52+ years in amateur radio.

The picture on top shows me with my 1943 vintage Federal 167B Marine Transmitter (pair of 813s modulated by pair of 811As). This is a physically smaller (but electrically the same) version of the transmitters that were on the Liberty Ships during WWII. I'm told that these rigs may have even been used on tow boats on the Ohio River during the war. They were used for CW and MCW only from 2- 24 MHz. I added the modulator and power supplies that are contained in the short rack base unit that the transmitter is sitting on.

I was first licensed in 1959 as KN9UBF, then K9UBF until 1977, when I was issued N9GT. I became W9GT in 1999. I enjoy all modes, including SSB and CW. I also enjoy working VHF and particularly like working six meters during band openings. I have always loved working HF DX and occasional contests, but my passion is AM, tube-type boatanchor gear, and nostalgia radio (including vintage-style homebrewing). Look for me on AM with the 1943 Federal 167B Marine Transmitter and various other vintage equipment on 160, 75, and 40.

Check out the Midwest Classic Radio Net on Saturday mornings at 1330 Z on 3885 kHz. and the DX-60 Net with NCS Mike, N8ECR on 3880 kHz at 1300 Z on Sunday mornings. I am a frequent check-in to both and you can hear many great sounding vintage stations checking-in every week. Another opportunity to exercise that old AM gear or just enjoy AM operation is on the Fort Wayne 6 Meter Net. The net meets on Tues and Thurs nights on 50.580 MHz. at 8:00 pm local time. The Tues night session is on USB and the Thurs night session is on AM. Everyone is invited to check-in!

While I am discussing net activities, I should mention that we certainly enjoy checking into the "World Famous" Little Red Barn Net each weekday morning on 3820 KHz (with the exception of Thursdays, when we move to 3826 KHz). The Little Red Barn Net honors the legacy of our departed friend Bob Sievers, W9FJT and his long broadcasting career at WOWO radio. The Little Red Barn Net welcomes all check-ins and is a great gathering of friendly radio amateurs.

Antennas at W9GT

As you can see in the first picture below, we finished installing the antennas, after dark ! 10 el wide spaced 2M yagi@ 90', 5 el 6M yagi@ 85', 4 el KT-34A tribander 20-15-10M@ 80', 6 M Halo @ 73', cross boom for dual 40 M full wave loops @ 70'. Other wire antennas consist of 160 M Inv L running 80' vertical and 55' horiz, 80/75 M three-wire dipole up 60' (old buzzard antenna), and another 80/75 M dipole up 40' which is fed with ladder line. 

I hope to soon replace the 6 M Halo antenna with a pair of Cushcraft ASQ-6 Squalos in a vertically-stacked configuration.  The Squalos should provide a little gain and serve as a nice omni-directional antenna for 6 M nets, etc.  I also have a pair of 2M Halo antennas that I plan to install in a similar configuration, perhaps between the 6 M antennas on the same mast. 

Miscellaneous Activities

I always thought that I agreed with the statement: "Life is too short for QRP". However, recently I have been playing with some little 1 - 2 tube transmitters utilizing designs from the 1930's. I have had a really great time with these little rigs (shown in the pictures below) and have had several contacts with them utilizing a pair of 50L6s in a push-pull xtal osc and an AC-DC power supply in one configuration running a grand 3 watts output on 40 M CW. A second version is built on a poplar breadboard using a 6A6 tube in the push-pull xtal osc circuit running 5 watts output (it is very close to the original version designed by Frank Jones that appeared in the 1936 Radio Handbook and uses original 1930's vintage components.) I plan to build a few more tube-type QRP rigs, perhaps including a few low power AM transmitters.

I have enjoyed operating in the AM Transmitter Rally activity over the weekend (Feb. 10-13, 2012) using the special event call sign W9T. Lots of great activity and AM signals across the bands. Using the old Federal 167B transmitter and Collins R-390A receiver. Great fun! Update .03/01/12 I just found out that I came in first in the Rally! As W9T, I made 153 QSOs in 34 states for first place. Wow, I am happy to have done so well, but I really appreciate the participation of all the AM'ers during this event. What a great time! Thanks to Steve, WA1QIX for organizing the Rally.

The rig shown below is a 6AG7 - 6L6 transmitter with a companion pr 6L6 Heising modulator. This rig appeared several years ago in my article in Electric Radio Magazine entitled "Long Live the 6L6" . It has been a super performer and I have worked many stations on AM on 75 and 40 meters with it, running only about 15 watts output. Lots of Fun!!

On the other end of the time line spectrum--- I have recently also been experimenting with a new little solid state QRP AM rig on 75M. The Small Wonder Labs Retro 75 AM Transceiver kit is a really nice little QRP AM rig and I have been having a ball with it. I have worked many stations with 2 watts AM. So I guess I enjoy QRP, as well as QRO!

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Digital?

Perhaps I am also fond of "diversity" to the extreme when it comes to my ham radio activities. I have also been playing recently with digital modes, specifically BPSK31. I acquired a SignaLink USB Interface and I have been playing a little with PSK31 onseveral bands. I have been making a few contacts and find it to be quite fun and interesting. Amazing what you can do with low power and simple antennas on this mode. Yes, I know, it is quite a contrast between digital modes and tube-type boatanchors and AM. :-)

Boatanchor Collection

Below are some pictures of 1950's vintage rigs in my collection: A Knight T-50 Transmitter with Matching V-44 VFO and a 6L6 plate modulator and a Johnson Adventurer Transmitter with the matching 122 VFO.

Unusual Rigs

Talk to anyone who knows me and they will agree, I really love to collect , restore, and operate unusual rigs. I have a number of them in my collection, including the old Federal 167B Marine Transmitter, pictured above. I also have a very unusual and somewhat rare 1947-48 vintage John Meck T-60-1 transmitter in the shack, which I frequently operate on 75 M AM. This little rig is most easily recognized by its antenna connections that utilize porcelain feed thru insulators on the front panel. It runs a pair of 6L6s plate modulated by a pair of 6L6s for about 35 watts output.

Below is another quite rare and unusual transmitter. The Subraco MT-15X. This little "green wonder" is a late 1940's vintage mobile transmitter. It is set-up for 10 meters, but should be easy to put it on other bands. The Subraco is paired with a 1950's vintage Gonset Super Six converter that was utilized with the standard AM car radio for an amateur band and shortwave receiver. This makes a nice little mobile rig.

Heavy Metal Row:

The Collins 30K-4 on the right has moved on to another vintage enthusiast's shack, it will soon be replaced by a new "super" boatanchor vintage style home brew AM rig using a pair of 6C21's modulated by a pair of 304TLs. I have acquired most of the parts over the last 30 years, or so, and a big rack cabinet to put the new rig in. (stay tuned!)

TUBES and Black Wrinkle Rule!!