Ham radio
I have been a licensed amateur radio (ham) operator since 1970.
Radio hams can communicate worldwide using the short-wave spectrum with very little power (100 watts, about the same as an average lightbulb, will do quite nicely when signal propagation conditions are reasonable).
My main interests are radio telegraphy (Morse code) and single sideband (voice).
Most of my equipment dates from the mid 1970s.
Current equipment [not all pictured]
- Yaesu FT-101Â CW/SSB transceiver
- Yaesu FT-101E CW/SSB transceiver
- Yaesu SP-101PB speaker/phonepatch
- Yaesu FRG-7 general coverage receiver
- Emtron EAT-300A antenna tuner
- MFJ-484 Grandmaster memory keyer
- JPS ANC-4 active noise canceller
- Main microphones: Shure 444 and Astatic D-104
- Main telegraph key: Bencher ST-1 paddle
- Other telegraph keys
- Racal RA-17 C3 general coverage receiver
- Hallicrafters SC-40B general coverage receiver
- Sony ICF 2010 portable general coverage receiver
- Johnson Viking Adventurer CW transmitter
Antennas
- 80m inverted vee, 11m high
- 40m dipole, 5m high
- 20m inverted vee, 11m high
Previous stations
1983 (Vancouver)
- Drake TR4 CW/SSB transceiver
- 3-element 20m yagi antenna
1981 (maritime mobile)
- 2x Yaesu FT-101ZD MkII CW/SSB transceivers
- Dentron MLA-2500B 1 kilowatt amplifier
- Collins R-390A general coverage receiver
- Dipole and inverted vee antennas
1977 (Winnipeg)
- Heathkit HX-20 SSB transmitter
- Heathkit HR-20 receiver
- Dipole antennas
1970 (Toronto)
- Johnson Viking II CW/AMÂ transmitter with Model 122 VFO
- National NC-2-40D general coverage receiver (PTT and QSK with the Viking II)
- Heathkit HR-10 receiver
- Dipole, folded dipole and inverted vee antennas
Member:
In appreciation:
Many newcomers to ham radio are assisted into the hobby by experienced operators referred to as “Elmers”. My Elmer was Nels Gradeen, VE3GKL, (deceased) who generously gave me his time, advice and encouragement more than 40 years ago.