Collins 51J-4 Receiver

Here's a few pictures of the Collins 51J-4 receiver I acquired a couple of weeks ago. The story behind my getting it is interesting. First of all, I live in Marion, Iowa, which is adjacent to Cedar Rapids, home of Rockwell-Collins, formerly Collins Radio Company. So, there are a lot of former and current (over 10,000) Rockwell-Collins employees around here--many of them Ham Radio operators.

I got a call from a friend asking if I'd like to have an old Collins receiver an 80+ year-old friend (Papi) of his had in storage. Papi retired from Collins and had worked with Art Collins on the design of the radio. Of course I said yes, and picked it up a couple of days later.

It had obviously been stored for years. The outside of it was in pretty bad shape with lots of sticky crud on it. I feared I may have had nothing but an old boat anchor. But I took the covers off, blew out the dust (which wasn't too bad really), and went to work on the outside. After a whole day-and-a-half lovingly cleaning it, it turned out fairly well.

Then I carefully looked over everything inside to make sure there weren't any obvious shorts or bad components. Everything looked good, so I connected an antenna and, finally, mustered up the courage to plug it in and turn it on. To my amazement, it worked.

Talk about nostalgia! This receiver, first introduced in 1955, was still in production when I got my Novice license in 1960. I was like a little kid playing with that thing. I still am.

Click on any picture for a larger view. By the way, the speaker next to the 51J-4 is a military LS-166/U manufactured by University Loudspeakers, Inc. in White Plains, New York. It came with the receiver and also took a lot of cleaning.

The Day the FCC Came Knocking

By Dale Holloway, K4EQ

Through the years, I've had lots of fun in this great hobby of ham radio. I've experienced the thrill of being DX while living in Costa Rica and Honduras, and even of operating from Russia (I made all of one momentous contact from there). I've had fun in contests (even winning some), collecting wallpaper, running traffic, helping in emergencies (blizzards, earthquakes), you name it. But most important, I've met some wonderful people and made some great friends.

When I read of the recent closing or converting of several FCC monitoring stations [see note below], I was reminded of two men I had met years ago as a result of ham radio--two men I wish I hadn't met. Here's the story.

In the fall of 1960 I opened the mail one day to discover I was now to be known as KN8WHB. Hooray, I'd passed my Novice exam. I rushed to the basement, tuned up my borrowed DX-20 transmitter on 40 meters, heard a strong station on my AR-3 receiver, and called KN8UDM for my first contact as a ham. No 13-year-old kid could ever experience a greater thrill than I did on that day.

Novices were crystal controlled in those days and I only had one crystal, which was on 7184 kc (no longer a part of the Novice band). The 40-meter Novice band was always full of QRM, and it was even worse for me because I was stuck on just one frequency. What I really wanted to do was get on 15 meters, where there wouldn't be so much QRM and where I could work a real DX station. My 40-meter dipole would do the trick just fine on 15. Unfortunately, I couldn't afford the $5 for another crystal, so I was stuck on 40.

But, alas, here's where our ham friends always come to the rescue. K8QDM, my ham radio elmer across the street (who had his General Class license and was no longer rock bound), loaned me a crystal for 7037 kc which I could use on 21111 kc (7037 x 3 = 21111). I thought I was king of the hill when I worked my first VE6. Hi!

Unfortunately, my venture into 15 meters is what led me to meet those two previously mentioned men. You see, while a few DX stations were now hearing my signal, so, I discovered, were a few of my neighbors on their TV sets.

One day in early 1961 there was a knock on our door and two men introduced themselves to my mother as being from the FCC monitoring station in Allegan, Michigan, which was about thirty miles south of our Grand Rapids home. They asked to speak with me. Immediately my heart began to pound. They said they had received complaints from neighbors two doors to the north and two doors to the south that I was interfering with their TVs. They wanted to do some tests from my station. So, while one of them went with me to my shack, the other went to one of my complaining neighbors.

Talk about being scared to death! I thought for sure I was going to end up in the Federal Penitentiary. Instead of KN8WHB, I'd be something like 437852.

Anyway, when the one guy got to my neighbor's house, he called us on the telephone and had me start transmitting on 15 meters. Mercy! He said I completely wiped out the screen. Great!

After more tests at the other neighbor's house, they concluded I was completely at fault. This, despite the fact both their old TVs had 21 mc I.F.s in them. I didn't have a chance. I was transmitting on 21 mc. My two friends (I told you ham radio was great for making new friends. Hmmm!) didn't officially put me on what was known then as quiet hours, but they strongly suggested I limit my 15-meter operating to hours when no one was watching TV.

