I studied for my amateur license a year or so ago but never done it. Back in 1976, when I was 10 years old, my father had a pretty big CB Base station. I talked on the CB from the late 70s to the early 90s when my base setup got hit by lightning. I listened to shortwave since the late 70s, and I've just been satisfied with that. I have absolutely nothing against Ham Radio, it's users, or any other things, but it's just not reality for me since I'm a recluse introvert type of person. Now you would think that since I'm that way, I would be more apt doing ham radio since it's just voice. But I really don't want to setup a transmitter, worry about SWR and all that. I just don't think I would enjoy, and use it like I should. That's why my videos are so far between. My setup never changes and it's hard for me to find something to do. My goal is to get at least 1,000 subs. If I do that I will be shocked but satisfied.
At 62, I have down-sized my radios too, usually due to working them until they are broken and not repairable. I am down to the SDR and a portable right now and that works for me at present. Also, please don't worry about the noise. I live in a small city now and I have lots of noise, but I work through it because I like the hobby. It's amazing what you can get used to.
I'm always living with a little of quiet listening environment Anxiety. We moved out here in the country 31 years ago when my wife and I got married. I put up my antennas about a year later, so I've had a S1 up to S3 noise level for 3 decades. I hope that COOP keeps farming all the surrounding land until I get to old and go to the cattle car nursing home, or I leave this world. But I know that any year they could just decide to start developing it. With all this new noisy technology we have now, and more coming all the time, I know my quiet conditions could disappear quickly. This would be a good spot for a solar farm out here. I've heard those panels they produce a lot of interference. And the media is scaring the hell out of everyone to go green. So it would be a tempting location for a power company to do that. My wife keeps telling me don't worry about something that may never happen. If it does you have your loop, and the 1026 box to try and deal with it. But don't stress over it until it happens. 😏 I just didn't see the need to have lots a receivers anymore. They weren't getting used, sitting in boxes, and just clutter laying around. As I've gotten old now, I don't want to be surrounded by a bunch of things I don't need or use. A 2 or 3 decent quality shortwave radios, and a good outside antenna if you have the room is all you need to enjoy SWLing. That's why it's hard for me to do videos. My setup never changes, and I've never been lucky enough for any company to send me things to test like a lot of other TH-cam channels. I guess my channel is to small. Who knows.
Thanks. I really take care of everything I have. I have always been like that. Here where I was born, grew up, and still live, is the poor part of the state of Illinois. It took me a while to save up to get anything I have. So I was raised to take care of what you get because you may not have another chance to get it. My Drake R8 I purchased in late 1991. It's still mint. 😀
@@SouthernIllinoisShortwave that’s very cool and I feel like regardless of upbringing people need to take better care of their things and teach their kids the same, I grew up not necessarily poor but we’ve definitely had some struggles in life and I take pride in what I’ve collected over the years (21 now) so I relate
Nice looking shack! I’m just getting started (late at 51,) looking for a tabletop now, so I honestly don’t know what a lot of it is haha! Still cool though, enjoyed the video.
Thanks. If you're looking for a tabletop receiver, make sure it's in good working order. If you look on ebay, and the seller says no way of testing it don't get it. Receivers from Drake, JRC, Kenwood are good if you can find one that is in good working order, and doesn't need anything.
Nice shack video, been thinking about doing a video of my layout and radios. I have both the SDRuno and the RSP1A I switch back and forth between them, the RSP1A works on an indoor antenna. Nice to see your World map any serious SW DXer should have one on their shack wall. My antennas include a MFJ discone and a couple of MLA 30 loops.
Great receiving and monitoring setup at the QTH. I still have to go through the channel and check it all out. I have always put a lot of emphasis on monitoring the airwaves. KD6CFE was here.
That pyramid linear power supply is a good power supply but they just used cheap caps and cheap IC. If your able to desolder and solder you can fix that voltage to stable voltage output. By Changing the IC.. LM723CN with a new one and sense your in side ..change the two capacitors 4700uf 25v with new ones. You should be happy with the output stable voltage after changing them 3 items. I used Mouser electronics but you can get them parts elsewhere and you can set the output voltage with a small variable resistor you can go from around 11 to 15 volts. The two output transistors on the back on the heat sink are 2N3055 I hope that helps. I used to work on them power supplies before my stroke. 73's
Thanks for the info. That Pyramid PS in the video is how can I nicely put it, a piece of crap and a paper weight. I had that a while and it started to give off a burnt smell, and the voltage dropped to almost nothing. So, I took the top off and took the switch out, and the power cord and the rest went onto the junk pile out back. I'm getting ready to downsize a little more on the radio stuff I have. I'm probably going to just end up with my Icom 8600, RSPdx, and a portable. Also going to get rid of some other accessories that I don't use now. I started in radio back in 1976 when I was 10 years old with my late Father. I still really like SWLing, but even living out in the country on 40+ acres with quiet conditions, interference and noise is starting to catch up to me. And with shortwave the way it is today, I don't need all this laying around now. Plus, I have a heart issue to deal with. I just have to figure out what I'm going to do with it all.
We must have at least one good shortwave radio, maybe with ssb to listen to What's going on across the world.
I love sitting in my shack! You sir are not alone
Super nice setup! Not one mic jack in the bunch :) You my friend are a true SWL. Cheers.
I studied for my amateur license a year or so ago but never done it. Back in 1976, when I was 10 years old, my father had a pretty big CB Base station. I talked on the CB from the late 70s to the early 90s when my base setup got hit by lightning.
