Boatanchor Launches My DX 44 Years Later
Carl Haupt (KG4UQD)
on
July 26, 2008
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My introduction to Ham Radio came in 1964 when my family took a vacation to Arizona to see my father's childhood home. I was only nine years old at the time.
Dad stopped at the side of the road near Warren, Arizona and told us we were at the site where he grew up. There wasn't a building to be seen. -- Nothing but sagebrush and cactus. However, there was a steep hill behind where Dad said the house once stood. He told me he wanted me to climb the hill with him.
When we reached the top he pointed out a metal bracket embedded in concrete at the summit. It was the location where Dad attached one end of his 160-meter longwire antenna. He told me that he had a Hallicrafters radio back then in the 1930s. In fact, he told me, the radio receiver in our kitchen was the Hallicrafters receiver from his youth. He then said that the transmitter was in our garage.
I was hooked!
When we got home I found the transmitter and installed it in my bedroom. I wasn't licensed but I could dream! I even found Dad's old throat mike.
Dad's callsign was W6SVE. He relinquished that callsign around the time of World War II and it now belongs to someone else. But I will never forget it. Dad is 87 years old now and lives in a nursing home in Provo, Utah. But every time I visit him he and I fondly recall our hike up the hill to see the mounting bracket for the high end of his longwire antenna.
Despite this early experience on the hilltop and a long-standing love affair with scanners, I didn't get licensed as a tech until about 2002 while living in Florida. Now I'm taking the jump and will sit for the General Exam next week.
After all of these years my childhood fascination with Ham radio DX is about to be realized. I'm 53 now and feeling like a little kid at Christmas. One of my first activities is going to be bringing my Dad home so we can fire up that old Hallicrafters. Forty-four years after Dad planted the DX bug in me I am finally getting to talk on that vintage radio. It would only be fitting if my first DX is on 160-meters.
73!
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Boatanchor Launches My DX 44 Years Later
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by K0BG on July 26, 2008
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Better late, than never.
Alan, KØBG
www.k0bg.com
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RE: Boatanchor Launches My DX 44 Years Later
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by KY6R on July 26, 2008
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I recently read 200 Meters and Down by Clinton DeSoto. Your father certainly has seen some amazing changes in technology - and in the world in general - and we have too - since the advent of amateur radio, and the first microprocessors in the 70's. Almost hard to imagine such rate of technological change.
I've been a ham since 1973, but only got into DX-ing seriously in 2001 - and with next to no ham radio activity from 1977 - 2001. So, DX-ing is still fairly new to me, and when the DX bug bites, it has a way of being the thing that keeps you running to the shack and turning the radio on.
I'm hoping some of the predictions are true about cycle 24 are true - that it could be similar to cycle 19 - which peaked when I was born. If this prediction holds true - what a way to enter into ham radio - and especially DX-ing.
Good luck - I am sure you will have great fun!
73,
Rich
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RE: Boatanchor Launches My DX 44 Years Later
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by W4VR on July 26, 2008
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too bad you can't apply for your dad's old call....perhaps some day you'll be able to.
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Boatanchor Launches My DX 44 Years Later
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by AB7E on July 26, 2008
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You're talking about the Warren that is adjacent to Bisbee, Arizona, right? If so, I live just about 20 miles straight west of there. If you can find the spot on Google Earth where your dad grew up, you can send me a placemark file as an email attachment and I'll take a picture of it next time I'm over there. I could even take a portable rig over to the spot (or as near as I can get to it depending upon what might be there now) and set up a sked to give you a contact from there ... maybe even on 160m if I can string out enough wire without getting put in jail for trespassing. It wouldn't be difficult to make up a custom QSL from the picture.
Just a thought ...
73,
Dave AB7E
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RE: Boatanchor Launches My DX 44 Years Later
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by KG4UQD on July 26, 2008
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Cool!!!
I will be visiting my father in a couple of weeks and I will take a map of the area with me and have him pinpoint it for us. Yes, it is the Warren near Bisbee.
Thanks! Your offer sounds wonderful.
Carl
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Boatanchor Launches My DX 44 Years Later
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by W8KQE on July 26, 2008
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Great story! Thanks for sharing.
I got into radio when I was 13 or so back in the 70's, when my father brought home a 'Nordmende' (German receiver?) shortwave radio. Within a few days of being entranced by all the foreign SW stations and Hams I was receiving, I plastered my whole bedroom ceiling with aluminum foil (thought it was a great antenna at the time), and ran a wire from the radio's telescoping whip to one corner of my bedroom ceiling (taped the stripped end to the foil)!!!
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Boatanchor Launches My DX 44 Years Later
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by KB2DHG on July 27, 2008
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A very nice heart warming story,
I wish you all the luck on passing your General test and hope you enjoy HF as I am sure your dad did.