Yeah, right!

You'd think this scared-to-death kid would have learned his lesson, wouldn't you? Think again. Being hams, you'll understand this. If I wanted to work DX, 15 meters was my only good shot at it with my present setup. So, a couple of weeks later, I was back at it.

One Saturday morning I was determined to open up what was a completely dead 15-meter band. It was DX or die for me. I called and called CQ, but to no avail. I called again and again and again, but no one was there.

Suddenly, the phone rang. I tentatively answered it and, horror of horrors, it was one of the guys who'd visited me a couple of weeks earlier. He was listening to me from the FCC monitoring station in Allegan. My heart skipped several beats. This time I knew for sure I'd be the first teenager in Jackson State Prison. I think I then prayed one of those real eloquent prayers. You know, something like, "HELP!!!" The subsequent conversation went something like this.

FCC: "Dale, whatcha doin'?"
Me: "Nothin' much."
FCC: "Well, I'm listening to you call CQ on 15 meters."
Me: "You are?"
FCC: "Yup! Whatcha hearin'?"
Me: "Nothin'!"
FCC: "I know. Think maybe you better not operate right now?"

I thought that was an excellent suggestion and I told him so. In fact, I would have told him anything he wanted to hear. I also gave my friend back his 7037 kc crystal so I wouldn't be tempted to get on 15 again for a long time. I didn't either.

As I reflect on this experience now, I realize those two men were really super-nice people. They could have been real nasty, but instead they were courteous and helpful, if not somewhat intimidating to a young teenager. But I wish I knew who they were, because I'll bet you anything they were also licensed hams.

Like I said at the beginning, I've met some wonderful people through the years in ham radio. But, at least on one occasion, I met some people I wish I'd never have met--at least under those circumstances. That's the day the FCC came knocking.

This article was written in late 1995 shortly after the announcement was made of the future closings. The offices were to be closed by July 1996. I'm not certain when it actually happened.

Rediscovering the Thrill

By Dale Holloway, K4EQ

QRP operation (5 watts or less) has always held a certain fascination for me. Back in 1980 I even got half way serious about it by building a Heathkit HW-8 and joining the Michigan QRP Club. I got excited quickly when my first contact was with DK4KK. Now, there's nothing noteworthy about working Germany under normal circumstances. It's certainly isn't an exotic QTH for a DXpedition. But with 2 watts? I was ecstatic. My next contact was a KV4, a few days later a KL7, then a JA2, an RK1, and the list goes on.

You bet. I was having FUN! However, a year later we returned to Honduras for a few years and I put aside my QRP interest temporarily. Or so I thought. Temporarily turned out to be nearly 16 years.

But that all changed back in early 1997 when I ordered a NorCal 38 Special. It's a 300 mW (I did the 5-watt mod) 30-meter transceiver with a hot little superhet receiver in it. For $25 I knew I couldn't go wrong. Unfortunately, I didn't get around to building it until a few months later, but it was sure worth the wait.

On July 19 I heard KCØGT calling CQ. I was thrilled when he answered my call to him and gave me a 559 out of Florida. That was just the beginning. In the next two months of only slightly more than casual operating, I worked 29 countries and 24 states on that little rig. I have since increased my QRP DXCC total to over the 100 mark.

Nearly all my contacts were on my Cushcraft R7 vertical which was attached to our back deck. However, I took it down on Labor Day to do some work on it. Now I was off the air. Or was I? Because of antenna restrictions in our subdivision (I had permission for the vertical), I had to hide an antenna for 80 meters. So I put an 80-meter loop on the roof (black insulated wire on black shingles) and fed it with 450-ohm ladder line. You couldn't see it unless you were looking hard for it. I decided to tune the loop for 30 meters and see what I could do with my QRP rig. Believe it or not, I worked Florida and a UK4 in the Ukraine. That's 5 watts into an 80-meter loop lying on the roof. I was pleased!

My most memorable contact that summer was probably 5N3/SP5XAR in Nigeria. He was working a pileup and I thought I'd join the multitude calling him. Whenever I'd sense a lull, I'd throw in my call sign. After about a half dozen calls, he came back to K4EQ. I was thrilled. No, I was ecstatic. The fact is, I nearly fell out of my chair with excitement. I hadn't had so much fun since I was a Novice in 1960.

If you're looking for something to juice up your hamming, try QRP. It may not be your "cup of tea" but it's worth a shot. I rarely turn on my 100-watt transceiver these days. It's sort of in the way. I've rediscovered the thrill of working what was easy DX. And I actually do some rag chewing now--something I've never particularly enjoyed.

