Latest Videos
W1TP Tom Perera
Disappearing Ham Radio History: Hope for the Future
Latest Blogs
Latest Audio
Final Call for K9QET
presented by Harry N9CQX on MCRN 3/18/23
The Wit and Wisdom of Rod Newkirk W9BRD
Audio clip by KA8WQL
Latest Links
Heathkits
GR-64
GR-81
Heathkit AR-1
Heathkit AR-2
Heathkit AT-1
Heathkit DX-20
Heathkit DX-35
Heathkit DX-40
Heathkit DX-60
Heathkit GC-1 Mohican
Heathkit GR-54
Heathkit GR-91
Heathkit HG-10
Heathkit HR-10
Heathkit HW-16
Heathkit HX-11
Heathkit MR-1 Commanche
Heathkit MT-1 Cheyenne
Heathkit QF-1
Heathkit VF-1
Twoer
Ocean Hopper
Space Spanner
Span Master
Star Roamer
T-50
T-60
R-55
R-100
R-100A
T-150
V-44
PM-2
TR-106
A-2516
Knight Kits
Latest News
Hamfests and Swaps
Posted: 09/245/2023
Created By: Robert Nickels (W9RAN)
Comments: 0
Posted: 09/245/2023
Created By: Robert Nickels (W9RAN)
Comments: 0
Shelby Hamfest 2023
CLICK HERE to enjoy a virtual tour of the Shelby Hamfest, courtest of Nick K4NYW... READ MORE
About our members
Posted: 08/223/2023
Created By: Robert Nickels (W9RAN)
Comments: 0
Posted: 08/223/2023
Created By: Robert Nickels (W9RAN)
Comments: 0
First Annual MCRN-KI8BQ Memorial Get-Together
Thanks to the efforts of Midwest Classic Radio Net manager Harry N9CQX, the annual late July gathering of AM devotees has resumed after the unfortunate passing of long-time host KI8BQ (SK). The first annual MCRN-KI8BQ Get-Together was held on July 29 2023 at the Five Pines Ministries camp near Berrien Springs, MI. The last Saturday in July has been reserve... READ MORE
General Information
Posted: 08/214/2023
Created By: Robert Nickels (W9RAN)
Comments: 0
Posted: 08/214/2023
Created By: Robert Nickels (W9RAN)
Comments: 0
Fair Radio Announces it is Closing by the end of 2023
After letting Hamvention-week faithfuls know his plans in May, Phil posted the following on the Fair Radio website today (8/2/23):After being in the surplus electronic military surplus business over 50 years I have decided it’s time to retire and close the business. Fair Radio Sales has over 30,000 sq ft of electronic parts and equipment that must go.Over the next several months plan yo... READ MORE
General Information
Posted: 07/208/2023
Created By: Robert Nickels (W9RAN)
Comments: 0
Posted: 07/208/2023
Created By: Robert Nickels (W9RAN)
Comments: 0
AM For Every Vehicle Act Headed For Senate Floor Vote
July 27, 2023 On Thursday morning, in a full executive session convened by Chair Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation officially passed the AM For Every Vehicle Act on to the Senate floor.The Act, which would mandate AM radios in autos as a safety feature through the Department of Transportation, is now eligible for a full Senate vote. As of this week, th... READ MORE
Hamfests and Swaps
Posted: 06/161/2023
Created By: Robert Nickels (W9RAN)
Comments: 0
Posted: 06/161/2023
Created By: Robert Nickels (W9RAN)
Comments: 0
SAVE THE DATE-JULY 29, 2023 for the GARY MARTIN, KI8BQ-SK MEMORIAL AM GET-TOGETHER
QST: all hams in the MI-IL-IN area and others:SAVE THE DATE-JULY 29, 2023 for the GARY MARTIN, KI8BQ-SK MEMORIAL AM GET-TOGETHERIN MEMORY OF GARY WHO PROVIDED US WITH MANY YEARS OF GOOD TIMESthe MCRN IS PROUD TO CONTINUE GARY'S EVENT IN HIS NAMEstarting at 10AM EDT AT BEAUTIFUL FIVE PINES MINISTRIES PARKLocated at 6597 SMITH RD, BERRIEN CENTER, MICHIGANALL WELCOME-NO CHARGE-TRUNK SALES-OR COVERED ... READ MORE
DX-60 Net News
Posted: 05/144/2023
Created By: Robert Nickels (W9RAN)
Comments: 0
Posted: 05/144/2023
Created By: Robert Nickels (W9RAN)
Comments: 0
N8ZBA takes on DX-60 Net Control duties
Dan Maliniak N8ZBA of Greenwood Township, MI has landed a new job as DX-60 Net Control. Dan is an active AMer and thanks W8TOW for his years of service to the net and looks forward to assuming net control duties effective May 28, 2023.... READ MORE
General Information
Posted: 05/143/2023
Created By: Robert Nickels (W9RAN)
Comments: 0
Posted: 05/143/2023
Created By: Robert Nickels (W9RAN)
Comments: 0
Ford reverses course - AM Radios will stay!
