RadioBanter - View Single Post - Is ours the most technical hobby in the world?

September 11th 04, 03:51 AM

(Bob Monaghan) wrote in message ...
I suspect we old-timers are wrong in believing that more radios were
designed or made in the past than today, probably by factors of 500% or
more. The main reason is QRP radios using modern ICs for the receivers and
MOSFET transmitters, coupled with a revival of nostalgia tube simple
transmitters.

Some snipped to save space

Bob, a very well reasoned and written response to the original posting
- I can only concur. What seems to be forgotten is that amateur radio
has only ever been a hobby appealing to a small minority of
technically inclined people - the same numbers are still there, but
with the ready availability of store bought radios, the numbers seem
even smaller. A cursory search of the net reveals many people doing
many interesting things.

If we keep canning each other with "Yor only a CBer" type labels, then
yes indeed, things are grim - things will NEVER be as good as the "old
days" -thats why we call it nostalgia, and your points about using
surplus ww2 junk etc are correct - that wasnt homebrew, it was
adaption of existing equipment.

There is SO much stuff out there that can be modified/adapted to ham
use - junked computer UPS supplies provide a BIG 18v power transformer
for a homebrew linear supply, ex computer switchmode supplies are easy
to mod to 12v at 20 amps plus.

Perhaps the problem is lack of lateral thinking - one thing is for
sure, as long as we continue to argue and bitch and denigrate amongst
ourselves, how can we expect (or even deserve) continued free access
to the radio spectrum we are licensed to use!

73 de VK3BFA Andrew.