Yup! I've rediscovered the thrill of ham radio. And it's all because I built a little QRP rig. When I work them now, I bathe in a real sense of genuine pride in my accomplishment. Why not join in the fun?

Finally!

By Dale Holloway, K4EQ

The decision is made. After years of speculation, thousands of heated letters both pro and con to the FCC and ARRL, and countless hours of on and off the air bickering, the FCC made the big, long awaited decision. The code issue is dead. Effective February 23, 2007, the Morse Code is no longer part of the examination requirement for an Amateur Radio license.

Finally!

The debate over the code requirement has been going on for years. No issue since incentive licensing has so divided the amateur community as this one. Whichever side you took, if you expressed it, you were certain to be flamed on the Internet or snickered about by more "enlightened" hams. But no more. The debate is over.

Finally!

CW has always been my favorite mode of operation as my 275 confirmed CW DXCC entities attest. Over 90% of all my contacts are on this mode. Few hams can claim to have more of an affinity for the code than I do. However, for years I have failed to see the need to show proficiency in the code in order to quality for a license. It's a part of our ham radio tradition--a great part--but hardly a necessity in light of current technology. Nearly all arguments I've heard through the years for keeping the code requirement have been more sentimental than logical. Anyway, that fight is over.

Finally!

The good news is this: now we can get on with enjoying the code without having to defend it. Shucks, we might even be able to get along together again since the issue is now a mute point.

Finally!

Actually, the code is doing quite well today on the ham bands. Just listen to the CW frequencies during a major contest. And observe the growth of the FISTS CW Club and North American QRP CW Club. All attest to the continued and increasing popularity of this great mode of communication.

Regardless of what your opinion may be on the code issue, it's time to put it in the past and move on. If you love it, use it; if you hate it, don't use it. Let's put our efforts now into fighting really important issues like BPL, band intrusion, and the like. Let's work to preserve the service not destroy it.

Finally!

My Take on the FCC's No Code Licensing Proposal

By Dale Holloway, K4EQ

In a July 18, 2005 Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) in WT Docket 05-235, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recommended dropping the current 5 wpm Morse code element as a requirement to obtain an Amateur Radio license of any class. As might be expected, this historically polarizing issue has divided the Amateur Radio community into two never-the-twain-shall-meet camps.

[For those of you who have been around ham radio long enough, you know what a touchy and divisive subject this is.]

Before I offer my perspective on this issue, you need to know where I'm coming from. CW has always been my favorite mode of transmission. The first time I heard the "thumpidy-thump" of Morse code CW signals on our old upright shortwave radio as a kid, I was hooked. Shucks, by the time I passed my Novice exam in 1960, I was already copying 20 wpm. Those months on the Novice bands pounding brass were exciting times for me. And that excitement of using Morse code has never left me through the years. Though I occasionally jump into a phone net, chat with a couple of friends on SSB, and dabble with the digital modes, the vast majority of my operating time is on CW. In fact, I'll bet at least 95% of all my QSOs are on CW.

In other words, I'm definitely a dyed-in-the-wool CW diehard.

With that in mind, you'll be surprised to learn where I stand on the no code issue before us today. I support the FCC's proposal. Yes, I'm aware of the controversial nature of that statement. The truth is, there are valid arguments on both sides of the issue and neither side is likely to convince the other. So, here's my side.

Keep in mind, the FCC is not proposing the elimination of Morse code or its use--only the requirement to know it to get an amateur radio license. Not requiring a proficiency exam in any of the many other modes has never prohibited anyone from using them, nor will it CW. Nor has learning the code ever kept anyone in the CW ranks, although it may increase the likelihood of that happening. The code is something you either like or you don't. You use it or you don't. It's that simple.

There are many longtime amateurs, including many Extra class licensees, who never use the code and couldn't copy anywhere near 5 wpm today. They have absolutely no interest in it. That's no big deal to me. Today, with the Internet and cell phones, the code requirement is a hurdle over which many young people are not willing to climb. And, despite weak arguments to the contrary, knowing the code doesn't make one a better radio operator.

There is a greater issue here that we must not forget. Amateur Radio is getting grayer by the day and we are in danger of losing the service altogether. If that were to happen, all arguments over the code requirement would be mute. If eliminating the code requirement would increase our numbers, thereby saving Amateur Radio, then the FCC would be doing all of us a favor by eliminating it. Saving Amateur Radio guarantees me I'll be able to operate CW in the future--more than keeping the code test does.

