not afford a plate meter so I used a small incandescent light bulb in series with the plate lead to tune for minimum brightness. Not the best practice, but it was what I had.

I took this over to John, K0AAR (SK), and he politely gave me a “D” for the assembly work and made me do it over again. The next timeI got a “B+” and it actually worked. i used it for many years, nd added a controlled carrier modulator to it, copied from a Heath DX-40.

This transmitter taught me everything I needed to know about high voltage safety. My electrolytics, all metal cans, were in series for the high voltage. I did forget, once, that one of those cans was HOT! and picked up the transmitter by the electrolytic cans while powered. Of course, I lived through it but  learned respect in a very vivid way. I never told my mom about this incident, not to her dying day...

My receiver was among the very worst in this thread, a Hallicrafters -20R, but it was all I could afford at the time.

My full-length dipole ran 2 feet from the house but 30 feet in the air, and about 10 feet from my neighbor’s bathroom.

My father was chatting with my neighbor one day, and the neighbor, a very bright man, told my father how strange things were the previous night. His bathroom fluorescent light began flashing on and off fairly quickly (about 20 wpm, I would guess). He was stupefied but my father knew EXACTLY what caused this but never “fessed up”. He got quite a few chuckles out of it even time he thought about it.

Gary

W0DVN

> On Aug 19, 2016, at 10:33 PM, Wes Attaway (N5WA) <wesattaway at bellsouth.net> wrote:
> 
> Yes
> 
>   -------------------
> Wes Attaway (N5WA)
> (318) 393-3289 - Shreveport, LA
> Computer/Cellphone Forensics
> AttawayForensics.com
>   -------------------
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: TenTec [mailto:tentec-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Joe
> Papworth via TenTec
> Sent: Friday, August 19, 2016 10:10 PM
> To: tentec at contesting.com; clayton_n4ev at yahoo.com
> Cc: k8mp at aol.com
> Subject: Re: [TenTec] Fw: Re [Ten Tec}OT - Entry Level for Boys
> 
> Hi Wes,
> I'll add yours to to the rest. Do you a copy?
> Seeya, Joe, K8MP
> 
> Sent from AOL Mobile Mail
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Wes Attaway (N5WA) <wesattaway at bellsouth.net>
> To: 'Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment' <tentec at contesting.com>; clayton_n4ev
> <clayton_n4ev at yahoo.com>
> Cc: k8mp <k8mp at aol.com>
> Sent: Fri, Aug 19, 2016 10:07 PM
> Subject: Re: [TenTec] Fw:  Re [Ten Tec}OT - Entry Level for Boys
> 
> 
> I will have to chime in.  
> 
> I got my novice license (KN5DGI) in 1955 and built the "6146 Oscillator" TX
> that was described in QST by Lew McCoy.  I had an SX99 RX.  Antenna was a
> 40-meter dipole fed with some really tiny 72-ohm twin lead that ran through
> the trees and in through a window with no thought of matching or lightning
> protection.  I later built a little antenna tuner, also described in QST.
> 
> Everything was paid for with saved-up paper route money.
> 
> I had 2 or 3 XTALs and my first QSO was with a fellow in El Campo Texas.
> 
> If anyone wants pictures of my early setup, I have them.   
> 
>   -------------------
> Wes Attaway (N5WA)
> (318) 393-3289 - Shreveport, LA
> Computer/Cellphone Forensics
> AttawayForensics.com
>   -------------------
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: TenTec [<a
> href="mailto:tentec-bounces at contesting.com?">mailto:tentec-bounces at contestin
> g.com</a>] On Behalf Of Joe
> Papworth via TenTec
> Sent: Friday, August 19, 2016 8:13 PM
> To: <a href="mailto:clayton_n4ev at yahoo.com">clayton_n4ev at yahoo.com</a>; <a
> href="mailto:tentec at contesting.com">tentec at contesting.com</a>
> Cc: <a href="mailto:k8mp at aol.com">k8mp at aol.com</a>
> Subject: Re: [TenTec] Fw: Re [Ten Tec}OT - Entry Level for Boys
> 
> Hi Clayton,
> I'll add yours to the document. Do you want a copy of the finished product?
> Later, Joe
> 
> Sent from AOL Mobile Mail
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Clayton Brantley via TenTec <<a
> href="mailto:tentec at contesting.com">tentec at contesting.com</a>>
> To: tentec <<a
> href="mailto:tentec at contesting.com">tentec at contesting.com</a>>
> Cc: Clayton Brantley <<a
> href="mailto:clayton_n4ev at yahoo.com">clayton_n4ev at yahoo.com</a>>
> Sent: Fri, Aug 19, 2016 08:53 PM
> Subject: [TenTec] Fw:  Re [Ten Tec}OT - Entry Level for Boys
> 
> 
> 
> 
>     Joe:  My first station was a surplus ARC5 station on 40 meters.  My
> uncle helped me get on the airand did manage to get the transmitter xtal
> controlled.  I used that station for quite a long time andworked quite a
> list of stations.  I was later able to get the VFO going after upgrading.
> 73 Clayton N4EV
> ----- Forwarded Message -----
> From: Joe Papworth via TenTec <<a
> href="<a
> href="mailto:tentec at contesting.com">tentec at contesting.com</a?">mailto:tentec
> @contesting.com">tentec at contesting.com</a</a>>>
> To: <a href="<a
> href="mailto:tentec at contesting.com">tentec at contesting.com</a?">mailto:tentec
> @contesting.com">tentec at contesting.com</a</a>> 
> Cc: <a href="<a
> href="mailto:K8mp at aol.com">K8mp at aol.com</a?">mailto:K8mp at aol.com">K8mp at aol.c
> om</a</a>>
> Sent: Friday, August 19, 2016 8:11 PM
> Subject: Re: [TenTec] Re [Ten Tec}OT - Entry Level for Boys
> 
> 
> I built a GR-91 too Duane. Yep, it was  horrible, but I guess you get what 
> you pay for. HI HI 
> I used mine as an  outboard BFO for the floor model Zenith. 
> Joe, K8MP
> 
> 
> In a message dated 8/19/2016 5:37:55 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
> <a href="<a
> href="mailto:ac5aa1 at gmail.com">ac5aa1 at gmail.com</a?">mailto:ac5aa1 at gmail.com
> ">ac5aa1 at gmail.com</a</a>> writes:
> 
> OK, one  more.  When I started out as WN2HDS in 1963, I was using a Heath
> GR-91  (terrible RX), and a built-from the Handbook 30W 6DQ6B oscillator.
> QSO's  were very few and far between.  Worked all summer mowing lawns  to
> purchase and build a Knight-Kit R-100A with Q-Multiplier and  S-Meter.  Now
> THAT was a receiver (compared to the Heath)....  It  didn't help that I
> ordered a 7175 kc  40m crystal - yep, right  on top of Radio Moscow.  Ouch!
> 
> 73,  Duane
> 
> 
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