Per an article in the Detroit Free Press on 5/23/23:Ford CEO Jim Farley announced Tuesday morning that the automaker is reversing its previous plan to remove AM radio from vehicles, both electric and gasoline operated, in 2024.Farley, in a post on his LinkedIn professional page and a tweet on Twitter, said:"After speaking with policy leaders about the importance of AM broadcast radio as a part of ... READ MORE
Hamfests and Swaps
Posted: 04/105/2023
Created By: Robert Nickels (W9RAN)
Comments: 0
Posted: 04/105/2023
Created By: Robert Nickels (W9RAN)
Comments: 0
GARY MARTIN, KI8BQ-SK MEMORIAL AM GET-TOGETHER
Midwest Classic Radio Net continues the tradition! In memory of Gary Martin, KI8BQ, who provided the AM ham community with many years of fun and good times at his beautiful home near Sturgis, MI, the Midwest Classic Radio Net is proud to announce that the tradtition will continue!WHEN: Saturday July 29, 2023 Starting at 10AM.WHERE: Five Pines Ministries Park, Located at 6597 S... READ MORE
About our members
Posted: 03/73/2023
Created By: Robert Nickels (W9RAN)
Comments: 0
Posted: 03/73/2023
Created By: Robert Nickels (W9RAN)
Comments: 0
K9QET (SK)
With deep regret we report the passing of John Lorentz K9QET. He was an active ham on many modes but in recent years was well known for his outstanding signal and audio in the AM window where his nickname was "Quality Every Time". John was one of the Net Control stations for the Midwest Classic Radio Net, where his presence will be especially missed.Please submi... READ MORELatest Articles
Tech Library
Posted: 08/234/2023
Comments: 0 |
Ballast Tube data and substitutions
Here's some information that isn't often needed, but difficult to find: A. P. Jacobi's Ballast Tube Handbook and Substitution Guide. Download from the "Attachments" link below.... READ MORE |
Tech Library
Posted: 08/214/2023
Comments: 0 |
Electricity Explained
We've heard there is some confusion about how electricity works. This should clear things up.... READ MORE |
Brass Pounding
Posted: 06/172/2023
Comments: 0 |
A Poem about Morse Code
A member of the Long Island CW Group thought he'd give one of those AI chatbot sites a challenge...he didn't expect much but got a real surprise... In a world of signals, hidden and grand,A language of dots and dashes, hand in hand.Morse code whispers, in rhythm and sound,A symphony of messages, profound. With a simple click, a dot appears,A fleeting moment, to the listening ears.Short a... READ MORE |
|
Looking Back
Posted: 06/171/2023
Comments: 0 |
The History of the Car Radio
Seems like cars have always had radios, but they didn't. Here's the story:One evening, in 1929, two young men named William Lear and Elmer Wavering drove their girlfriends to a lookout point high above the Mississippi River town of Quincy, Illinois, to watch the sunset. It was a romantic night to be sure, but one of the women observed that it would be even nicer if they could listen to music in th... READ MORE |
|
Looking Back
Posted: 06/171/2023
Comments: 0 |
History of the Car Radio
Seems like cars have always had radios, but they didn't. Here's the story: One evening, in 1929, two young men named William Lear and Elmer Wavering drove their girlfriends to a lookout point high above the Mississippi River town of Quincy, Illinois, to watch the sunset. It was a romantic night to be sure, but one of... READ MORE |
Tech Library
Posted: 05/125/2023
Comments: 0 |
DIY Layout Creator
If you're like most homebrewers, often times you just want to build a one-time-only circuit and end up with a haphazard layout or one you have to tear apart and start over on to get everything to fit. DIY Layout Creator is designed for just this purpose! Not only do you get a layout that will work but a document that shows what you did so when you come back to it 3 weeks la... READ MORE |
Tech Library
Posted: 04/105/2023
Comments: 0 |
Minimalist QRP Book by IZ3AYQ
Everyone probably remembers building - or at least thinking about building - a small simple transmitter or receiver from an article in one of the radio magazines. They may not have used the term "minimalist" back then but the idea was the same - no frills, just a simple rig that could be easily assembled and was capable of being used on the air. Nowadays, QRP operati... READ MORE |
Monitoring Post
Posted: 04/91/2023
Comments: 0 |
The NEW WBCQ - 9330 kHz - Last Chance Radio superstation
Everyone who listens to shortwave is familiar with WBCQ, Monticello Maine USA aka "the Planet" and it's owner Allan Weiner who has been a legit broadcaster for many years after a youthful flirtation with pirate radio. But if you think WBCQ is a rag-tag collection of old SW transmitters held together by baling wire attached by Timtron - you are WAY out of calibration! &... READ MORE |
Welcome to the Shack
Posted: 03/89/2023
Comments: 0 |
Mr. Harvey Wells, Kelley W8GFG (SK)
Long-time particpants in the Midwest Classic Radio Net will remember Kelley W8GFG, who was always looking for "anything Harvey Wells". We lost Kelley too young in 2011 but his persistent quest from St. John IN is an abiding memory. I remember meeting him at a Chicago area hamfest and asking if he had any spare Harvey Wells speakers. He said no, they were very ra... READ MORE |
What's New?
