PET NAMES

Over the years.. hams have attached certain 'pet' names to various manufacturers ham radio gear.

MANY were given as affectionate terms.. others were NOT affectionate and were designed to point out some kind of flaw...

Some of them went with the overall manfacturer name.. some went with a particular make/model of gear..

Let's take a short walk down (for some) memory lane. Which ones do YOU remember and which ones can you add to the list.

If you are new.. feel free to chime in.. today's gear has lots of 'pet' names too!

Hallicrafters - "Halli-scratchers"
Eico 753 - "Shifty-drifty Fifty-Three"
Heathkit - "Griefkit", "Poor-man's 'S-line'"


and there are MORE! the above three are JUST to get you started!

73

K3FT

[KM5FL]

Kenwood - Deadwood

Yaesu - Lawnmower

This doesn't come under the heading of "pet names" but I know of at least two people that pronounce
I-C-O-M "Icon"

KM5FL

[kc2jga]

MFJ-Mother F'n Junk

Icom = I Can Only Monitor

[K8ERV]

Ok gurus, anyone know what Icom really means?

TOM K8ERV

[n0ov]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (K8ERV @ Jan. 22 2004,12:08)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Ok gurus, anyone know what Icom really means? #

TOM K8ERV[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
In Capable of Modulation?

[N7VQM]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (KM5FL @ Jan. 23 2004,10:33)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Yaesu - Lawnmower[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Hehe! I call my VX-5R &quot;Yeah, I blew it.&quot;

[K5CEY]

Tom #K8ERV,
# Well,the mic for my IC 20 says INOUE and the nameplate on the rig says Inoue Communication Equipment Corp.
# I guess that's where &quot;ICOM&quot; comes from.
# # # # # # # # # # John #K5CEY

[K9STH]

The old Gonset Communicator I and II (the ones with the &quot;eye&quot; tube instead of a meter) were known far and wide as &quot;gooney birds&quot; or &quot;gooney boxes&quot;. In fact, during the 1960s Gonset came out with some low line 6 and 2 meter equipment that were officially named &quot;gooney birds&quot;.

Of course the Heathkit CB-1 (Class &quot;D&quot; Citizen's Radio Service), &quot;Tenner&quot;, &quot;Sixer&quot;, and &quot;Twoer&quot; were known far and wide as Heath lunchboxes. Again, Heath adopted this term in some of their advertisements.

Glen, K9STH

[K5CEY]

I recall the 100 pound Heath DX 100 transmitter being called a &quot;Benton Harbor Kilowatt&quot;.
#One guy here in town referred to his WRL Globe Scout 680 as a &quot;Globe Snout&quot;.
#I'll bet somebody had a derogatory nickname for the Vocaline 420 Mhz transceiver.
# # # # # # # # # # #John #ex KN5CEY

[nz3m]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (K8ERV @ Jan. 22 2004,12:08)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Ok gurus, anyone know what Icom really means?

TOM K8ERV[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
ICOM = integrated communications


Do I win a prize? http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

Dave

[K9STH]

John:

I wonder how many amateur radio operators today even know what the Vocaline 420 (or even any of the Class &quot;B&quot; Citizen's Radio Service) are!

I don't have a 420, but I did acquire one of the Class &quot;B&quot; units in virtually new condition a while back.

Then there was &quot;scream modulation&quot;! Not any particular rig but many who were using the old &quot;add on&quot; screen modulator units referred to them as &quot;scream modulation&quot; (you were lucky to get much more than abut 70 percent modulation from them). But, they were a &quot;cheap&quot; way of getting on &quot;phone&quot; when you upgraded from Novice.

Glen, K9STH

[K5CEY]

Glen,
# I never had a Vocaline, but a friend's father was in construction and had a pair of the class B units. Seems like they would work about half a block and then drop out. Of course that little stinger antenna wasn't much. At least it was a 1/4 wave and not a 2 inch duckie! I bet that transceiver only put out 1/4 to 1/2 watt. And it did transmit &quot;scream&quot; #emission. You know what happens when you modulate a free running 420 mc. oscillator.
# Yep, I've run a lot of screen modulated rigs in early days. Good friend of mine used a WRL SM 90 screen modulator on his Viking Adventurer. It actually sounded pretty good.
# # # # # # John # # # #I like my Novice call #Kn5CEY

[w4rot]

Icom 740...Pure Feline. Use your imagination.
Homebrew 2M...Shorty.
I'm trying.
w4rot

[K9STH]

I was able to get a virtually brand new SM-90 for my Globe Chief 90A a while back.

Now, I have heard of all sorts of &quot;horror tales&quot; about kit building, but this one &quot;takes the cake&quot;. All of the components, wires, etc., were inserted into the printed circuit board, octal plug, and octal socket. The leads were cut off to a length of about 1/4 inch. Then, a drop of solder was put on the end of each wire! This was done on the wires to the octal plug and the octal socket as well! Not a single drop of solder was on the circuit board. Of course it was virtually brand new! It never could have worked!

