When “UHF” Equipment Was Simple: The Original Transceivers
Speaker: James R. Stewart, K2PK
Abstract: It might be hard to imagine today, but in the years surrounding World War 2 one of the attractions to going on “UHF” (then near our present 6 and 2 meter bands) was the ability to build and use very simple equipment. These were the original transceivers using 2 or 3 tubes. All the component parts were used for both receiving and transmitting. In addition to amateur casual operating and emergency communications, transceivers of this kind were used in the Army during World War 2 and on the home front in the War Emergency Radio Service. RCA even made a commercially produced version for amateur use. These transceivers will be contrasted with the design of one of the simplest sets of the 1960’s, the Heathkit “calibrated lunch box.” An Army radio, an RCA radio, and the later Heathkit will be on display at the meeting.
About our speaker: Jim has been a member of SARA for 40 years. He is past president and vice president of SARA and is currently board secretary. He was first licensed in 1954 as WN3ZIR with later calls W3ZIR, K2PKK and now K2PK. While the bulk of his professional life was in the electric power industry, first at Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation and then in Schenectady at Power Technologies Inc., he also has had a hand in commercial radio at two AM broadcast stations and one FM station. Jim is a Fellow of the IEEE and is on the ARRL CW DXCC Honor Roll.