Posted: 03/87/2023
Comments: 0 |
One Man's Quest To Revive The Great American Vacuum Tube
ROSSVILLE, GEORGIA, ON the border with Tennessee, doesn’t look like a tech town. It’s the kind of place where homey restaurants promising succulent fried chicken and sweet tea are tucked among shuttered businesses and prosperous liquor stores. The cost of living is moderate, crime is high, politics are red, and the population has withered to 3,980.But in the view of entrepreneur C... READ MORE |
On the workbench
Posted: 03/85/2023
Comments: 0 |
A 3D Printed Socket for FT-243 Crystals
Lots of us have crysals in the FT-243 type holder from our Novice days and since, but the sockets needed for them are becoming hard to find. To address this I designed a socket that can be 3D printed in about 15 minutes that will substitue for the old style panel-mounted socket used on many transmitters and in homebrew projects. You'll need to scavenge two conta... READ MORE |
Heat up the iron
Posted: 03/85/2023
Comments: 0 |
Test those 6146s!
"The most sensational beam power tube to come your way!" was the banner headline for RCA's 1952 ad promoting the new 6146 tube. Sensationalism aside, there's no doubt that more Novices first RF came from a 6146 than any other tube and its popularity even grew during the sideband era when "a pair of 6146s" was found in many SSB transceivers from the high-end Coll... READ MORE |
Looking Back
Posted: 03/80/2023
Comments: 0 |
Your Future With Teletype
The 1950s were a time of high growth for many companies - especially those involved in communications and electronics. So what young ham would not be tempted to think about working for one of the largest data communications companies in the world - a future with Teletype?Download the booklet at the attachments link below for a look at how Teletype sought to attract technicians, enginee... READ MORE |
Looking Back
Posted: 03/75/2023
Comments: 0 |
Teletype Corp.
Download the document "The New Look At Teletype" which appeared in 1960 that offers a glimpse into the operation of one of the largest data communications companies of its time.The Teletype Corporation of Skokie IL, a part of American Telephone and Telegraph Company's Western Electric manufacturing arm since 1930, came into being in 1928 when the Morkrum-Kleinschmidt Company changed its name... READ MORE |
Fone Forum
Posted: 03/72/2023
Comments: 0 |
Johnson Viking II - CDC
Lots of Johnson Viking II transmitters were made but every so often the much less seend "CDC" model turns up. What was different about it, other than the Civil Defense decal on the front panel? Find out by reading the EF Johnson "Design File" below.... READ MORE |
On the workbench
Posted: 03/67/2023
Comments: 0 |
Improve the efficiency of your vertical antenna
Rob Sherwood NCØB is best known for his receiver tests but as a DXer and contester, Rob has paid a lot of attention to antennas over the years. Since the '70s he's been using and working to improve the effectiveness of vertical antennas and recently shared some of his findings at a presentation at the W9DYV Technical Symposium at the St. Louis Suburban Radio Club's Winterfest in... READ MORE |
On the workbench
Posted: 03/64/2023
Comments: 0 |
Must-have accessory for your NanoVNA
The NanoVNA is an amazingly useful piece of inexpensive test equipment for the ham and experimenter. Anyone working with RF needs one! Perhaps the most useful application for homebrewing or repairng radio equipment is the ability to make S21 measurements, that is to view the transmission characteristics of any RF device, such as a crystal, an amplifier, or a tuned circuit. &... READ MORE |
Tech Library
Posted: 02/56/2023
Comments: 0 |
Phillips Tube Substitution Guide
Ever run into a weird tube in a foreign-made radio, maybe one with an EL or EM part number? This 1965 cross reference from one of the largest tube manufacturers in Europe might help. Download it from the Attachments sectio below.... READ MORE |
Fone Forum
Posted: 02/55/2023
Comments: 0 |
Old Buzzard George - W1GAC
Many hams operating AM today didn't have the opportunity to hear some of the true AM legends while they were alive and on the air, but thanks to W1DAN's excellent profile, we can appreciate one of the finest homebrewers and long-time AM operators - W1GAC. George Mouridian passed away in 2007 at the age of 91 but had been an active ham for over 70 years and while he did use ... READ MORE |
Tech Library
Posted: 02/52/2023
Comments: 0 |
What is Q?
What is Q? A concise definition: "In physics and engineering, the quality factor or Q factor is a dimensionless parameter that describes how underdamped an oscillator or resonator is."We know it's important in RF circuits - low Q coils or tuned circuits will result in loss and perform inefficiently. We may remember from the Handbook that the Q of a coil equals the rati... READ MORE |