01/04/2010 | WD6DBM I had a blast in the 2010 SKN as always! I had hoped to be on the air with a 6L6 TX and my just-restored Hallicrafters SX-140 RX but I didn't make it. Instead I used one of my HW-16s, this one built and highly modified by my elmer W5NYT. It features 5 bands, a 2nd IF, a real sidetone, amp relay and other mods. This year I used it xtal control only since I have not been able to tame the severe drift in two TX VFOs, one an HG-10B. There were so many stations on 40m it was impossible to find a clear frequency that I had a xtal for! So on 40M I spent most of the time using my Heathkit CW twins, HR-1680 and HX-1681. I had previously restored them for another SKN, including a complete rebuild of the HP-23B power supply for the HX-1681. The HX still drifts a bit on TX--thanks to those who put up with it.

All told, I made 16 QSOs on 80, 40, and 20 meters--nearly all of them ragchews. I tried 15m but it was completely dead. None of the "green horde" have WARC bands so 17 was out. I was determined to go all tube for this adventure (realizing that the Heathkit HR-1680 is solid state, but the tube driver and finals in the HX-1681 kept me in the game).

A tendon problem in my wrist kept me from using a straight key, so I used a '58 Vibroplex Champion bug. I am so used to paddles I really had to concentrate to send decipherable code. Thanks to all, and see you next year! -- WD6DBM