Subj : HAM
To   : Richard Brumbaugh
From : Roy Witt
Date : Sun Jun 04 2000 01:03 am

Hello Richard.

02 Jun 00 18:32, you wrote to me:

RW>> Very true.  Not many who build these days.

RB> It's a shame too.  I remember building the HBR-14, a 14 tube dual
RB> conversion ham receiver from 1957 QST.  I could go right down to my
RB> local Ham store (Radio, Inc) and buy any or all the parts it used.

Long about then there were also some kit suppliers, but not anymore. I
built stereo kits from Allied Radio in Chicago during that time.

RB> Not any more.  The store is still there but went out of the ham parts
RB> and ham business years ago.  I don't know just what electronics they
RB> sell now.

Allied Radio is gone too.  The small town I grew up in didn't have any
such thing, but I do remember my uncle building ham radios and recording
on 78rpm records. Don't know where he got the parts, as most of those
things were in Chicago.

RB>   I'm still using my Heathkit HX-1681 CW xmtr and matching
RB> HR-1680 rcvr I built in 1983.  Also built the HW-101 then but
RB> couldn't get used to sending and receiving from the same box.

The Heath 'lunchbox' was the first thing I ever operated on the air.

PM>> Maybe its time to fire up your old boatanchors as an indication of
PM>> ownership of the HF amateur bands!

RW>> Perhaps so.  I un-boxed my 520 from storage about a year ago, but
RW>> haven't listened to it since.

RB> Isn't that 520 one of the most modern rigs, hi, hi.

I bought it new in 1977.  Can't say that it's 'the' most modern rig, but
it is a nice one and is a lot better than the Swan 750 it replaced.  After
nearly 10 years in storage, the tuner made noise as you tuned across the
bands, so I took it apart and cleaned everything in the radio.  Found a
ton of dirt in it from days gone by.



... Happiness is a warm valve......!!!
--- Twit(t) Filter v2.1 (C) 2000
* Origin: KB6PI's Cantina * Santa Ysabel, CA (1:10/22)