There's 'DX' - and then there's real 'DX'!

[Peter.N.]

When I was first licensed in the early '80s, 2metres was alive with activity, finding a clear channel was a real problem. Added to this my location gave me an excellent take off to the east so even more stations, but at least it made finding the limits of your reception easy, now you don't know how far you are getting because there are very few stations out there to let you know.

I could work stations right across the south of the country and even in to Holland, I have a bundle of QSL cards from Dutch novice operators and was often in the shack until the early ours of the morning, much to my wife's annoyance. All this activity was on FM, mostly with vertical polorization. I worked a station in Bexhill practically every day, sometimes having to use horizontal polarisation to get e decent signal. This was all with a very elderly Yeasu 2m FM rig and an 8 element X-Y Jbeam.

When I eventually got my HF license, I found it initially exciting but very predictable compared with VHF. I still consider my most enjoyable time in amateur radio was in the early days on VHF.

Peter

[Junk Box Nick]

I was building radios when I was still in short trousers and I still remember that very special moment when I heard my first stations. What was also exciting was demonstrating something I had made to amazed school friends and family. I was licensed in the 1970s and regular amateur radio still involved lots of home construction, especially on the metre wavebands. However, this was within the scope of people like me who have never worked in the radio, TV or electronics industries.

I was a bit of a DX chaser on 144MHz and whilst this involved commercial kit, I did a lot of modifications to it to improve its performance way above the manufacturer's spec. The nature construction of commercial gear back then meant that this was possible for for a lay person like me. With a few watts and a large semi home brewed aerial based around a commercial item but much extended I worked, in relative terms (and often not so relative), some fantastic DX. The band was alive with ordinary folks just like me, experimenting and having fun.

I haven't the foggiest idea what goes on in a piece of modern commercial equipment and, frankly, most of it is beyond the grasp of the likes of me. The technical side of amateur radio - certainly the cutting edge - now is for the boffin who most likely is professionally involved in the electronics or communications industry. This is the stumbling block for amateur radio today, the entry is far more difficult. Cutting edge stuff is now the province of the professional expert and for the lay man or woman it is a consumer electronics purchase that is little more than glorified CB. There might be more licences than ever but many it is another passing fad with which they soon become bored and Mr/Ms Average with a smartphone in their pocket struggle to see the point.

I guess that is why I'm on this forum - vintage stuff is the only stuff of which I can claim any understanding and so DX for me is a relatively short distance using some working vintage kit or very simple homebrew into an aerial that doesn't upset the neighbours .

I had great enjoyment out of amateur radio thirty to forty years ago and now realise that I was fortunate to be around at that time.

[Radio Wrangler]

Hi Nick,

Yes, those days were good fun, and a lot of people got a lot out of it.

Where I disagree with you is that modern stuff is different, and it seems to have a lot more stuff inside it. But it isn't unapproachable for the ordinary guy. A lot of functions have moved into DSP, but although the signals are now numerical rather than voltages, the modus operandi of selecting a signal and demodulating it is actually the same.

If you could follow how your FT101, TR9000 or IC02E worked, you can handle what goes on in an IC7800. They look different, they look alien, they look overwhelming and the manufacturer's advertising is artfully designed to foster this impression because it makes them look better for justifying their prices

If you ever have to get involved in them, have no doubts, you are quite capable. This forum and the QRP fraternity are where the folk who haven't given in have gone.

THEY want you to tell yourself that it's all too complex, that you can't do anything, all you can do us buy buy buy. Work DX, Work contests, but for heaven's sake never take the lid off.

So where did all the people who design these things come from? or the people who can fix them? They're perfectly normal (well, moderately normal) human beings. A common entry method is being too stupid to know that they're not supposed to know this stuff (It worked for me).

If you want to, or if you have need to, you can do it. There are people on here who will talk you through things and do hand-holding as needed. Some of us had to work things out for ourselves, but you can bypass that.

David

[Skywave]

Nick - your re post #22. Just for what it's worth: I'm in agreement with 99% of what you've written.

Al.

[wireful3]

It is still possible to get the same excitement of DX with home built equipment as in the 1940s and 50s by going to crystal sets. The beauty of this is that the enthusiasts limit themselves to completely passive equipment so there is little if any commercial gear available. I dabbled with this a few years ago and when I heard a French broadcast, it was almost as exciting as when I had results from my first home made radio as a boy.

There is quite a strong interest in the USA and the essence seems to be great care in construction and a rigorous application of AC circuit theory. The results they get are amazing. Some even deny themselves solid state diodes.

I must admit that even knowing I could have easily received the same on-line or on a commercially available receiver did not dull the feeling. I just thought if the power lines were down and I had no batteries in the house I would still be able to hear it. Perhaps it was a bit pointless but it made me happy at the time. The most serious thing though was that I realised that it was not necessary to have sophisticated facilities or equipment to get very satisfying resuts

[Skywave]

Originally Posted by wireful3

It is still possible to get the same excitement of DX with home built equipment . . . by going to crystal sets.
There is quite a strong interest in the USA . . . the results they get are amazing.
. . . not necessary to have sophisticated facilities or equipment to get very satisfying results.

Possibly - but do not overlook the simple fact that enthusiasts in the USA often have much more space than we do in order to put up really large and highly effective aerials. With a crystal set, the aerial - and a good earth - are the real determining factors for DX reception.

Al.

[Peter.N.]

I would agree with Nick on the complexity of modern electronics but I was in the radio and TV trade for 50 years. I think the main problem is my diminishing brain power and eyesight, while its still adequate for most things including driving I have difficulty in following the print on the modern minute circuit boards.

I am still fine with valve equipment because you can actually see what's going on but on ham radio my DIY is now limited mainly to antennas.

Peter

[Skywave]

Originally Posted by Peter.N.

I think the main problem is my diminishing brain power and eyesight

For myself - agreed. And also - in my case - short-term memory, or rather the lack of it.
As in:
"Err, what did I come up here for? I know there was a good reason . . ."
and:
"Ah yes - yesterday's unfinished task. Now let me see - where did I get to? Hmm, I don't recall doing that bit."

The advanced years do indeed bring experience and with that, wisdom - but the price for those is high.

Al.

[Peter.N.]

I've been like that most of my life Al Just that it's getting worse as I'm getting older. I can still cope with valved equipment but don't have the clarity of thought or short term memory for modern stuff.

Good job you can buy ready made ham equipment now or mine would have valves in it.

Peter