Although it seems my first rigs seemed to be used, very
used mobiles, (save the Kenwood twins for HF) most of them
crystal-controlled FM things no less, (couldn't afford the
big bucks for even the used "hamfest special" HT's...) my
beginnings in VHF contesting and microwave work are
similar. My first QSO on 2meters SSB was on a Icom 202
with the internal whip antenna and C cell batteries in the
radio, when I was purchasing the unit.
As I recall, the hams I worked that day were NU7Z, Rick,
and KD7TS, Mike... Considering the distances away they
were, the antenna and power I was using, and the signal
reports received and sent, that hooked me to weak signal
operations on VHF+ from that moment on.
That was 15 years ago, the same Icom 202 is still a very
important part of my station, as it is the IF rig for the
"top four" bands, 2304 thru 10368.
I loaned that rig to a friend of mine, he then bought an
Icom 260A a month later... and now has ABCDE rover and home
station capability, and has been out roving in more than a
couple VHF contests.
With that same Icom 202, my friend W7IEW and I were "talked
in" to a location in the mountains nearby where Rick and
Mike were running microwaves during an ARRL UHF contest...
Oddly enough, W7IEW was borrowing the '202, went up the
hill, and hit a rock with the oilpan of his car on the way
up, I went up later with extra oil to make sure he could
get back home... We ended up spending the night up there,
watching NU7Z and KD7TS working the microwaves... Later on
I had the opportunity to buy a couple bands of gear from
NU7Z, then thanks to his efforts to bring MUD 2003 to
Everett, WA, I was able to equip for the other two. Just
finished off the homebrew from "junk", (most purchased at
the surplus tables at MUD2003...) 10Ghz transverter.
As money and opportunities for purchase of good equipment
cheap presented themselves, I took advantage of them to
equip myself with the equipment needed to get on more
bands, and improve the capability of the bands I had, to
the point where I have now "created a monster"... The
Enterprise II... a "super rover" by anyone's definition.
I was contacted by a fellow with contacts with CQ magazine
(Japan) about getting pictures of the Enterprise II for an
article they were doing on "cool mobile installations".
I am not sure when the article will be published, but they
got the pictures now...
All this 'cause I bought someone's used piece of ham
gear...
Eric
KB7DQH
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