2020 was a wild ride. I put this blog on standby/back burner for over a year. I just got tired of writing and needed a break. I quit writing for CQ Mag in 2012 due to the tiresome ritual of monthly deadlines for column submission. Ham radio is a fun hobby. I have always subscribed to the philosophy that when it is no longer "fun" its time to find another avenue for spare time involvement.
A few weeks ago I was approached by a close friend who wanted to know if I was doing any writing. I told her no to which she replied that since I had a lot of experience and great stories, I should return to writing as an emotional outlet. So I have decided to get this blog back on track.
During the past year (2020) the crew at the Bent Dipole Ranch has weathered a bout of COVID (for all four of us), a new mini Dachshund puppy, a duo of antenna eating trees who cost me two low band HF antennas, and (on my end) a worsening of my feet and lower back due to chronic pain caused by the lack of disk material in my back. In the case of my feet, the left foot has started breaking down after being rebuilt in 2005.This makes for painful walking, and prolonged standing. 2020 was not a fun time!
In short, I just didn't feel up to writing so the blog suffered and you loyal readers were left in the dark, lacking my caustic wit and sarcastic comments. Well, relax....I'm baaaaaack!
Let's start with a recap of the current shack gear. My main HF station is the venerable Elecraft K2 with a whole bunch of options. This is my 2nd one (although I have built two others for local hams). In order to afford new gear I have to sell one or more radios I currently have to get the cash to pony up for a new radio. This K2 came from an estate of a local ham. It works great and I don't plan on selling/trading this radio.
Recently I picked up a Hallicrafters SR-160 w/PSU. This is a mid-60s radio that covers 80-20 meters SSB/CW. The PSU needs to be recapped and as soon as that project gets done the SR-160 will be my main QRO SSB radio.
My ICOM IC-202S has a new friend....an IC-402 for UHF SSB/CW. So now I have the makings of a QRP V/UHF terrestrial weak signal/OSCAR station. The 402 needs a crystal for the VXO circuit to cover 432.2-432.4 MHz. It has the 435 MHz OSCAR crystal already installed. Both radios work great. They are my "pet project" radios. I don't know why I like these ICOM bookshelf rigs so much other than they are not only unusual but they are ultra-cool and work fine (for 40 yr old rigs). Oh, yeah....they are also true QRP radios which fits into my overall philosophy of "doing more with less".
Another recent acquisition is a used ICOM IC-706MkIIG radio set that I plan on using in the truck. This will replace three radios that currently reside there saving some space and offering 160 meters through 70 centimeters coverage using CW/SSB/FM/DATA. The control head can be detached and remotely mounted to save space in the cab of the truck.
My project Wilderness Radio NorCal 40-A CW transceiver will be completed later this year and I'll detail my mods to this radio set here in this blog. Suffice it to say that this NorCal 40-A is not your daddy's radio! Originally this project started in CQ Mag just before I stopped writing for them. It's been sitting idle so its time to get it out and finish this project.
I have several QRP Guys kits, namely two of their modernized PARASET radios patterned after the WWII PARASET radio that provided much needed information from German occupied Europe. They are both all solid state so its all done with no vacuum tubes. 4 States QRP group has just offered their version of the PARASET called the "Bayou Jumper" in kit form. For just under $100 you get a complete kit that replicates, in solid state form, the WWII PARASET. If the funding is available I may pick one up just for grins. Sounds like a fun project.
On the boatanchor scene I am in the middle of restoring a nice Drake 2B receiver along with a very nice Heathkit HR-10 which was my first ham receiver when I was first licensed as a Novice operator. Aside from a recapping and alignment, the HR-10 should be an easy project. The 2B needs recapping and a full alignment. Again, no big deal, just a large investment of time.
Two antenna eating trees came down in high winds after soaking rains so I lost two antennas, my 500 ft loop and a multi-band dipole. The 40M Extended Double Zepp (EDZ) is coming down (its been up for 12 years and needs refurbishment) and being replaced with a G5RV multi-band antenna. Before the foliage starts blooming on the trees, I plan on putting some wires up in several trees to hold a 160M end-fed wire and possibly a new (or rebuilt) 40M EDZ.
The tower needs some work: I have to have the 2M 13 element Yagi re-secured and pointed in the proper direction. Somehow the long-boom Yagi was not fully tightened down on the rotator mast and the winds managed to turn in about 30 degrees. The rotator control cabling needs to traced out as I have lost the wiring key. The roof tower on the east end of the house is being moved to the western end. On that roof tower will be a set of M2 2meter loop antennas (w/phasing lines), a PAR stressed 6M Moxon antenna and possibly a set of V/UHF Quagis for satellite work.
As for the military radio gear, I procured a nice AN/TRC-77A Special Forces HF CW set along with an AN/PRC-1088 squad radio (low band FM, fully synthesized, frequency hopping radio), and finally an AN/GRC-109 CIA/SF CW set to play with on military Field Day.
OK, that's about it for the latest update from the ham shack at the Bent Dipole Ranch. Currently all ham activities here are on hold until we get the master bathroom remodeled. This project has taken on a life of it's own. Once completed, I will be upgrading the ops bench in the shack and redoing the radios to provide an improved work space. That may require a few pictures!!
Until net time, stay well, stay safe and play radio.
Vy 73 Rich K7SZ
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