I know this is one OLD thread, but I started on an HW-101 in 1978 (licensed in 1971, but could not afford HF until later). I recently picked up two HW-101s. One will go to a high school club as a starter for them and the other will stay in my shack.  The HW-101 may not have the ears of my Ten Tec's, or my Kenwood TS-450, but it has great selectivity and puts out over 100 watts. I have also owned Collins and Drake gear, but the HW-101 holds a special place and performance is not too bad.

Your correct. There are 3 trim pots and a PL tone select on the front panel. You will need to have a frequency counter that can read the audio freqency levels.

I have a 2036A, but need to find the manual to tune it up and I think the one I have is a 2036 and needs the mod to expand the coverage from 2 to 4 Mhz.

73 Rick
N4ASX

Lots of good stuff from all sides.

In Alexandria, we drafted a local MOU with the City of Alexandria because our friends in Arlingotn ARES were advising the City EMS coordinator that he needed to dump the ARES organization and invite Arlington RACES to fill the need.

Alexandria ARES has been supporting the city for over 50 years and have not had ONE complaint with the exception of our being one person short for a CERT drill and the use of that drill to test some of our systems and TTPs.  This has been addressed not with the lead CERT volunteer but with the City EMS and is cleared up.

What I DEEPLY resent is the dishonesty of those who want to provide an alternative source of volunteers for a given community.  

I am, for now, the ARES EC in Alexandria,  I hold DoD clearances FAR in excess of anything the city requests, but I have and my volunteers have all been background checked by the city in conformance with FEDERAL LAW.

That our friends in Arlington RACES will not recognize Alexandria's background check and require their own check is to reject mutual support.

If RACES is to represent the local government then by all means they can represent the needs of THAT local entity, but to exclude volunteers or to undermine the local ARES organization is at best counter productive and at worst deprives the local entity of "TRAINED and MOTIVATED amateur radio operators and the hard feelings created tends to discourage mutual aid.

We have very few EMERGENCIES in northern VA, but we all need to train together and we need to not bring our "differences" before the folks we try to support.

73 Rick Bunn / N4ASX

It is important to understand that even if you get into ham radio for the purpose of supporting your community that you are ONE not a first responder, a firefighter or EMS professional.  TWO that because you can operate a VHF radio you need a little knowledge of the radio art beyond a tech license book to understand how to best use your VHF radio.  The phrase EMCOMM or EMCOMMER has come to mean a ham who shuns DX, HF and other parts of the hobby because emergency comms is the only reason they see for the use of the ham radio hobby or spectrum.  When I hear extra class ops asking about how to make a simple antenna it drives me up the wall.

I have been active in ARES for over 30 years, was active in CAP and MARS comms, so it's not about your certificates at the bottom of your e-mail that impresses me, but the number of times you have been a volunteer at everyday events.

I your grommet fails and the hot lead is shorted to ground and the hot side fuse does not blow, then the return current may blow the negative side.  There should be fuses on both sides of any pass through.  Unfortunately for the return current theory,  there are many paths from ground fault to the battery minus.  The other reason I guess is that many car systems are not hot switched but ground switched.  This is why a horn can go off when the ground wire is grounded short of the switch.

Radio Shack has several 7.2 Volt wall warts that work well on 411 Battery packs.

73 Rick
N4ASX

Ed, I would say that the Arlington vehicle was an Arlington County EMS vehicle that supports communications and that by vertue of the RACES RO's day job, RACES has an "in" and a place on that vehicle. To say that it is a RACES vehicle is a little bit of a sell job.

That said, any group that provides Amateur Radio support to the community in time of need is a good thing.

Using FEMA grant money to build a vehicle that nice is also a good thing.

73 Rick
N4ASX
Alexandria ARES EC

Gee, I hate to butt in to this, but I did hear that those ECs who do not report in may be replaced.  I have not met the new SM or SEC for VA., but I have not been replaced here in Alexandria City as of yet.

I am ALWAYS looking for more volunteers to support the city. I don't care if you have taken the ARRL or VARI training or not and as of now, the city does not desire a background check or clearance to support them as part of ARES.

I only ask that if your volunteer to work ARES in Alexandria, and you get called out by another group you let me know of your non-availability for Alexandria, so I know whom I have on my list. I had 4 folks on my volunteer list for Isobel who were at work for neighboring Fairfax Co.  They did great work, but that was 4 folks I did not have that I thought I had.

Some of the folks who call VARI home are deeply committed to making our efforts better, but the food fight hurt us all.  the ARRL with the red line through it hurt the hobby not just ARES or public service.

