I first became interested in Short Wave Radio around 1958, while living in Southfields (SW London).

I used a Bush domestic radio to start with and then built a 'kit' radio, which I housed in the army surplus cabinet, shown in the picture on the opening page. 

To the left can be seen my station in 1964 It comprised (bottom up)

• 1392 VHF set.

• Home brew ATU (receive only).

• The incredible old R1155 aircraft HF receiver.

• 1132 VHF RX, that was pulled down for Ten Meters.

• A control panel with a VHF tuner built in (4 and 2 meters).

• On the top shelf a PSU and audio stage for the R1155. 

It was all housed in a corner of my bedroom, on top in our three story flat. This was located on top of the Co-Op in Replingham Road. That meant my long wire was some 70foot (18 meters) high.

During that time I become friends with that legendary Ten Meter mobile operator,  Frank Cobbett G3OGL. He was doing all the things that CB'ers would later do on those frequencies, but with valves.

In 1969 I married and I found time to study for the exam, finally getting my ticket in 1971 (VHF only back then). After a short time in Cornwall and Surbiton, we had moved to Worcester Park in Surrey. The shack I built there is shown below.

Main receiver is the AR88 used for HF and with converters for 144 and 432 MHz. Also can be seen an FT2FB (one of Yaesu's first black boxes) and a wonderful old Hudson PMR rig, converted for two meters (best FM quality in Surrey I was often told).

This was a very interesting time for VHF radio, as FM quickly took over from AM and a new VHF channel plan was implemented. My closest amateur neighbour was G3ZQR, who of course produced those celebrated ZQR 5/8 base whips. We both became members of the UK FM group in its very early days. 

I moved just 'down the road' to New Malden in Surrey a few years later, and by 1982 the shack looked like this. If the equipment from that era brings back memories for you and you want to see a large copy of the picture click here (opens in a new window).

Main receiver is the FT 901 with spectrum analyser FT101 feeding various Transverters for 144 and 342Mhz. A FRG7 receiver used for general HF and various scanners. Note the Video Genie  Z80 based computer supplied by Catronics, owned then by two good friends G3ZPB and G3YJC. This was my first introduction to these new fangled computers!

During the nineties I became less active and eventually went QRT. I retired from work in 2007 and decided to purchase a new rig (Yaesu FT 847) and as I sort my aerials out, I am becoming more and more active. 

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