This is another view of the
"Novice Station". The Penguin is unlicensed but has the run of the
shack.
Equipment on the top shelf of the operating desk:
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On the left is a Drake TR4. I'm not really enamored with
this rig. I may make an effort to use it more and align it and see
if I develop more affection for it.
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Just to the right of the TR4 is a Heathkit SA 2060 antenna tuner.
This is a great tuner that I have had for twenty or thirty years.
It is still my most reliable tuner. Never had any problems with
it. However, now that I'm using the Palstar Auto tuner, it is
sitting around unused. I'll never let it go though. I take
it with me when I go other places, like St. Martin, to make the G5RV work.
Equipment in the right hand stack, above the HQ-180:
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The left most item on the first shelf above the HQ-180 is another
Kenwood SM-220 monitor. I use this to make sure the 30S-1 is
properly loaded and driven. These are great units.
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To the right of the SM-220 is a stack of three Icom VHF FM mobile rigs:
IC-27 (2 meters), IC-37 (220 Mhz), and IC-47 (440 Mhz). I
don't use them mobile anymore. I just use them from here to hit
the repeaters in the area.
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To the right of the FM rigs are two Daiwa SWR meters. I
like these units, they are pretty accurate and very reliable. They
are not hardwired into the station, I put them where I need them when I
need them.
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On the top shelf are two other antenna tuners. They are just resting
these days. The one on the bottom is a Nye Viking MB-VA.
This tuner has a good reputation and is pretty costly. But it
doesn't match a lot of loads that my other tuners will match. So
in certain cases it will be fine. But in other cases it is
frustrating.
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The tuner on top of the pile is a
Vectronics HFT-1500. I used this tuner on my sailboat as we
sailed around the world for five years. It had a persistent
problem - the counter and various shafts slipping. I swore at it a
lot and could never get the set screws to hold. Finally, JB Weld
saved the day. It seemed to
match the insulated backstay ok. I haven't used it here on
land much, but no problems with it when I did.