After enlisting in the Navy in 1968, I found that I enjoyed communication, and especially cryptology. This dated back to my earlier interest in puzzle solving, especially anything where one letter or symbol was used to represent another ...kinda the basis for the Enigma Machine in WWII.
I opted not to go to cryptology school (in Pensecola, FL) and settled for radioman (San Diego, CA). Served on two aircraft carriers (USS Oriskany, USS Ranger) and did three tours off the coast of Viet Nam. Yes, I was part of the "Tonken Gulf Yacht Club," along with Jim Robinson.
When I got out of the service in 1971 I lost all interest in communication and radio (other than the AM radio in my 1968 Dodge Coronet) and moved on with my life. Then an engineer friend of mine at work in around 1975 introduced me to a 1 watt tuna can radio he had built. From Northern California we were able to listen to ham radio operators in Portland, Oregon. Remember, this was 1 watt! (the typical light bulb is 60 or 75 watts). That was a distance of about 550-600 miles. I was hooked!!
I built my own tuna can receiver, and from that humble beginning I soon owned a Kenwood TS520 transceiver. Borrowing from my Navy days, I always preferred CW (continuous wave, or better known as morse code). Few people realize that Morse Code in transmitted mostly in English, so I was able to read messages from all over the world. At one time I could send and receive about 35 words per minute, so most messages were within my ability to copy and communicate.
I listened to stations from everywhere, especially 10 meter, 15 meter, and 20 meter. I collected hundreds of QSL cards from all over the world. I always preferred seeking out the weakest, often barely audible, stations, and avoided the 50,000 watt monstronsities that bled over in both directions!!
I eventually had to sell my radio when my business failed. It broke my heart to sell it, and I actually kicked one guy out of my house when he bad-mouthed Kenwood brand in order to get me to lower the price! Ha! Talk about brand loyalty!
Anyway, its all a memory now, except when I go to the Phoenix Science museum where they have a full-blown operational ham radio station. I love to impress them with my "keying" skills, as few of them actively use morse code (evidently, no longer required for ham radio license).
Well, that's my story. Nice to share on a 4th of July holiday.
That's a beautiful story. Unfortunately I have no such skills (or skills of any kind, unfortunately). To actually make one's own radio and use it to get QSL cards is quite an accomplishment. (One college buddy had a private radio station in his dorm room.)
I've always been in love with international broadcasting, but I have no technical knowledge of radio. However, it's always fascinating to read people who do.
I don't know if you've ever heard this, but the reason Freeman Fisher Gosden ("Amos" on the original radio version of "Amos 'n' Andy") got into broadcasting was because he had been involved in radio in the army during World War I.
Is Morse code even used at all these days?