Eliminating the code test has nothing whatsoever to do with the so-called dumbing down of ham radio we hear so much about today. Give me a break. Have you looked at the study material lately for the Extra class exam? That's tough stuff. It's twice as tough now as when I passed my Extra back in 1984.

Many, myself included, are worried about possibly losing our CW subbands. Now that would be a bummer. However, I believe the ARRL's proposal for regulation by bandwidth may be the answer to that. Go to their website to learn more about that.

Whatever the outcome of the FCC's proposal, the code is not going away. The popularity of the FISTS CW Club, the many CW contests, and the growth of CW QRP is proof of that. Let's choose our battles carefully lest there be no more battles to fight.

Posted: August 26, 2005
Copyright © 2005 Dale Holloway, K4EQ

DXing from Honduras - Part 5

By Dale Holloway, K4EQ
(Ex - HR1DH, K8WHB/HR1, W9NXD/TI2, W9NXD/HR2, NJ8X/HR1)

When we first arrived in Honduras in April 1975, we lived in a tiny apartment behind the guest house of our mission in Tegucigalpa. Tiny hardly seems an adequate word to describe its cramped quarters, but in the absence of a more descriptive word it will have to suffice. The living room/dining room combination was approximately 9' X 12' and the two bedrooms just had enough room for a small bed and a dresser. That was it! But our family of four (We added one more a few months later.) fit well into it. We were so happy to be in Honduras it didn't really matter to us where we lived.

The only problem with that QTH was the RFI I caused in the main guest house. One of the missionaries enjoyed listening to the Voice of America about as much as I enjoyed working strings of VK's. As you can imagine, those two pastimes were not especially compatible.

In August some missionary friends were leaving for the states for about six months. They asked us if we would like to stay in their home while they were gone. We readily accepted for several reasons. First, it was a beautiful house with l-o-t-s of room; second, it was handy to one of the places we frequented; and third, they needed someone to stay there or it would be empty when they returned. Oh, I almost forgot (Hi, hi!), there just happened to be a 40' tower in the yard with a beautiful Hy-Gain tri-band quad setting on top of it. You see, owner was also a ham. I had been using an old tri-band yagi supported at about 28' with three sections of crooked pipe. Sometimes I thought for sure the first gust of wind would blow it down. Believe me that tower and quad looked very inviting.

Once we got moved in, it didn't take long for me to give the quad a tryout. It also didn't take too long for me to fall in love with it. The only problem that I discovered after using it a while was the mechanical stability. We got some fierce winds in Tegucigalpa and I was frequently climbing the tower making repairs.

My dream setup at this QTH eventually caused me one of the greatest frustrations of all my years of hamming. One Saturday morning I was having a great time working DX on 15 meters. Suddenly, someone started pounding on the iron fence in the back yard. After a couple of minutes I went out to see what was going on. To my momentary delight it was our neighbor whom I had not yet met. He was also a foreign consulate to Honduras.

Although it wasn't the most opportune time, I was happy to finally meet him. I greeted him with a friendly, "Hello, my name is Dale Holloway. It's a pleasure to meet you."

He responded, "You *$%&&#@**%$."

Stunned, I replied, "Pardon me?"

"That's right, you lousy %#@&%$," he said. "My daughter is having a birthday party and you're broadcasting into the phonograph, the stereo, the TV, the radio, the telephone, even the organ."

Imagine, if you can, how I felt about then. It was worse than the time two men from the FCC monitoring station in Allegan showed up at my door in Grand Rapids back in 1960 when I was a 13-year-old Novice. My articulate explanation to the consulate that his thousands of dollars of entertainment equipment lacked a few dollars of filtering that would keep it from receiving signals it wasn't suppose to receive fell on deaf ears. He said something like, "*$%&&#@**%$."

I got the point!

Finally I agreed to stay off the air until his daughter's party was over. Needless to say, I was quite upset.

About three weeks later the same thing happened all over again. He threatened to see that I lost my license and to make sure I didn't bother him ever again. Being in the official capacity he was in, he had the pull to do it too. On the other hand, there wasn't a lot I could do except stay off the air, and I wasn't about to do that. My ham future at that QTH looked bleak. But then a most interesting thing happened, and it gave me the last laugh.

At the time, I was pastoring the Union Christian Church in Tegucigalpa, which was the only English-speaking church in the capital. There were several American and European businessmen, U.S. military and embassy personnel, and Peace Corps workers that attended the church. Every Christmas Eve we had a service that was attended by many people, several of whom didn't regularly attend our church.

