K4BSN

Silent Key

William H. Black


Grayson, GA

KF4KDG

Lynette Black



This is my first ham station, put together shortly after we were married, at 1639 Charles Street, Richmond, Va. It consisted of a Harvey-Wells transmitter and a Hammerlund HQ-140-X receiver. This was back when many TV sets had 21 MHz I.F.s and I heard from many of the neighbors - this was an apartment complex. I have never recovered from the morning when I called CQ 15 meters using an antenna in my attic, and my call was answered by ON5NV, Otto Leath. W4HSD was also on with me. Shortly before moving out of the apartment I traded the Harvey-Wells in for a Viking II.
This is a picture of my station when we lived in Puerto Rico in the mid-60's. I was working with Cornell University at the Arecibo Ionospheric Observatory, The station consists of a Central Electronica 100V, a Drake 2A, and I built the grounded grid linear shown in the upper left. While in Puerto Rico, I held the call KP4COO. Shortly after I went to there, Sam Harris, W1FJZ came down and we enjoyed many moonbounce activities using the 1000 ft. dish.