Just finished on Topband tonight for the Bolton Wireless Club Nostalgic Net!
Stations included G8WY the old Bolton Radio Society callsign operated by Chris G4HYG. Other stations Jack, G8HIK, Tom, G8NTY, Ross operating G0BWC, Dave, G4JLG, Ian, G0CTO.
Gosh, I can't believe the amount of QRM on that band. Tonight I had an S9 noise level and was struggling to hear the stations. I did try topband a few weeks ago with Ross G6GVI and Bill G3XUM with my G5RV antenna, but it was difficult to work them. At the weekend I put up another long-wire and fed it into the shack with coax. This antenna seems to work well apart from the noise, when listening to the 1963 net yesterday I could hear John, G3EGC quite well for the first time.
I can't believe how equipment has changed over the
years. A quick walk through my shack reveals an old Cossor oscilloscope that
I bought from the Bolton Club junk sale and next to it an old crystal
calibrator. My receiver was a Hallicrafters SX24, the built in S meter
didn't work, hence the large round meter sitting on top. I can also see my first attempt at a 144Mhz converter in a rough looking aluminium box. To the right is
part of my topband transmitter. On the shelf is my first 2m transmitter,
QQVO-310 in the PA. Brick outhouse and concrete floor complete with leaky
roof. Them were the days!
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