As I was greeting people coming in that Christmas Eve, guess who I saw coming up the sidewalk? That's right! My not-so-friendly neighbor and his family. After my heart skipped a couple of beats, I couldn't help but chuckle as I imagined what his response would be when he saw me and realized I was the pastor there.

Boy, was he ever surprised! If ever anyone wanted to pull off a vanishing act, it was him. He stumbled for some words, then, in his heavily accented English, muttered something about what a surprise it was to see me there. Ha! What an understatement! I chuckled again and smiled as he and his family found their way to the sanctuary.

I couldn't help but wonder, though, if this discovery of his was going to make matters better or worse for me. Well, to my delight, I never heard another word from him about my interference, and he even came back to church again after that. I guess it all goes to show once again the truth of the Scripture that says, "The Lord works in mysterious ways His wonders to perform."

With only minor changes, these DX articles are what appeared in the W4CA Log, which is the monthly newsletter of the Roanoke Valley Amateur Radio Club.

DXing from Honduras - Part 4

By Dale Holloway, K4EQ
(Ex - HR1DH, K8WHB/HR1, W9NXD/TI2, W9NXD/HR2, NJ8X/HR1)

Most of us who are ham radio operators think our hobby is the greatest hobby in the world. Its strength is in its diversity. There seems to be something for everyone (e.g., DX, ragchewing, HF, VHF, UHF, SSB, CW, RTTY, FM, slow-scan, fast scan, satellite, contests, traffic nets, moon bounce, QSLing, even stamp collecting as a sideline). You name it, ham radio's got it!

Through the years I've had my hand in a lot of that, but there's even more I've yet to conquer. Circumstances have a lot to do with our emphasis at any given time. For example, I was never on 160 meters until a few years ago. It wasn't because I wasn't interested in it. I just had never had a rig with 160 in it until then.

Likewise, until I moved to Central America, I never had been a serious contester because I never had a competitive station or QTH. But that all changed once I got to Honduras. My station wasn't especially competitive, but my QTH, particularly in the right contests, more than made up for that.

I'll never forget the first time I contested from Honduras. It was in the November 1975 CQ World-Wide DX CW Contest. I'd only had my HR1DH callsign since August and hadn't really thought too much yet about contesting. I was just enjoying operating again. But there had been a few unique problems involved in getting that license and I sort of owed a favor to the jefe who issue it to me. In October I was visiting with him and he said this was the only contest he operated in every year. He was extremely proud of the many pieces of wallpaper hanging in his shack indicating 1st place from Honduras in this contest. He said this year he was going to work a single-band effort and wanted me to represent Honduras in an all-band effort. What could I say?

I quickly learned several things about contesting, particularly as DX. One of my earliest discoveries was that I was a very popular multiplier. It's not that CQ zone 7 is especially rare. It's just that so few from that zone work CW. In Honduras, for example, CW isn't a requirement for a license, so there are few CW operators. Most of the CW contesting is done by those of us operating reciprocally.

Having learned of my popularity, I had to quickly learn the most efficient way of working hundreds of stations calling me for hours at a time. By the way, I also learned how not to work certain stations who caused problems, or how to work them and make sure they didn't get a QSL card from my manager. For some strange reason, they never made it in the QSL log. Hmmm! With each contest I learned a little more. And I always had fun. Hey, it's always fun when everyone wants to work you!

I remember the 1983 CQ World-Wide DX Contest. Due to other responsibilities, I didn't have much time to operate. However, I was able to squeeze in about three hours in the two days. I wasn't there to be competitive (You need a minimum of twelve hours to enter that one anyway.), just to have a little fun and to pass out a new multiplier to the needy. In the first 45 minutes I worked 154 stations, which comes out to a 3.35 QSO rate per minute. As I later learned, that wasn't all that unusual. Of the several contests I entered, I was always first place from Honduras. I'll let you in on a little secret, however. I was usually the only entrant from Honduras. Fortunately, that information isn't put on the wallpaper. As Paul Harvey would say, now you know the rest of the story!

Now, lest you laugh me out of our great commonwealth, let me hasten to add that I was pretty competitive world-wide. For example, I'm quite proud of my 1st place, North America, mixed mode (CW & SSB) for the 1983 ARRL International DX 10-Meter Contest. That was good for 6th place world-wide. But, undoubtedly, my finest contesting achievement came in the 1984 ARRL International DX Contest for an 80-meter single band effort on CW. I had entered this contest in 1983 but had given it only a casual effort. I finished in 5th place in the world. I was so surprised that I decided to give it an all-out effort in 1984. Well, it paid off as I finished 1st place in the worldmy best effort ever. Needless to say, I'm extremely proud of the colorful plaque from the ARRL that graces the wall of my shack.

