I soon became a very keen SWL and I once got a log published in Practical Wireless. (But then I expect that they didn't get many logs sent in by Schoolboys Hi).
There were four shops in Leeds at this time selling Army Surplus Radios. So after some serious pocket money saving I would plan an expedition by bus to Leeds. In one of the shops there was a pile of scrap 19 sets in various conditions. The shopkeeper was very kind and used to let a friend and myself strip down these radios and build a complete 19 set.
We then had to take it back home 15 miles on the bus and see if we could get it to work.Fortunately we had a good success rate and I finished up with working models of the MK1 MK11 and MK111 sets. I also managed to buy a Blue 19 set MK111 with PVC wiring from this shop in un-issued condition. This was the first 19 set that I had ever seen that did not have sleeved wires.
There was an advert in Practical Wireless selling these in new un- issued condition. So I sent for one and yes, you guessed it; it arrived dead as a dodo.
So I was straight round to the phone box with my four pennies pressed button A ( how many of you remember this) and rang G3RZX's next-door neighbour and asked if he could get him, (Eddy G3RZX) to the phone. (No mobiles in them days most people didn't even have a landline Hi).
After a short conversation, Eddy had diagnosed a dead 6K7G valve. After this I soon had the PCR 2 up and working wired to the power supply in the 19 set. Then with the radios sat side-by-side I could tune the 19 set to act as a bfo and listen to ssb signals on the PCR 2. It was absolute magic for me at that time more bands and ssb too.
I bought an HRO receiver complete with all the coil sets from M&B Radio in LEEDS but never got it to work properly so I part exchanged it for this Trio.
It worked fine but it never seemed to re create that magical feeling for me of listening to
DX stations on the old Ex Army Radio's. I had a look at the RAE at this time and enrolled on a night school course.
But I never finished it. I had, and still do have great admiration for the guys at that time who passed the Full Written RAE exam and a 12
words a minute morse test to get their call sign.
After this brief period I lost touch with the hobby.
I had not looked at radio magazine for over twenty years and was amazed to discover that the licensing conditions had been changed. I could be "on the air" after couple weekends tuition with an M3 call sign.
I coudnt wait to get home and find somewhere to take the foundation course. This turned out to be the North Wakefield Radio Club . Thanks to some Great tuition from John G4RCG and Dave G4IAU I passed the foundation exam in late September 2004 and got the call sign M3JOW. Now all I needed was a Radio.So I jumped in at the deep end and bought the YAESU FT1000MP MARK-V field. Now this is a really good good radio and it will be even better when I have learnt how to use it Hi.
Now here is where my friend and mentor Charles MØOXO comes into the story. He came over to my QTH and installed the G5RV for me. It runs from the ridge on the house roof to a twenty-foot pole at the bottom of the garden. After a cup of coffee and a welcome break Charles then went on air,worked a few stations and found me all the correct settings on the atu for all the different bands.
Help like this for a newly licensed M3 is invaluable.