On 03/19/2014 12:49 PM, sctvguy1 wrote:
On Tue, 18 Mar 2014 22:36:00 -0400, Michael Black wrote:

snip
At the same time, that past is gone. I think I'd rather have the
illusion of it, the hope that it could happen, than being older and the
world a lot smaller, and that exotic world completely gone.

Michael

You are so right, Michael. The illusion, the sitting up all night on
Friday and Saturday night, with headphones on, being about 12-17 years
old, hoping for that illusive foreign station, the dial light glowing, my
pencil and pad waiting for something to copy and to send off for a QSL!
Now, my wireless radio will pick up all the stations I want, all over the
world, just like a local.
I still have my restored Lafayette SWL receiver, a big brother look a
like of the S-38. I turn it on every once in a while, hook up a wire
antenna, and relive the past. There is not much there anymore, but still
can MW DX a lot! Here in Texas, it will pick up both coasts pretty
well. I had an old ham repairman wire it to accept a Heathkit Q-
Multiplier that I also have. With that, and the bandspread, and the IF/
RF amplifier, it works very well!


I enjoy the hardware, antennas, etc. DXing now means picking up a 5 Watt
Siberian digital ham, as opposed to a 500 KW HFBC station. The AM band
is pathetically homogenized. If you don't like Coast to Coast or Redeye
Radio, you are left out. I will always have the BBC World Service, by
hook or by crook.