Yesterday's posting mentioned Ben Vester's 20M Homebrew SSB Transceiver circa June 1963 (page 27) and how it was rated at about a puny 250 Milliwatts with a 2N706. (A correction to my earlier 100 Milliwatts.)
That particular rig appeared as a QST Article (June 1963) and then included in a later version of the Single Sideband Handbook. I did not see the original QST article but did see the rig in the SSB Handbook.
Man I couldn't wait to get my hands on some parts to build that jewel. I did build it and it didn't work on transmit. For the life of me I could not understand the why. I checked all the wiring and the devices -- but no RF.
I had mentioned to one of the Editors at QRP Quarterly the difficulty I had with the Vester build as I also had in the queue my Shirt Pocket SSB Transceiver article. The plan was to compare Vester's work (1963) with my own in 2011.
The Comparison 60 years Later!
He sent me a copy of the Vester article and in 10 seconds I saw the problem. The SSB Handbook had a wiring error. Look at the primary side of L20. In the SSB Handbook the bottom end of L20 (Primary side) is grounded but in the QST article it is not!
So once again today's poor homebrewer suffers under the negligence of the ARRL Technical staff. Too bad that didn't work as that would have been a cool project.
I missed the June 1963 article as that was a busy time for me as I was commissioned an Ensign, USN, on June 3rd, 1963, and soon to head off to Midway Island.
Midway had 3000 personnel and SIX single women. These were schoolteachers and three of the six were in their 50's. Two of the good-looking younger ones were always on the invite list for any event. In retrospect those two must have thought they indeed were living in paradise.
One of the over 50-year-old teachers always seemed to sit at my table at the BOQ Dining Room. I got more than a distinct impression I was on her invite list. Her pickup line (she taught Home Economics) "how would you like some homemade cookies?"
But fortunately, being the most Junior Officer on Midway Island (still 21 years old) I was always on the Watch List on weekends and holidays -- so I could honestly say I have the duty -- which for 98% of the time was true. When I made Lt(jg) -- that all stopped but I was no longer on Midway.
Other fond memories of Midway were being OOD on Christmas eve and the 13-inch rat caught in my room in the old BOQ built in 1941. That event qualified a move to the new BOQ.
You must ponder any future ARRL/QST subscription as they likely have moved past their prime (long ago for that matter).
Spotted on an Internet Pop-Up:
No McDonald's?
Iceland is truly a special place on the planet with a steady population of 360,000, and not one single McDonald's. That's right, the last McDonald's closed in 2009 and a new one hasn't opened since.
73's
Pete N6QW
Talk About Stuffed to the Gills.