For those following my transmitter build thread, I have stopped working on that for the summer, as I predicted. In fact, I have become very distracted. Next year, I will celebrate 50 years as a licensed Ham Radio operator. For some two years now, I have been trying to duplicate my 1975 station. I am proud to announce that I have accomplished the goal with a lot of help from eBay and Facebook marketplace. Here is the story...

It was in 1972 when I first discovered 'radio' in the elementary school library. Soon, I had learned about something called "Ham Radio" where I could have a shortwave radio station in my bedroom that would enable me to listen to and TALK to others all over the world. In the pre-internet world, that was a big deal.

By 1975, I was 15 and licensed as WN8VUX after learning Morse code (required back then) and passing both a code test and written test (on radio theory and FCC rules concerning Amateur Radio). This would soon set the course for what I wanted as a career: Radio. I would pass the FCC Second and First Class exams at age 19, granting me the legal ability to work in AM and FM radio as well as TV as a "broadcast engineer". I worked freelance for two local radio stations, making just under $50 per hour (big money in 1979) as a contract employee - I worked 8-12 hours a month.

By 1983, I was employed in land mobile (or "two-way") radio as a technician, working on radios systems used by police, fire, schools and businesses. Today, I am still in that field, working for EF Johnson, a JVCKenwood company, as a Systems Solutions Engineer. Ham Radio led me into a lifelong career that I have enjoyed so much, that it feels like I have not worked a day in my 40 year career.

You see, ham radio started it all, so...................
WHAT THIS POST IS REALLY ABOUT: I have wanted to duplicate my 1975 novice class ham radio station for the past few years. I have managed to do just that, using vintage equipment from back then. Each photo below will have comments on it explaining what you are looking at. This equipment works, but I have some leaky power supply capacitors and weak tubes to replace. (Such parts are still available, the tubes are "new old stock" from the 60s.) I will have it all up to specs by August of 2025, the 50th anniversary of my very first contact on the 40 meter band, running CW (on-off keyed morse code). I have not duplicated the antennas I used, but I will do so by next summer, in time to go on the air (as WR8Y this time) and mark the occasion by working someone on 40 meter CW (morse code) using vintage equipment.