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HAM BIBLIOGRAPHY

I have been a ham for over 35 years. Got my Novice ticket in 1974 by taking a test with my Elmer, Uncle and Friend - Daily Slagle the original holder of the call sign W5SWV. My call came in the mail WN5QVM. I tore up 40 meters with my Johnson Viking Adventurer on 7.140 mc (it was a crystal controlled transmitter with an 807 tube final) and 50 watts into a 40 meter dipole at 30 feet. I used an old Arc 5 receiver with a homebrew power supply I built with the help of my uncle. Later he helped me to convert an Arc 5 transmitter into a VFO which I plugged into the crystal socket on the Adventurer. For my birthday he bought me a National NC-98 receiver complete with matching speaker - I was in heaven now! I could move around on the novice bands with ease.

Later I became interested in the VHF and UHF bands so I needed to pass the General License test, which I did in 1975. I had to take this test at the FCC office on Commerce St in Dallas, TX. It was a nerve racking experience, but the older guy that gave me the code test was very helpful and gave me a few pointers which I try to remember today. I was now WB5QVM and had more privileges and could get on the higher bands.

I got very active in 2 meter ssb/cw and 432 ssb/cw weak signal work. I was also on 1296 cw for a short while before a tornadic storm took down my 100 ft tower and all of my antennas in 1991. That was a big blow that was hard to overcome. So, I was inactive for a while except for 2 meter FM and repeater activity. SWOT #2110

I decided to get back on the HF bands when I friend of mine from High School called me up one day and wanted to see if we could make contact. He had gotten interested in ham radio when we went to college together and eventually got his ticket - WY9K. He was now in Indiana, so I knew I needed HF to do that trick. I got back on in August of 2009 and have been having a blast ever since working DX on the HF bands and talking to my new friends and old friends alike. I decided to upgrade to Extra for the privileges on the lower end of the cw bands to work the better DX. I passed it September 4, 2009. Then I applied for a very special call to me as a vanity call sign and got W5SWV and I hope I do as well of a job as he did when he was still with us.

WY9K at my station WN5QVM in 1975

Best 73,

Jim

W5SWV

THE STATION

&

ANTENNAS

• Icom IC756ProII
• Icom IC706MKIIG
• Ameritron AL-572
• HB pair 3-500Zs
• Heathkit SA-2060A Antenna Tuner
• 2 meter amp - Modified AM-6155/GRT-22
• 70 CM amp - Modified AM-6155/GRT-22
• Wilson SY33 Triband Beam up 33 feet (10 meters)
• Cushcraft R7 Vertical up 3 feet (.9 meters)
• HB G5RV up 30 feet (9 meters)
• HB 22 element 70cm Horizontal yagi
• HB 13 element 2 meter Horizontal yagi
• Hygain 68-B 6 meter beam

I put the30 ft tower and antennas up on a Saturday in October 2009with the help from my friends K5AR and W5VQ. I have known Glenn (W5VQ) since my novice days and Brad (K5AR) is a new ham I met when I got back on the air in August. He has been a big help. The R7 Vertical was donated by WB5DCU. Wilmer (WB5DCU) has been a friend from my amateur radio beginnings.Wilmer became a silent key Tuesday August 30th, 2011. He will be greatly missed.

Here is my new VHF array.A KLM vertical for FM, Hombrew 13 element on a 16 ft boom 2 meter Horizontal for ssb/cw and a Hygain 68-B six meter antenna donated to me by a good friend W5TO - Bob here in Sherman.

Thanks Aunt Kay for all of your support - Love you!

SK de W5SWV . .

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