(geojunkie) wrote in message . com...

Anyway, I am now thinking about getting a license. I would prefer to
stay vintage tube based. Even though I was born in 55, I just can't
get excited about digital gear, and enjoy having to do most of the
thinking. My question is whether a vintage tranmitter, such as an HT32
would be appropriate for a novice HAM? I actually have an SX-101a
(from ebay) on the way and I think they would make a great pair.

Dan,

A lot depends upon what you intend to do with vintage gear.

First, be aware that most vintage gear takes a bit of skill and
understanding to tune up and use. It's not foolproof, particularly
transmitters! So you may want to start with something small and simple
first.

If your interest is primarily SSB, be aware that it takes some real
skill to zero beat "separates" on that mode. That's one reason why
transceivers became so popular 40 years ago (the other was cost) -
once tuned in on receive, the transmitter is automatically tuned
properly for transmit. You may decide that a vintage SSB transceiver,
or "matched pair" transmitter-receiver set, are more to your liking if
you want to operate SSB with vintage gear.

CW (Morse Code) and AM present different requirements. Many vintage
rigs that cannot do SSB, or cannot do it well, will do an excellent
job on CW or AM.

Good luck!

73 de Jim, N2EY

In article ,
(N2EY) writes:

First, be aware that most vintage gear takes a bit of skill and
understanding to tune up and use. It's not foolproof, particularly
transmitters! So you may want to start with something small and simple
first.

I'd recommend the National NCX-3 for an easy to use tube SSB xcver. Simple to
tune up and operate. But it omits some of the old bands (as well as the new
ones) and is strictly for SSB. 73, Mike K.



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On 17 Dec 2003 05:53:31 GMT, r (Mike Knudsen)
wrote:

In article ,
(N2EY) writes:

First, be aware that most vintage gear takes a bit of skill and
understanding to tune up and use. It's not foolproof, particularly
transmitters! So you may want to start with something small and simple
first.

I'd recommend the National NCX-3 for an easy to use tube SSB xcver. Simple to
tune up and operate. But it omits some of the old bands (as well as the new
ones) and is strictly for SSB. 73, Mike K.

Every thing is relative.
When I was a Novice this stuff was state of the art, but we had to use
crystal control for the transmitter. I used a Viking Ranger with a
S40-B with a Heathkit Q-multiplier on CW.
Then graduated to an RME 6900. I even used the Ranger (with the VFO)
once I made General. FRom there the next transmitter was an HT-37
while I was still using the RME-6900 receiver.

So, I never thought it took much skill to run one when I was a Novice,
but then again, I hadn't been running solid state, no tune rigs for
years as I have now.

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair?)
www.rogerhalstead.com
Return address modified due to dumb virus checkers
..



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