Novice Recollections and WTB...

[Dave]

Hello all,

I am on a quest, as so many of us are, to locate and fire up gear in a
re-creation
of my first novice station of 1973.

Just to set the stage,  here's the story:

I got my ticket in the spring of 1973, using a newly completed Heathkit HW-7 as
my first rig.  After 3 months of trying my hardest, I hadn't worked a soul
with the single exception of a local elmer and his son who took pity on me.
I got a whopping 559 from across town! (My folks did't know the HW-7 was
not for novices.  I have since acquired another and have worked the world!)

May of that year, I was mowing lawns and sweeping roofs for extra money to buy
a 'real' radio setup.  Finally, one Saturday afternoon, I stopped at a garage
sale on a whim with my Elmer, W7UD.  Low and behold, on a corner table, was
a glorious Hallicrafters S85 and Globe Scout 680, complete with SWR meter,
crystals, key, and a fresh roll of Radio Shack antenna wire!  The man said it
all worked, and Hank (called him Uncle Dudley for the 'UD' in his call) took
a peek too.  Looked like an S-line to me!  And the very best part was it was
only $35 for ALL of it!  On a promise to pay within a week, Hank bought the
setup and kept it in his car for delivery next weekend, IF I had the money.

The sale was only 2 blocks from my house. (Hank had been driving me home
from an afternoon as a guest-op in his Collins shack.  It was built in a
small travel trailer with no windows, and odd little yellow lightbulbs
as the only light source.  An S-line, 30L1, 388URR, Robot SSTV, Model 15,
and countless
other goodies, all below a 90 foot tower and 4 element beam - a world unto
itself, and quite an inspiration for a 12 year old ham) Hank dropped me off
and went home.

Within minutes I was on my bike, hitting all my 'regulars' for mowing and
sweeping jobs.  Just before dark, I had $30 but just couldn't seem to come
up with $5 more.  As a last ditch effort, I went to the house of a lady
whose roof I had swept the weekend before.  I told her I needed the money
so I could 'get on the air with a REAL radio'.  I think she thought I was
nuts, but I convinced here that in the ensuing week, five dollars worth
of needles had clogged her gutters, and just one more sweeping would
take care of it.  With a grandmother's grin, she agreed and within the
hour I was in the car with Hank, delivering my new radio to my bedroom.

That night, 40 was jumpin', and I worked Hawaii, Alaska, and about 12
other states on 1 crystal in the novice band, and I have never forgotten
that day.  I later upgraded to an SX-100 (looking for one of those, too!),
and after that an SB-101, Swan 260, and so on.

Now I'm 35, and going through that nostalgia thing.  So to end my
long-winded post, I am looking for a decent (not museum grade)
Hallicrafters S85 receiver and Globe Scout 680(A) transmitter.  Both
should be working condition, but do NOT need to be pristine.

Sorry for the long post.


Thanks to any who reply.


Dave WB7AWK
gekko95 at ix.netcom.com
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