AB4OJ

​Reflections of a Retired Telecom Engineer, 2002, by Adam Farson

First License: Age 22, 1962, ZS1ZG, South Africa

Education: University of Cape Town, BSEE MSEE

Current Station: 

• Icom IC-7610 HF Transceiver
• Icom IC-7300 HF Transceiver
• Yaesu Quadra 1kW MOSFET amplifier
• Icom IC-703+ Manpack HF Transceiver
• Assorted Icom ex-LMR radios

Terms
Philmore Crystal Set kit
Wonder Book of Electricity – UK book
The Boy Electrician, Alfred Morgan
Build an inexpensive valve/tube tester
Medium wave TRF
Wireless set  No. 62 Set transceiver descendant of the 19 set
PMG Certificate (Marine Radio Telegraph Operators license)
Instructograph Morse Code Practice
ARC5 Transmitter
Marconi Radio Equipment Aircraft Receiver and Transmitter
ISDN lines for data services
1947 Bell System Strike
Metered call unit – message unit
999 Emergency Calls British Post 1932
Raycal, Pretoria, South Africa
Racal TRA-967 VHF  Manpack
Solid State HF transceivers
Official Secrets Act,  South Africa
ME-61/GRC  Field Strength Meter.
The ZS6XT Hybrid 20m SSB/CW Transceiver (1964)
CERN, European Center for Nuclear Research
Proton Accelerator
Intersecting proton storage rings
GTE – Emek HaEla Earth Station, Israel

Classic Icom Station

• Icom IC-781 with the first spectrum scope ,
• Icom IC-25A Power Amplifier
• Icom AT-500 antenna tuner

Oldies but Goodies Icom Radios

• Icom IC-751A
• Icom IC-745
• Icom IC-735
• Icom IC-740
• Icom IC-730 compact transceiver
• Icom IC-735
• Icom IC-703 Portable

Noise Power Ratio Testing – band of noise with deep notch
Noise Power Ratio Testing of HF Receivers
Receiver IMD
Phase Noise
Third order dynamic range
ITU Band Noise Line
​Icom HF Users Net
TAPR
HPSDR – High performance software defined radio
Apache Labs – HPSDR
HPSDR Control Head Raspberry Pi

Project on workbench: 12 Mhz Precision Test Fixture  – no completed and in use!

Excited by: rapid evolution of technology

Advice to new or returning hams: Take a look around