Topband: Genius Loci

[Donald Chester]

>From: Steve Ireland <vk6vz at arach.net.au>

>Back in the 1960/70s, it was the tradition for all newly licensed radio
>amateurs in the UK to go onto topband, where they did their apprenticeship
>by building a 10W AM/CW transmitter to go with their ex-WW2 military
>surplus receiver...

>There was a real genius loci back in those days and thankfully it is still
>infecting lots of people.

That's EXACTLY the issue I have with the new "foundation class" entry level 
licence in VK and in the UK, that forbids the use of anything but 
commercially-built equipment.  I believe there is a beginner licence with a 
similar restriction in Canada, or at least that one has been proposed.

Don, k4kyv