Category: Ham Radio

While I ALWAYS had a passing interest in radio, I always had it in my head that getting an amateur radio license was too difficult for my ADD-riddled brain to deal with, especially the part about having to learn morse code. Come to find out later that morse code was dropped from the test, and really getting a Technician license in the US isn’t very hard to do. I got licensed in 2016 and now enjoy tinkering with radio from time to time, with most of my activity in the car on my commute.

Also check out the new RADIO page from the top menu!

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Hamfest Weekend and Teletype acquired!

Did a ton of walking and shopping this weekend at two back-to-back hamfests. What’s a hamfest? Easiest answer is “an electronics flea market”. They’re called “hamfests” as they’re often hosted by ham radio clubs, and while a majority of the gear for sale is radio related, you’ll find other deals at them as well.

The first was the MARC Hamfest in Kimberton, PA. Got a few goodies there and met up with some regulars.

Next up on Sunday was the Sussex County Hamfest up in New Jersey. This one is a bit of a haul and I attend it both to support some friends, and plugs it’s a bigger event. I found a few goodies here as well.

The biggest item on the loot pile? A Teletype ASR-32! While it’s not the ASR-33 (I’d still LOVE to find one for a decent deal!), its nearly identical in appearance and I’m hoping I can use it for vintage computer fun as well as some ham radio RTTY (radio-teletype) action. As part of the deal I also got a HAL ST-6 “teletype unit”, which is a demodulator (receiver) for RTTY. You can find a picture of it here. This unit receives RTTY signals from a radio, and converts them to serial data thats transferred to a teletype via a “current loop” connection. In this case the HAL ST-6 has been modified with a AFSR board so the teletype can be used for sending RTTY as well. More importantly, it looks techy and has blinky lights. No pics yet, but some will be forthcoming as I mess around with it and get it going.

With weather forecast in the mid to hid 90s this week, I think imma stay in the AC and geek out some!

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Ham Radio Field Day this Weekend (June 21-23 2019)

“Field Day” is this weekend for ham radio operators. In the radio hobby, this is a set weekend every year where ham guys set up remote operations, usually in a public place such as a park, and operate from there. The idea is so that the public can see how they operate, ask questions, and even try it out without needing to buy gear or even get a radio license.

While anyone can participate, radio clubs usually do it as a group effort, where they pick a location, set up tents/generators/antennas/etc and have multiple radios going. In addition, clubs often designate “cooks” to grill up some food while they’re busy playing radio, and eating good is just as important as getting contacts.

If you see a group, and/or are curious about amateur radio, feel free to approach them and ask questions – thats the idea of this after all! Not only can you ask questions, but most hams/clubs will have a “Get On The Air (GOTA)” station set up for visitors to try out. Also note theres no age limits as well.

Fridays are usually the start of setup, with setup usually finalized by Saturday morning. The official “contest” (who can make the most field day contacts) starts at 2pm Saturday and goes for 24 hours until 2pm Sunday. By then things are usually winding down and the stations are being packed up, so your best bet is Saturday afternoon, or earlier if you can lend a hand setting up.

If you’re interested but not sure where to find a field day setup, use this locator page to find some near you: http://www.arrl.org/field-day-locator

Last but not least, this page offers a more detailed explanation of field day and what it entails: http://www.arrl.org/field-day

Have fun and 73!

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Franklin Institute W3TKQ QSL Card from 1958

Being a Philly native, I have fond memories of the Franklin Institute from class trips and family outings. Growing up in the 80s and 90s I remember there being a new-ish ham radio station on the 4th floor where the telescope still is. Sadly like many things there it’s long gone, but I happened to find and acquire this old QSL card from the original station in 1958!

I do collect some FI ephemera, especially looking for ANYTHING from when they had the Futures center in the 1990s. Hit me up if you have any!

The ham radio station at the Franklin Institute was a partnership with a local ham radio club called the Philmont Mobile Radio Club. You can read more about the history of the station on the site here: http://www.phil-mont.org/tfi-hist.html . On a side note, I’ve hung out with the guys at Philmont and even got my ham radio license via their monthly testing sessions. If you’re looking for a local club, they’re a good one to check out!

I purposely left the rear of the card off as I have to censor some of the data, but the operator at the time was Nelson Schurr, W3DYP who filled and sent the card.

Stay tuned for more cool Franklin Institute stuff!