In every contest there are the "big guns" you expect to hear and work. It seems like I always worked those guys fairly early in the contest. But once, in the 1st place world-wide effort, I laughed when I worked one of them late in the contest. It was hours into the contest and I still hadn't worked the West Virginia multiplier. At one point I said out loud, "Where's N8II?" It wasn't but a few seconds later when, you guessed it, N8II called me out of the pileup. I couldn't help but chuckle as I put him in the log.

My contesting memories from Honduras are all fond ones. I learned a lot and had lots of fun. For me, that's what ham radio is all about. Whether it's public service, contesting, or whatever, this hobby is just plain fun! If we ever get another assignment to Honduras, you can bet you'll be hearing NJ8X/HR contesting--and having lots of fun doing it.

With only minor changes, these DX articles are what appeared in the W4CA Log, which is the monthly newsletter of the Roanoke Valley Amateur Radio Club.

DXing from Honduras - Part 3

By Dale Holloway, K4EQ
(Ex - HR1DH, K8WHB/HR1, W9NXD/TI2, W9NXD/HR2, NJ8X/HR1)

As I mentioned last month, joining the radio club in Honduras was not an inexpensive thing to do. Over a hundred dollars is a bundle to pay, even if it is a requisite to applying for a reciprocal license. To most U.S. hams the thought of having to join a radio club before applying for a license is crazy. However, remember that in most third-world countries there are no means available to adequately enforce rules compliance on a national level. Requiring radio club membership places responsibility at a lower level and becomes a kind of self-regulatory system.

Like it or not, I had to join one of the three national radio clubs if I was to get my license. So, in the first couple of weeks after our arrival, I did just that. I soon learned that was the easy part. When we arrived in August of 1982, the country was feeling the effects of the many Central America political pressures from its southeastern neighbor. As a result, no new amateur licenses were being granted, Honduran or reciprocal. But I assumed that because I was previously licensed as HR1DH I would be able to skirt around this problem.

How wrong I was! The man who used to be in charge of issuing licenses through Hondutel was no longer the jefe in this area. In talking with him and his boss, I soon realized the impossibility of the task before me. It used to be they would issue a temporary permit until all the paperwork was done. Not any more! It used to be that they had the final say on licenses. Not any more! Now, after Hondutel gave permission for a license, the papers were sent to the military for approval. The bottom line was this: The military wasn't approving any communications licenses. Period!

"So what do I do?" I asked. "Just like before," they answered. "Hire a lawyer and have him present your application. When things change, we'll let you know."

Great! I knew all too well the process and its speed, or lack thereof. I also knew quite well the cost involved in getting a lawyer. Another bundle of money! Two hundred dollars to be exact. Ouch! I might never get on the air. Besides, I had another problem. All our belongings were still in customs. When the paperwork was done and we could get everything, I wouldn't be able to get my radio equipment out without a license. What would I do?

This was in mid-August. Sometime in November we got word that we could go to customs for inspection and, hopefully, get our things. But I still didn't have my license.

So back to Tegucigalpa I went. I begged and pleaded with Hondutel, but to no avail. Finally they consented to give me a letter stating I had a U.S. license and that Honduras had a reciprocal agreement with the U.S. It didn't say I had a reciprocal license, but the custom officials wouldn't know the difference.

Sure enough! With little hassle we were able to get everything out of customs. It didn't come free by any means, but at least it came.

Now I had another problem. Do you know what it's like to be off the air for a few months, finally get your equipment, set it all up on your desk, look at all those nice, shiny knobs and buttons, listen to your father and friends call for you on the nets day after day, and not be able to push the mic button? It's pure, unadulterated agony! Oh, how I wanted to respond. The only thing I could do was to bug the appropriate officials so much they would give me a license just to get rid of me. Unfortunately, despite heroic attempts at this, it didn't work.

Then I remembered something that's true just about anywhere, but especially in Latin America. It's not what you know, but who you know! Since the military was granting the final permission for all amateur licenses, then I needed to talk to the head of the military. That would be the Minister of Defense. The only problem was I didn't know him. But I did know someone who did. A good friend of many years, field director for another mission board and raised in Honduras, knew the Minister of Defense very well. In fact, the Minister had told my friend that if he ever needed any help just to call him.