I got it off of eBay. I came across the item listed as a &quot;preamplifier&quot;. There were no bids and there was less than 5 minutes to go. The minimum was $10. Since I recognized it immediately I bid and won. The person who was selling it told me that he really didn't know what it was and that someone had told him that it was probably a preamplifier. He hadn't opened it up. When I got it I E-Mailed him and told him how it had been constructed. We both got a good laugh out of that! In fact, he offered to refund my money including shipping if I wasn't satisfied. Of course I kept it.

To get back on the original topic: Virtually everyone knows that a semi-automatic hand key is called a &quot;bug&quot; (because it vibrates). However, unless one has actually seen one they may not know that Vibroplex's logo is a beetle.

Glen, K9STH

[K5CEY]

Glen,
# I understand about the crummy soldering job on the SM 90 circuit board.
# Reminds me of a kid down the street (probably 1957) who purchased a Heathkit QF-1 #Q multiplier to use with his National NC 88 receiver. His father talked him into using &quot;liquid solder&quot; from the hardware store, no need to use a hot iron and Kester solder.
#As we know, liquid solder is some kind of epoxy base (or what ever they dreamed up back then).
#The QF-1 never worked, but he was convinced that it did, because when he switched it in , he said &quot; listen to the noise level drop&quot;.
#So did the signals drop and the QF-1 controls had no effect what so ever.
#His father was right and I was wrong. Ahhh, whatta you gonna do?
# # # # # # # # # # # # #John #Kn5CEY

[K5CEY]

Glen,
# Are you sure that the original topic was Vibroplex bugs?
I've got two Vibroplex bugs. My fathers 1924 model and a Presentation that I bought new in 1963 (for $29.95)
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # Kn5CEY

[K8ERV]

Tnx, I will search for INOUE.

Yes, you winna prize. You send me a check for $10,000 and I will deposit it, then send you back $11,000 for your effort. I have an address in Nigeria. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

TOM K8ERV

K5CEY noted about the Vocaline 420 transciever

I had one of those. What a piece of 'unique' gear. You substitute your own pet phrase for unique, I don't want Glen to boot me for cursing! http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

Never did work... I finally disassembled it for parts and the cabinet.

DX-100..... 100 Watts... 100 Pounds.... Otherwise known as a 'table tester' because is would surely test the stability and quality of the construction of any table it was placed upon.

K3FT

[K6UEY]

I think it was in 56 the ham up the street got from some where a pair of Vocaline 465 transcievers and we played with them about a week before it got boring, it is a little vague but as I remember it was a modulated oscillator and a super-regen reciever, that was my only experience with CB....THank God !!

ORV
K6UEY
ARRL Life Member

[K5CEY]

K3FT &amp; K6UEY:
# #I think both of your recollections are correct. The Vocaline was some what unique in that the frequency adjust control inserted a block of lucite plastic into the field of the tuned circuit to change it's operating frequency. Incidently, as you probably recall, the Volcaline transmitted it's power in Megacycles rather than Megahertz.
# #It most certainly was a super regen receiver and the same tube was probably just re biased in transmit mode to configure as an ultra audion oscillator.
# #As Glen mentioned, UHF CB band and 420 mc. Ham versions were available.
# # # # # # # # # John #Kn5CEY

[N0WVA]

Lafayette = Laughing yet

[K8ERV]

ORV: when you say &quot;life member&quot;, is that your life or the ARRL's?

And quit confusing your &quot;orv&quot; with my &quot;erv&quot;

TOM K8ERV

http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[K8ERV]

hey, lafayette had some reasonably good stuff out there at reasonable prices.

TOM K8ERV

[WA2ZDY]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (K8ERV @ Jan. 24 2004,20:10)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">hey, lafayette had some #reasonably good stuff out there at reasonable prices.

TOM K8ERV[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Yes they did. At least for some fond memories. I worked 6m AM from my high school radio club with an HA460 for several years. I think it was about 10w out to a 4 element yagi on the roof. I had quite a time with that rig in the mid to late 70s. I remember checking into the Coffee Pot net many times.

The Swan three drifty comes to mind as a &quot;pet&quot; name for a rig. A lot of rigs I had rightfully earned there nickname: junk.

I had a friend in the mid 70s who came up with a pair of Vocalines on 465. They were built like tanks, and in perfect physical appearance. They didn't work worth a darn, good for maybe half a block. I remember having to push the PTT button on TOP of the rig.

Then again, maybe a half a block WAS working well for that rig.