Keep that ol boat anchor alive and good DX to you...
If you get a chance, rent the move FREQUENCY with Dennis Quaid.
PS: I can't see anyone responding to this with a negative post!
BROVO...AND WELCOME TO THIS GREAT HOBBY CALLED AMATEUR RADIO!
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Boatanchor Launches My DX 44 Years Later
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by W4ZYT on July 27, 2008
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That's a super story! I'm coming up on my 50th year in the hobby, and still find it fascinating. Stories like yours are always heartwarming to hear. Good luck on your exam. You'll enjoy the many facets of ham radio that the new license will open for you.
Vy 73,
Don Lynch W4ZYT
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RE: Boatanchor Launches My DX 44 Years Later
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by K2IY on July 27, 2008
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My dad passed away in July 1989 but he would have been 92 this year. He was never licensed but back in 1965 when I was 11 years old I found his 1930's copy of the ARRL Handbook with the front cover and first chapters missing. I read through the chapters which I bearly understood, and was hooked on HR. Dad helped me get my Novice license in 1969 but never got licensed himself. However he had alot of fun helping me build my Heathkits, buy my receivers and put up the antennas. It's great what a hobby can do for a father-son relationship,
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Boatanchor Launches My DX 44 Years Later
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by W0DLR on July 27, 2008
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Thats a good article, Carl, it takes us all back to our early days of radio. Mine was 1965, it hardly seems that has been 43 years ago. I still (luckily) have a copy of my first Novice License. It was made on an old Thermo-fax machine that used two kinds of paper, one of them being pink as I recall. Its a delicate poor copy, but at least I have it.
My early days included building a Knight "Ocean Hopper" radio with plug in coils. I think we soldered it together two or three times to get it to work. Oh for the days of once again getting Allied Radio, BA, and Lafayette catalogs, and Heathkit.
I'm glad I lived in those days. I still think those were the "haydays" of ham radio like no one will ever see again. (Maybe thats heydays, I don't know)
73 to all
Dave W0DLR
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RE: Boatanchor Launches My DX 44 Years Later
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by W4LGH on July 28, 2008
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Like it was said..."It's NEVER to Late!" I just hope that old equipment works ok for you. The receiver is one thing, but the transmitter with HV could be a problem.
Good luck and I know, your dad will get a real charge out of it!
Studying for license... $50
Setting up Old equip....$150
Seeing your 87 yr old Dad Smile.... "PRICELESS"
73 es gud luck
de W4LGH - Alan
http://www.w4lgh.com
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Boatanchor Launches My DX 44 Years Later
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by W6ZPC on July 29, 2008
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Your great story mirrors mine to a great extent, with one difference, I waited until after my father passed away before becoming a ham.
I am 57 years old and have been exposed to ham radio since I was born. I used to sleep in the evenings in my dad and mom's bedroom as we lived in my grandmother's home and there was not enough room for me to have a room to myself. When the adults went to bed, I went out to the living room and slept on the couch. I can still, in my mind's eye, see my dad at the controls of his rig while I lay in bed nearby. The orange glow of his National NC-183 was almost the only illumination in the room. He wore headphones so as not to disturb me, but I could hear him when he called CQ or when engaged in a QSO with a faraway or nearby ham. Later when I was older I helped my dad with his projects and as a teenager erected and mounted a beam on top of a 55-foot tower in our backyard. I just couldn't master the code (my fault, not enough persistence, I guess). So when the code requirement was lifted last year I took the plunge. I am sorry it didn't happen before my dad died, though I am sure he is proud of me. (Except for the code part. He was an Advanced Class ham and I am sure he would want me to master the code.) I also regret not pursuing the hobby as a teen because then my son would have memories of ham radio as I do.
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Boatanchor Launches My DX 44 Years Later
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by KC2SUO on July 29, 2008
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Great story. Thank you for sharing that. My dad would be 85 now. He also started in the 30's, but was active on the air until he became SK. It wasn't until after he was gone that I got into SWL, and another 20 years before I got my license. I remember the boat anchors he had. I think the biggest reason I like them now is to bring back that ambience of a dim room with a small desk lamp and all the dial lights glowing. I was talking to a fellow at a hamfest signing folks up for QCWA. I told him my dad's call and he shot his name back at me without even blinking! They worked together and were hams in the area going way back. Gave me a copy of a newspaper article about local hams assisting civil defense that had pictures of them both. From 1959! And I found someone online who sent me a scan of a QSL card my dad sent in 1946. I need to get the original. Thank you again for sharing this. Enjoy your visit. We'll listen for you at Christmas time.