Guess what I did? You bet! I did what any reasonable, red-blooded, American ham with any sense would do. I got on the phone and called my friend to see what he could do for me. Presto! On 7 December I received permission to operate as W9NXD/HR2. On 8 December at 1533 UTC I was able to contact my father, N8CVH, just a few days before he and my mother left to visit us.

Perfect timing! Of course that meant another $45 to Hondutel (I told you it was expensive!), but about then it really seemed worth it. By the way, remember this was December 1982. My permanent Honduran license was finally issued on 19 June 1985--ten months after we completed our term and returned to the states and nearly three years after I had applied. Without that phone call, I never would have been on the air. I can hardly wait to tell you about contesting from HR-land. But that will have to wait for another month.

With only minor changes, these DX articles are what appeared in the W4CA Log, which is the monthly newsletter of the Roanoke Valley Amateur Radio Club.

DXing from Honduras - Part 2

By Dale Holloway, K4EQ
(Ex - HR1DH, K8WHB/HR1, W9NXD/TI2, W9NXD/HR2, NJ8X/HR1)

Bidding farewell to beautiful Costa Rica in 1982 was not easy. We were leaving behind many friends. But the thought of arriving in our beloved Honduras seemed to diminish our sadness. There was only one stop between San José and our destination in Honduras. That was in the land of turmoil--Managua, Nicaragua.

It wasn't long until we could see Lago de Nicaragua, the large lake near Managua. We knew we'd be landing in just moments. My mind temporarily drifted to a few years earlier when we had driven through Nicaragua on our way to Costa Rica from Tegucigalpa. That was in 1975--before the Sandinista coup d'etat and not long after the terrible Managua earthquake. I remembered seeing the rubble of that quake and the pride of the people in restoring things as best they could back to normal. I remembered the fascinating Masaya market, where one could shop for hours (even me!) and not tire while marveling at all the beautiful hand-crafted curios. I remembered the eloquent beauty of the land, accented ever-so-often with mountains of inactive volcanos. But most of all I remembered the people, friendly people, who loved their country and wanted to share it with gringos like me.

None of that had changed. But, believe me, some things had changed. As we began our descent we noticed something different about this airport. There were soldiers everywhere. And they weren't just playing cards. They were manning anti-aircraft weapons all along the runway. Strict orders were given for no picture taking. Anyone caught taking pictures could say adios to their camera. Yes, some things had changed--but not for the better.

Soon we were off again, this time with no obstacles between little Switzerland (Honduras!) and our SAHSA 737 jet. I could hardly wait! I could already visualize my big KW radiating from three 100' towers with monobanders gracing the friendly DX skies of Honduras. (Unfortunately visualization and actualization are frequently completely unrelated.) At any rate, it wasn't long until our plane touched down in San Pedro Sula, our new home.

There were literally scores of things we had to take care of after our arrival. Time nor space doesn't permit me in these articles to share them all, or the difficulty in accomplishing those tasks. But one of my early tasks was to get my reciprocal operating permit. This was no small task. Even though the U.S. had a reciprocal operating agreement with Honduras, one didn't just present his FCC license to the authorities and walk out with an HR ticket. The first step was to join the radio club. No one could even apply for a license without belonging to one of the three national clubs.

So, as soon after our arrival as possible, I attended a meeting of the Radio Club de Honduras in San Pedro Sula. I introduced myself and indicated my desire to join. I was voted in a member and after the meeting I went to pay my dues. OUCH! Have you ever complained about your RVARC dues? Don't ever complain again. Get this. The treasurer said, "That will be $110." That's right--$110. And that was just for six months. It included $30 for six months dues, $50 new member fee, $25 building fee (?), and $5 repeater fee. Like I said, ouch. All this just so I could even apply for a license.

But hang tight. You've heard the saying, "Cheer up, things could be worse." Well, I cheered up, finally, and, sure enough, things got worse. You see, the next step was to go to Tegucigalpa (a five-hour drive) and visit the office of Hondutel, which is the office of all telecommunications in the country. It's sort of like our FCC. I was sure I wouldn't have any problems there because I'd gone through this a few years before and I knew the man in charge. Boy, was I ever wrong! My problems had hardly begun.

The first thing I found out was that still worked there, but he was no longer in charge. (Changes in government tend to do that.) Next I discovered that nobody was getting licenses then, whether Honduran or reciprocal. The terrorist activities in the country had put a temporary halt to that. All you had to do was listen to 40 meters during the day to see why. The leftists were using amateur equipment in the amateur bands for much of their communications.

