Amateur Radio Station K4TQI

While looking for electronic parts (electrolytic capacitors, vacuum tubes, etc,) through an old Allied Radio catalog I decided to do a search on the internet to see if these particular parts were even available. They were! I found everything from Allied Electronics which which has started a new web site. This is definitely good news for the tinkerer, hobbyist, and those who engage in repairing or building new equipment. The first thing I looked for were the parts described below.
Here is their LINK.

Licensed continuously since 1957. WOW! That means I am really an OM and still a member of the ARRL.

Do you remember your first rig? Of course you do. Who could forget that memorable event.

My first station was a homebrew built by W4HLZ. It consisted of a super regenerative receiver and a single tube 6AG7 battery powered transmitter using plug-in hand wound coils for 80 and 40 meters. This was later revised with the addition of a 6L6 as the final, and AC supply with an # 80 rectifier. The parts came from:

An 80 meter crystal controlled oscillator which I purchased from Burstein-Applebee in 1956.
A box of really old goodies which was a receiver, transmitter (all constructed on a real bread board), tubes, manuals, wire/cable from the 1930's and 40's. These items were donated to a prospective ham (that was me) in 1955. That donation was from the Wilson family that lived next door to my Grandparents in Princeton, KY. Their son was also a ham along with my cousin (James Lowery Linton) who together build and used the original setup.

All of this was later replaced with commercial equipment starting with a Knight Space Spanner* receiver followed by a Hallicrafters S-38E receiver and Heathkit DX-40 transmitter. These too, went with the wind and replaced with a WRL Globe Chief Deluxe, Heathkit VF-1 VFO, homebrew AM modulator and Hallicrafters SX-99 receiver. This photo from W2DTC is almost an exact copy of my early setup. (*Note: Have you ever tried to purchase an old receiver? I tried and have been "outbid" every time. Guess it's time to build my own). Here is a July 1965, advertisement from Allied Radio, Catalog No. 245, for the new Space Spanner receiver kit, " Price Cut 15% Now Only $16.95". This type radio is still being sold today. A new shortwave regenerative single tube receiver is now available and a crystal controlled single tube transmitter may be purchased separately. Just like the good ole days, ham radio may be enjoyable again (see January 2008, QST). My breadboard transmitter and receiver were purchased from pastimeprojects

What is left? What remains? The equipment currently on hand does not imply that all still works. The equipment photo page is now being developed.

Here is a good link describing almost exactly what I went through when I first became licensed. A lot of memories from these. I was fortunate to have learned the Morse code while still in a scouting and later as an instructor for the new scouts. The type of signaling was by the use of Wig-Wag, buzzer and flashlight . At least the CW test was not a stumbling block. Eventually all of this led me to Ham Radio and I still enjoy CW today.

Speaking of Burstein-Applebee, I located this 1957 catalog cover from the W5SWL web site. This is the catalog I was using when first licensed. In addition, this was to be followed by Allied Radio and Lafayette Electronics.

The Allied Electronics catalog from 1965. This edition had some great amateur equipment including the full line of Hallicrafters. Click HERE for a look at some of those items.

The 1964 Lafayette Radio Electronics Catalog had a line of their Shortwave and Novice receivers which were the HA line. The HA-230 gave the buyer the choice of either factory wired or kit. HERE is the catalog page for those receivers.

In 1965, Heathkit introduced another catalog with a good selection of amateur equipment.