Don't know who will take my place in Alexandria, should I move on.  So far no one wants the job but yours truly and I took it because the last guy wanted OUT.  You'd think the pay would be an inducement.

73 Rick
N4ASX

Let me invite you to the Alexandria Radio Club.  We meet on the second Friday of each month (Except this December, 8 Dec is the Holiday party).  The club is primarily a social organization.  Many of us have diverse interests in ham radio: DXers, ARES, Digital, APRS, etc. etc. etc.

We meet at the ALexandria Fire Training Center just off U.S. 1 inside the beltway, behind the Nanny J. Lee Center. (this use to be an old school) at 7:30.

Many of us go out to a local place on Monday nights for half priced burgers and some get together on Fridays for dinner out.  We try to have two or three transmitter hunts, Field Day and a few other activities.

Please come on down and get to know us.

73 Rick Bunn
N4ASX

Agree.  The one thing that ham radio has is both a great talent pool of operators who are willing to give their time, skills and use of their equipment to support served agencies and we also have our fair share of "wanabees".

ARES and ARRL have a great challange in keeping ARES viable without making it an elite corps.  

Our effort in support of the Marine Corps Marathon are a prime example.  With all we do to help out it takes about 130 amateur radio volunteers, a leadership team of 12 folks who will roll up their sleeves and get the job done and 5 plus months of recruiting and organizing effort to pull it off and each year we still have a few problems.  BUT, on race day somehow the Marine Corps is very much impressed with what we do and how we do it.

Good luck with emergency communications.  Over the years, my go kit has expanded as I buy newer gear for the shack.

73 Rick
N4ASX

Let me count to 10.  Multiple groups all trying to be THE go to ham radio emergency organization is DANGEROUS.  We here in Virgina still have not recovered from the problems of 10 years or so ago.

I truly respect Ed, KE4SKY's efforts, but I have not taken any of RACES training.  I am working on the ARES ARRL classes and I do have 30 years with ARES, CAP, MARS. I have some minor physical handicaps, but that has not stopped me from doing what needs to be done.

As for egos, YES, we have them, many from those who feel that their talents were not recognized when they volunteered, so rather then working within the system, they go off and start their own.

So put yourself in the served agency position, who do you call and who do you believe.

One group says we need security clearances post 9/11. Red Cross has taken this one step further and wants a financial check.  LOTS of well qualified and experienced hams are not going to volunteer.  

We need to guard against elitism.  We the cleared and trusted vs. those great unwashed.  

I'm truly sorry that your part of Ohio has problems, one other contributor suggested replacing the SM and SEC.  I would agree.  If they are not doing the job you may be able to ask them to step down if you have a good replacement.  But if you talk the talk, walk the walk. It's not about the front page, or who has what title, it's about stepping up when it is needed and paying back the community for being allowed to operate in the ham bands.

Rick Bunn
N4ASX
EC Alexandria, VA.

What Ed KE4SKY has a great deal of merit. If your system is TRULY broken, jump in.  I've been the EC in Alexandria VA for about 2 years now and I was he EC in Arlington about 10 years ago. The EC's level of activity depends on how much time they can devote and how many willing volunteers they can find and how active these volunteers want to be.  I tried to set up monthly meetings and quarterly activities for Alexandria, but the participation was poor to the point of causing negative response. I have about 12 folks who WILL come out when I need them and I recruit when I can.

Ed's suggestion that a new organization be formed is DANGEROUS.  Our served agencies don't want to hear that there are two or three or four ham radio support groups in town nor do they want to deal with the politics that comes of this.  

In Virgina a few years ago we had an SEC who was not well appriciated and at a point, the ARRL had had enough and asked him to step down, they then asked the SM to fire him.  The SM would not and the ARRL national organization removed them both.  The SEC did not go quietly and formed his own organization.  The harm this caused is still being recovered from.

If ARES does not work, take it up the ARRL ladder.

Ed also talks about the egos who don't walk the walk.  This is true.  Lots of folks who want the front page, but never seam to be on site when the stuff hits the fan.  Beware of the RACES apprach as they have their own FCC rules and governance.

Respectfully
73
Rick Bunn
N4ASX
EC Alexandria, VA.

I have to agree. My station started out with an HW-101 and I still think the best first radio should be a simle strong unit.  I moved up to the Kenwood TS-430S and it is a great radio.  If you can find one in good shape.  An alternative is the TS-440S which was the same unit with a better filter layout and finals.  I replaced my TS-430 with an IC-706MkIIG, but I do miss the ole 430.