One day there was an article in one of the local papers about a raid on a house in Tegucigalpa which was found to be one of the meeting places for the terrorists. It was also their armory. Pictured in the paper were scores of weapons seized in the raid, plus about fifteen Yaesu FT 101 transceivers used for communications. Still any wonder why third-world countries have such tight controls on communications? Next time I'll tell you about some of the almost unbelievable obstacles I had to overcome in order to finally get on the air.

With only minor changes, these DX articles are what appeared in the W4CA Log, which is the monthly newsletter of the Roanoke Valley Amateur Radio Club.

DXing from Honduras - Part 1

By Dale Holloway, K4EQ
(Ex - HR1DH, K8WHB/HR1, W9NXD/TI2, W9NXD/HR2, NJ8X/HR1)

My wife, Jan, and I moved to Roanoke late last July. (This article was written in 1995.) Although I haven't had the opportunity to meet many of the local hams yet, I've chatted with a few of you on 2 meters. Since we spent nearly ten years in missionary work, I thought perhaps you would be interested in some of my ham experiences as a DX station.

Back in the 70's I worked in administration with an interdenominational missionary agency with world headquarters in Marion, Indiana. In 1975 I was given a one-year special assignment in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Then in 1981 our family returned to Honduras for another three years. Our first year was spent in Spanish language study in San José, Costa Rica.

Being able to operate in a foreign country is the dream of every ham, and I was no exception. Just think, the chance not just to work DX, but actually to be the DX. Wow! In this and subsequent articles, I'll be sharing some of my DX'ing experiences with you. For now I'll be sharing about my operation in Honduras, but later I'll mention a little about Costa Rica.

It was with mixed emotions that I boarded the SAHSA 737 jet at Costa Rica's International Airport in San José in August of 1982. I was excited because we would soon be back in beautiful Honduras, birth place of our son and home to many of our friends. But we were leaving a land we had come to love and scores of people who would be in our hearts forever. However, from my ever-present ham perspective, I could hardly wait to get to San Pedro Sula. After a frustrating year of operation in TI2-land, anything would be better.

As I looked at Costa Rica's lush green mountainsides from my plane seat, my mind began to wander. I remembered all the fun times I used to have as HR1DH in '75 and '76. Those were great moments. Like the late afternoons I used to run long strings of JA's on 20 meters, sometimes on 15 . . . all calling me. Or the night I worked two solid hours of ZL's and VK's. Oh what fun!

I especially remembered the fun I had trying to snatch HV3SJ, who was the only station in the Vatican City. The Rome Radio Club was sponsoring the ANNO SANTO award for working twelve Rome stations plus the Vatican City. Getting the Rome stations was easy They were a dime a dozen on 20m CW. But getting HV3SJ was another thing. However, I finally got a break. One Saturday morning I was chatting with Elvio (now a silent key), IØZQ, on 20m CW. He said he'd talk personally to Ed and set up a sked for me. Now I was getting somewhere! Never mind that not-so-kosher third-party message. This was priority traffic and had to get through.

The next Tuesday at 1839 UTC I met Elvio on 20m CW. He told me everything was go, that we would meet on Friday at 1830 UTC on 14.020 MHz. After Elvio and I established contact, Ed would join us. I could hardly wait! Finally Friday arrived. I began calling Elvio at 1825 and in a couple of minutes he answered me. He said that HV3SJ was standing-by. I called Ed at exactly 1830 UTC. When I flicked off the transmit switch on that old Swan 350-C, I couldn't believe my ears. Apparently half of the U.S. ham population had been eavesdropping on our QSO, because what seemed like hundreds of stations began calling either HV3SJ or me--before we even made contact. Ed and I could hardly squeeze one another out of the QRM on what had been a nice, quiet frequency. I logged him in with a 349 RST, said thanks to Ed and Elvio, and QRT'ed.

Frustrated? You better believe it. Pleased? Extremely so! I just sat back in my swivel chair, breathed a sigh of relief that I'd gotten him, and bathed in the good feelings that all hams have when they snatch a good one. Now, mind you, that wasn't necessarily a rare catch, but it was a good one. A couple of weeks later I received a beautiful picture QSL card showing the HV3SJ beam overlooking the Vatican City. I still cherish that card and the beautiful certificate it brought me.

Our plane taxied down the runway, waited for a couple of other planes to take-off, then, with a mighty roar, began its ascent toward the heavens and God's special place called Honduras. Looking at the landscape below reminded me of Honduras and those neat experiences I'd had on the radio.

Like the time . . . .

With only minor changes, these DX articles are what appeared in the W4CA Log, which is the monthly newsletter of the Roanoke Valley Amateur Radio Club.