I listened to shortwave since the late 70s, and I've just been satisfied with that. I have absolutely nothing against Ham Radio, it's users, or any other things, but it's just not reality for me since I'm a recluse introvert type of person. Now you would think that since I'm that way, I would be more apt doing ham radio since it's just voice. But I really don't want to setup a transmitter, worry about SWR and all that. I just don't think I would enjoy, and use it like I should.
That's why my videos are so far between. My setup never changes and it's hard for me to find something to do. My goal is to get at least 1,000 subs. If I do that I will be shocked but satisfied.
Good to see you. Very nice setup indeed. Thank you for sharing. Have a great day.
At 62, I have down-sized my radios too, usually due to working them until they are broken and not repairable. I am down to the SDR and a portable right now and that works for me at present. Also, please don't worry about the noise. I live in a small city now and I have lots of noise, but I work through it because I like the hobby. It's amazing what you can get used to.
I'm always living with a little of quiet listening environment Anxiety. We moved out here in the country 31 years ago when my wife and I got married. I put up my antennas about a year later, so I've had a S1 up to S3 noise level for 3 decades. I hope that COOP keeps farming all the surrounding land until I get to old and go to the cattle car nursing home, or I leave this world.
But I know that any year they could just decide to start developing it. With all this new noisy technology we have now, and more coming all the time, I know my quiet conditions could disappear quickly.
This would be a good spot for a solar farm out here. I've heard those panels they produce a lot of interference. And the media is scaring the hell out of everyone to go green. So it would be a tempting location for a power company to do that.
My wife keeps telling me don't worry about something that may never happen. If it does you have your loop, and the 1026 box to try and deal with it. But don't stress over it until it happens. 😏
I just didn't see the need to have lots a receivers anymore. They weren't getting used, sitting in boxes, and just clutter laying around. As I've gotten old now, I don't want to be surrounded by a bunch of things I don't need or use. A 2 or 3 decent quality shortwave radios, and a good outside antenna if you have the room is all you need to enjoy SWLing.
That's why it's hard for me to do videos. My setup never changes, and I've never been lucky enough for any company to send me things to test like a lot of other TH-cam channels. I guess my channel is to small. Who knows.
Man you have a very impressive collection, and everything looks absolutely pristine and clean! Not a spec of dust on anything love it
Thanks. I really take care of everything I have. I have always been like that. Here where I was born, grew up, and still live, is the poor part of the state of Illinois. It took me a while to save up to get anything I have. So I was raised to take care of what you get because you may not have another chance to get it. My Drake R8 I purchased in late 1991. It's still mint. 😀
@@SouthernIllinoisShortwave that’s very cool and I feel like regardless of upbringing people need to take better care of their things and teach their kids the same, I grew up not necessarily poor but we’ve definitely had some struggles in life and I take pride in what I’ve collected over the years (21 now) so I relate
Nice looking shack! I’m just getting started (late at 51,) looking for a tabletop now, so I honestly don’t know what a lot of it is haha! Still cool though, enjoyed the video.
Thanks. If you're looking for a tabletop receiver, make sure it's in good working order. If you look on ebay, and the seller says no way of testing it don't get it. Receivers from Drake, JRC, Kenwood are good if you can find one that is in good working order, and doesn't need anything.
@@SouthernIllinoisShortwave Thanks for the info, and the videos!
Nice shack video, been thinking about doing a video of my layout and radios. I have both the SDRuno and the RSP1A I switch back and forth between them, the RSP1A works on an indoor antenna. Nice to see your World map any serious SW DXer should have one on their shack wall. My antennas include a MFJ discone and a couple of MLA 30 loops.
Great receiving and monitoring setup at the QTH. I still have to go through the channel and check it all out. I have always put a lot of emphasis on monitoring the airwaves. KD6CFE was here.
Nice!!! 👍🏻
Amazing shack. Always wanted a drake as a teen.
thanks for sharing this video very enjoyable looking at your radios id go for the drake r8 good sounding radio all the best
That pyramid linear power supply is a good power supply but they just used cheap caps and cheap IC.
If your able to desolder and solder you can fix that voltage to stable voltage output. By Changing the IC.. LM723CN with a new one and sense your in side ..change the two capacitors 4700uf 25v with new ones.
You should be happy with the output stable voltage after changing them 3 items. I used Mouser electronics but you can get them parts elsewhere and you can set the output voltage with a small variable resistor you can go from around 11 to 15 volts. The two output transistors on the back on the heat sink are 2N3055
I hope that helps. I used to work on them power supplies before my stroke. 73's
Thanks for the info. That Pyramid PS in the video is how can I nicely put it, a piece of crap and a paper weight. I had that a while and it started to give off a burnt smell, and the voltage dropped to almost nothing.
So, I took the top off and took the switch out, and the power cord and the rest went onto the junk pile out back. I'm getting ready to downsize a little more on the radio stuff I have. I'm probably going to just end up with my Icom 8600, RSPdx, and a portable. Also going to get rid of some other accessories that I don't use now. I started in radio back in 1976 when I was 10 years old with my late Father. I still really like SWLing, but even living out in the country on 40+ acres with quiet conditions, interference and noise is starting to catch up to me. And with shortwave the way it is today, I don't need all this laying around now. Plus, I have a heart issue to deal with. I just have to figure out what I'm going to do with it all.
Great set up. Alot of planning and thought went into everything. How do you keep everything so clean. Dust free. Do you use a swiffer
I use a Swiffer and I keep my receivers covered when not in use. I'm that way with everything.
I see you've got the ceiling -fan on. What's the temperature there? If you don't my asking. Your shack looks nice and cozy.
I'm not exactly sure of the date I did this, but if it was Summer, It was upper 90s and humid and the air was cranked.