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RE: Boatanchor Launches My DX 44 Years Later
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by KC2WI on July 29, 2008
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Reading the stories of the hams who got into the hobby as a kid in the 50's or 60's I feel like I missed missed out on the 'wonder years' of hamming.
Unfortunately I didn't know any hams when I was a kid and didn't get licensed until 1982 after college.
But I didn't totally miss out because my grandfater was an electrician and then a teacher in NYC. Unfortunately he wasn't a ham or real electronics expert, but he did fix TVs and radios and we did quite a lot of fiddling around with stuff when I was a kid in the 60's. He had a neat kit called an Arkay Kit, I think. There were a few tubes and assorted other parts. You could build a simple amplifier, siren, AM receiver, etc. So I did get a little of the magic of good old radio stuff that you could actually work on.
My favorite place to go was Lafayette. I was like a kid in a candy store.
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Boatanchor Launches My DX 44 Years Later
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by N6TZ on July 29, 2008
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I wish you very good luck on the test. I had to look up Warren, AZ to see where it is at, as I had never heard of it before. There it is tucked way at the Southeast of the state. I will be passing thru it this fall as a trip to Tucson and Bisbee is already planned. See you on 160 someday.
Hal, N6TZ
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RE: Boatanchor Launches My DX 44 Years Later
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by W4LGH on July 30, 2008
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Well its never to late to become a Ham, but I would NOT trade my early years for anything else. I didn't care about Sports, and still don't give it much attention, as it is way over rated, and Pro-Sports isn't a sport, its become BIG-BUSINESS. So radios was what I was interested in. My Dad had a radio/TV shop, he knew electronics inside and out, and I wanted to do the same. I got a hell of an education working with him after school, summers etc. Couldn't buy that kind of electronic training today at any University. I had a pseudo free parts supply @ his shop, so build and repairing my ham equipment was very affordable, at least for me, who knows how much I cost my dad. (grin)
I got into it in 1960, and had my license by 1965. Still plenty of time for the old "Hollow-State" tube gear, and the American manufactures...Heathkit, Allied Radio Shack, Drake, Collins, National, Hallicrafters just to name a few...all long gone today, but live on thru our Boatanchors. Thats why I love my Drake equipment so much, as I could NOT afford them when new, but used to look at the catalogs and dream about being able to own them. So today I do and I have completely restored them to original, and they work quite well, even against the new stuff.
So I have lots of fond memories due to ham radio. It been a great hobby for me, and still is.
73 de W4LGH - Alan
http://www.w4lgh.com
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Boatanchor Launches My DX 44 Years Later
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by KC7OTG on July 31, 2008
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I have a story somewhat similar to this. Cept it was fewer years ago. More like about 15 years ago but bear with me... I'm only 27 years of age so 15 years seems like a long time to me! :)
Anyway my grandfather was a ham starting just a bit before WWII. He was quite old even while I was growing up and didn't really get out to his garage much anymore. So it pretty much sat as is with all of his goodies tucked back in cabinets. One day he took me out there and started pulling out his "gems". The one that I took too first was an old halicrafters S40-B. You can see a picture of it here: http://www.rigpix.com/hallicrafter/s40b.htm . I still have this radio and have since cleaned it up replaced a few of the tubes and got it working. Right now its on loan to a family that I'm quite close with. Their 5 year old son found a book on amateur radio in the library all on his own and thought it was neat and wanted to learn more about it. Shortly there after I set my favorite radio ever on his desk and helped them run a wire. He's still listening to it every night and trying his hardest to learn CW (at 5 years of age).
Anyway Its been a few years since my grandfather passed. he was a mechanic and electrical engineer during the war and he worked on a lot of the planes. I have a legion of merit that he received along with an article out of the paper when it was issued to him. It was awarded to him for making the radios work in the planes during war time. As he tells the story any idiot would have figured it out.... He welded a metal plate between the radio and the engine to cut down on the interferance and then presto the radios started to work better. But in this day that was a pretty big deal.
Not too long ago I was working on making some traps for a dipole and pulled out a grid dip meter that was produced on one of those treasure hunts with grandpa in the garage.
I've since upgraded to extra and still spend most of my time operating CW only. My new rig is an Elecraft K3... Not too long ago I talked to a guy running an old tube rig that he'd just fired up and I had to follow him down the band almost 4Khz as his radio warmed up. Made me smile and almost felt like I was chatting with grandpa on the other end.
A few years back my dad actually applied for his callsign and thankfully it was available. My father now holds W7MLT. I've kept my call KC7OTG all the way through extra and that will be my call until some day when I continue on and keep W7MLT in the family for yet another generation.
My wife doesn't operate much but she did make sure that she completed her license as she would like to keep her grandfather's call sign in the family. W7RSP. He's still with us today.
My grandfather and I got along very well. Him and I are the only two in the family that were really into electronics and and tinkering with technology. For that him and I got along very well. He was a man of few words but the ones he spoke rang true and were remembered. I have a picture of him with a plane similar to those he worked with and the jacket that he wore during the war in my office today. I'm proud that he brought amateur radio to me and my family and I'm working on trying to get my dad to setup the HF station and give it a go!
Anyway Thanks for sharing your story and allowing me a chance to share mine. Hope to hear you on the air sometime (although I don't have room for a 160 meter antenna). I do spend a lot of my time on 40 though...
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RE: Boatanchor Launches My DX 44 Years Later
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by WA2JJH on August 7, 2008
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I just picked up a Hellicrafter transceiver. HX-77. Anybody know what year it was made? Looks to be of early 60's vintage. All tubes and hand wired.
It has a decent silky smooth slide rule type VFO. 10-80M coverage. Stable enough to have long QSO's with.
SSB audio is decent. However it uses one stinking 6L6 for it's final.
Output is 60W on CW.
I picked this rig up at a local flea market. Heck for $40 Bux, I got a deal and 3/4.
Nice simple alignment and a few cold solder joints, I Had it working.
I intend replace some of the old and paper type capacitors with modern
equivalents.
Yup, no doubt about it........Vintage rigs are cool! Fun to fix, mod, then use.
TNX FER UR POST OM 73 MIKE WA2JJH
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Boatanchor Launches My DX 44 Years Later
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by W1MNK on August 7, 2008
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Carl, thanks for bringing back similar memories here. My story is similar to yours, and several of the other writers. I grew up in a Ham household. My Dad, Ed, the first W1MNK was licensed in 1939. During WWII, he was a radio officer on USS Belleau Wood in the Pacific Ocean. He served 20+ years in the Navy, retiring as a Commander.
I was born in 1950, so there was always Ham Radio in my life. Dad always had a station no matter where we lived, including overseas duty stations. I was always interested, but never took the time to learn the code. Meanwhile, the technical side of radio was in my blood, and my first career was as a broadcast engineer, including a stint a chief engineer of a station in Burlington, VT. But still, I didn't take the time to learn the code.
Dad died in August 1982. W1MNK was now in DX heaven. I work for a large computer company (30 years this past April), and there are many Hams there. Later that year, I decided to get licensed. I got the appropriate materials, and finally learned the code to 5WPM, and pass the Novice test. My first call was KA1JRX. For a few months, I did nothing but CW contacts on the Novice bands to improve my speed. By the following year, I was able to upgrade to General when the FCC made a trip to Burlington to administer tests. My new call was N1CQE. A few years later I passed the Advanced test at the FCC field office, 1600 Customs House, Boston MA. I wanted to get my Dad's call, but after dealing with the FCC and my elected officials, I found it was an impossible task. Then in 1996 the Vanity call program was put in place, and I was issued W1MNK on the first day!!. I upgraded to Extra right after the code requirement was relaxed. I was, and never will be the CW operator my Dad was. He could copy 30+WPM without breaking a sweat. 13WPM was and is a struggle for me.
So, I never worked my Dad on the air. But I sure did learn a lot about Ham Radio from him, as well as many other things. I'm sure he is smiling in heaven, working ultimate DX and knowing W1MNK is alive and well. The leason to be learned is get that license as soon as you can.
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RE: Boatanchor Launches My DX 44 Years Later
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by WA2JJH on August 7, 2008
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KC2WI, I am a born and bread NYC ham.
I sure do miss LAFAYETTE radio electronics on Union Square and 17th street.
Remember how LRE had Drake rigs for sale? They had tons of ultra cool stuff.
They had the Amico Novice transmitter kit too for $49. 2 tubes, and xtal
controlled. Had 15W out. Worked only on CW.
LRE's catalog was an event when the latest arrived. They had it all.
Ham rigs, stereo's,PARTS, and they had those great 150 in one kits.
My father bought me the most deluxe 200 in one kit for Xmas.
Cost was $39......back in 1969 that is!
Canal street is all dead. Remember all the great electronic stores within a few blocks..
Oh well...enough of my 2 cents(or buck 380. That is 2 cents with inflation and $5 gas. hi-hi
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RE: Boatanchor Launches My DX 44 Years Later
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by K2WH on August 9, 2008
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RE: Boatanchor Launches My DX 44 Years Later Reply
by WA2JJH on August 7, 2008
"I just picked up a Hellicrafter transceiver. HX-77. Anybody know what year it was made? Looks to be of early 60's vintage. All tubes and hand wired."
Is that a typo? I am a Hallicrafters collector and never heard of an "HX-77". Please explain.
K2WH
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