Topband: A Ham for 75 Years

[Paul Christensen]

Paul,

Congrats on 75 years, and that's a great story to tell.   For some, it's 
hard to believe that a single-step regen can perform well on an uncrowded 
band but apparently many ops used some form of a simple regen well into the 
'40s.

Question:  Since you mentioned 160m, did you learn code and theory through 
Marshall Ensor's (W9BSP) on-air tutorials?  Even if you didn't, do you 
recall hearing his big signals on 160m during the 1930s?

Paul, W9AC


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Paul Elliott" <paab at valornet.com>
To: <topband at contesting.com>
Sent: Thursday, January 19, 2012 10:38 AM
Subject: Topband: A Ham for 75 Years


>                                    A Ham for 75 Years
>
>
>
> Seventy five years ago today, 19 January 1937, I was issued a Class C
> Amateur Radio Operator License and my Station License W5GGV by the FCC. At
> the time I was 14 years old and a sophomore in high school in Kingsville,
> TX.  My code test was given by a Class A Operator who worked mainly 160 m
> phone.  I still have in my mind a very clear image of his end fed antenna
> being clipped directly (no blocking capacitor!) on the output tank coil
> (1500 volts)  The antenna exited the room by going thru a one inch hole in 
> a
> window screen.
>
>
>
> My first rig, built with parts from defunct Atwater Kent radios, consisted
> of a UX45 tube in a TNT circuit (maybe three or four watts output on 40 m)
> and a 2-tube regenerative receiver.  My antenna, clipped on the output 
> tank
> (200 volts), also went out through a hole in a window screen-but I did use 
> a
> blocking capacitor.  My key was made from a hacksaw blade.
>
>
>
> I did not get on 160 m until I moved to Hobbs, NM, after retirement in the
> late 1980s (Hobbs was chosen because of my other hobby-glider pilot).
> Trying to work 160 m DX from an electrically noisy 120 x 120 foot city lot
> in SE NM is not for those who are easily discouraged.  I have managed to
> confirm 183 current entities on 160 m and have the credits, cards, and 
> LOTW
> for 9-band DXCC and 321 total current countries overall.  I have two 
> antenna
> tuners and two transmitting antennas:  one bent piece of wire and one
> slanted piece of wire.
>
>
>
> Some thoughts that tell me that I might be getting an to be an old 160 m 
> DX
> chaser:
>
>
>
> 1.     I remember that I talked to Civil War veterans when I was a child.
>
> 2.     I remember the Great Depression.
>
> 3.     I remember that every kid who was building a crystal set KNEW that 
> he
> couldn't use any old oatmeal carton for his coil form -it had to be a 
> Quaker
> Oats carton or his set wouldn't work.
>
> 4.     I remember what happened when I tried to make a galena crystal
> because I didn't have a dime to buy a piece of galena.  The dictionary 
> said
> galena was lead sulphite, an ore of lead.  I had access to lead, sulphur,
> and a small gas-fired heater.  Nuff said.  What I got didn't appear to be
> galena-but it worked.
>
> 5.     I remember that, when I became a ham, there were no 60 m, 30 m, 15 
> m,
> nor 6 m bands.  There was a 5 m band.  There was no phone on 40 m.  There
> was no SSB nor FM on any band.  There were three classes of  Operator
> License:  A, B, C.
>
> 6.     I remember WW II (The Pacific Ocean is very big).
>
> 7.     I remember that I was the first ham in South Texas to operate SSB 
> in
> the 1950s.
>
> 8.     I remember I have had a pilot license over 70 years.
>
> 9.     My CW speed has dropped from 35-40 wpm to 25-30 wpm.
>
> 10. I still log on paper by hand.
>
> 11. The size of any amplifier I have is limited by the weight that my XYL
> can lift.
>
>
>
> Kind and knowledgeable people on this forum have, at times, provided me 
> with
> help and information.  To them I express my deepest thanks and 
> appreciation.
>
>
>
> Now it is on to the next 75 years (and how I can improve reception on 160 
> m
> at my QTH).
>
>
>
>
>
> 73 Paul W5DM
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK