NEW DIRECTIONS RADIO

Image Gallery PHOTO BY BEVERLY MILLS STETSON

by Copthorne Macdonald

The author of this column, who has been writing for MOTHER since 1973, is the inventor of slow-scan television . . . a method of amateur radio transmission that allows ham operators to both hear and see each other during short wave broadcasts.

LOW-COST RIGS

The first challenge that any would-be radio amateur faces, of course, is passing that awesome government exam on Morse code and radio theory. And the second obstacle is simply acquiring the transmitting and receiving equipment needed to put a station on the air. However, for many folks, today's economic climate has made the second hurdle as big as-or bigger than-the first!

Over the past 25 years, a more or less "standard" solution to the hardware problem has evolved. It's the route usually taken by hams who intend to use the "long distance" HF (high frequency) amateur bands. Such a person often buys a,"100-watt output, multi band, single sideband transceiver". To reduce all that jargon to plain English, I'm talking about a combined transmitter/receiver covering most (and sometimes all) of the ham bands between 1.8 and 30 MHz. These units have a power output to the antenna of 100 watts, and permit both voice (SSB) and Morse code (CW) transmission and reception. There are many manufacturers, both Japanese and domestic, producing such rigs. And while the size, appearance, and features of the units vary from model to model, their performance on the air is remarkably similar. Unfortunately, when bought new, the transceivers cost from about $500 to almost $2,000 . . . with the majority falling in the $600 to $1,000 range. (Ads for these setups can be found in all of the ham radio magazines, if you're interested.)

USED GEAR

Now $600 is a lot of money . . . too much for many people to spend on their first ham rigs. Happily, there are alternatives to these expensive units. For starters, consider used equipment. Almost all of today's new "gear" is solid state, and designed to operate from a 12volt DC power source . .

either a storage battery or a 20-amp 12-volt regulated power supply. On the other hand, older multi-band transceivers (while also designed to deliver a full 100 watts of output) use vacuum tubes instead of transistors, and their associated power supplies plug into 115 volts AC. Used rigs of this type are often priced from $200 to $500 (even classics such as the Drake TR-4 and the Collins KWM-2, which were considered tops in their day). Better still, these tube-type units transmit and receive every bit as well as solid-state transceivers, and if you have 115-volt AC power available, they should prove quite satisfactory. Amateur Electronic Supply (their home office is Dept. TMEN, 4828 West Fond dub Lac Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53216) specializes in used equipment . . . and may just be able to help you get on the air.

Another source of used equipment could be a nearby radio fan who has recently "upgraded" his or her station. Most medium sized towns have ham radio clubs, and a visit to the one nearest you might help you locate such a resource person. Just find the club . . . go to a meeting . . . and let your equipment needs be known. To obtain the addresses of ham clubs in your area, check with local chambers of commerce or write to the national ham organization: the American Radio Relay League, Dept. TMEN, 225 Main Street, Newington, Connecticut 06111. (Remember, too, that most clubs offer courses to help you pass those tough license exams!)