When I was in high school I took the Technician test from a
friend with a general. Held the call K4CWR for the requisite
10 years, but I don't think I ever actually got on the air.
Built a bunch of equipment, however, and had a lot of fun
playing with it, including a really cute little screen-modulated
6M transmitter with a single 6146. Unfortunately, my parents tossed it all
out while I was in college.. man, I wish I still had some
of that stuff!
In April, 1996, I got dragged to the Raleigh (NC) Hamfest by Nick England (KD4CPL), and became re-acquainted with a boyhood interest in vacuum tube communications radios. Thanks to Nick, a Collins R-388 followed me home, and with just a little work, it was soon receiving all sorts of interesting signals. It's still my favorite receiver.
That hamfest, and the aquisition of the R-388, turned out to be the top of a long, slippery slope. Since then, a very large number of additional radios have made their way to my house. Some of the more interesting include:
I have a particular fondness for Collins, TMC, and General Radio equipment, books, and lore, as well as anything beautifully built, complex, and heavy.
As time permits, I'll scan stuff in and add it to the repositories on this site. If you have any particular wants, let me know!