[N8YV]

LaFayette= Laughing Idiot

Radio Shack = Ripoff Shack, Radio Shaft, Rat Shack

Kenwood = Can'twood, Kenwon't

TenTec = Tennessee Trash

MFJ = Mississippi's Finest Junk, Made For Juveniles, Mighty Fine Junk

[N0KLT]

Weren't the old 10-11 Series of Siltronix radios known as the Slidetronix?

73

Gary NØKLT

[K4JSR]

Glen, You forgot the &quot;Green eyed Monster&quot; for the early
Gonset Communicators.
And does anyone out there remember getting RF burns on their lips from those old T-17 Carbon microphones.
T-17's looked like you should put tobacco in them and smoke them. WWII vintage microphones that had three little screws
that held the front cover on them. Those screws are what would arc over with the RF if you had hi VSWR on your old
BC-669 or BC-610--Real ham's radio! http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
And Glen just thought he was getting old... http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif
73, K4JSR

[K5CEY]

K4JSR,

# Please read the blue writing at the bottom of my post.

I remember the T-17 very well. I was real pleased a couple of years ago to acquire an old original T-17 in the metal case. The guy that was hawking it proclaimed that it was from the Enola Gay. I paid $5 for it and I'm glad to have it in my collection. My 1st T-17 was a T-17B and it certainly performed meritorious service from my 1st day on 'phone in '56 to my father's 1st mobile rig in '59.

# # # # # # # # # John #K5CEY

[kd7eze]

CEY---
John, there is no <span style='color:blue'>blue</span> writing at the bottom of your post. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif

KD7EZE

[K9STH]

A true story on the BC-610: During the early 1970s one of the major communications links that the Air Force was using in Viet Nam went down. The only thing available was an old BC-610 that &quot;chirped&quot; to high heaven when keyed. The Air Force had to resort to sending out encoded messages by CW for their air operations to the various bases around for almost a week before they got the primary communications link back into operation.

Believe it or not, the losses due to enemy action dropped considerably during this period! It may have been pure chance, but it also was thought that the primary communications link had been &quot;compromised&quot; and that the old chirpy BC-610 encoded CW was doing a better job than the &quot;modern&quot; methods.

Glen, K9STH

[K4JSR]

EZE, thanks for telling John that there was no blue writing
down there. I thought that either my meds or my trifocals
were doing a number on me! http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif
Glen, I guess your 610 story goes to show that a little chirp
on your signal ain't always bad! http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif
John, CEY, I just wish I had one of my old T-17's. I still
have my original J-38 (Lionel) key that I bought for 88 Cents
from Walter Ashe Radio in St. Louis, Mo. Back when Glen and
I were still &quot;crumb crushers&quot;.
I still pull out my 1954 ARRL Handbook and eat my heart out
looking at those old ads in the back. That is when ham radio
was *REAL*! Radios glowed, a nice warm dusty smell was
in the room, occasional ozone from the RF arc from my T17
to my upper lip! REAL RADIO! Sometimes it is really nice to
be old have great memories. ARC-5's, BC-348's, Harvey-
Wells, Hallicrafters, National, Hammarlund, Collins, just to
name a few! If the rig did'nt give you a hernia, it just wasn't
a *REAL HAM RADIO*! http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif Well, the cockels of my heart
have certainly been warmed! Time for some TUMS! http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif
Another thing you young squirts don't know about us old
codgers, and this is the truth, &quot;The older we get, the better
we were!&quot; You can bank on it! http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif
73 from the nursing home, Cal K4JSR

[WA2ZDY]

Actually, I think the blue signature at the bottom of each post depends on the browser one uses while viewing. I DO see the signatures in blue text.

The &quot;standards&quot; obviously aren't.

I love the stories of ham radio of old. Keep 'em coming. I've been a ham 29 years, so while I think of myself as &quot;old school&quot; and know the old equipment, I'm really NOT from the golden age of ham radio - the 1950s.

Fun to remember things just the same. Thanks to all!

[K4JSR]

Christopher, It is only a cruel twist of fate that you were not
born soon enough to enjoy the &quot;Golden Age&quot; of ham radio.
I don't think that there will ever be anything like it again.
The greatest sunspot cycle ever recorded along with the
combination of tons of WWII surplus and the absolute best
equipment the manufacturers could come up with using
&quot;Empty State&quot; technology. You couple that with the awe
and enthusiasm of youth, and you have a combination that
cannot be matched except by extreme wealth! http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif
This was even before Incentive Licensing! Even better! http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif
73 Cal K4JSR

[WA7KKP]

Just had to add some for the commercial boys ----

Motorola: Smoke-a-roll-a

GE ---- Generally Erratic

RCA -- Real Crummy Apparatus

Yaesu -- Yahoo (apologies to the website)

Regency --- Re-junk-see

Standard ---- I usually say 'substandard'

Gary Hildebrand WA7KKP