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Michael Rainey - AA1TJ - NAQCC # 2080

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I'm currently 50 years old. I was first licensed in 1971, but (until recently) I hadn't been active since the early 80's. For the past 19 years I've minded the transmitter(s) for a CBS television affiliate. For several days each week, I live and work alone at the transmitter site at the top of Mt. Mansfield; Vermont's highest mountain.

My QRZ entry might best summarize my interests:
"I enjoy designing, building and operating CW QRP radio equipment. My aim is to mostly operate what I have built. I also seem to have a "thing" for cutting-edge technology of the late 50's and early 60's; such as parametric amplifiers, tunnel diodes and the revolutionary 2N697 mesa transistor. Aside from radio, my interests are philosophy, mathematics, French pastry and my wife...although not in that order :o)."

This time around I plan to only operate what I build: all CW, all QRP. My current setup is shown in the second picture. I'm using a breadboard three transistor, crystal controlled transmitter with an output of 640mW feeding an end fed "L" antenna. The receiver is currently a breadboard 6AK5 0-V-0 regenerative detector directly driving a pair of 600 Ohm phones. The key is an old brass plated pot metal hand key. R/T switching is accomplished by plugging the antenna lead into the appropriate hole on the proto board. Likewise, sending requires holding the key down with one hand whilst sending with the other. Real first-class, eh?

Still, I had the same rush that I had the Saturday morning that my novice license arrived back in 1971. QRP was my thing even in those days. I even had an early 1000 Mile Per Watt certificate from one of the clubs; which I've had occasion to mention to others over the years as though it were an amazing feat. Funny, but my first QSO this time around was just over the 1K Mile/Watt threshold; so I don't know whether I should be ecstatic or crushed :o)

Mike's web site