KD7LZR, Mitch Gill writes "Have you ever been to a new country for the first time in your life and you get "culture shock"? That was how I felt when I got back in Ham Radio after many years. Oh, I had my General back in the late 1980's but being stationed in Europe most of that time, I never had a real chance to see anything other than the KWM2A's that I used as the MARS Director (no need to buy one at that time). So my memory of the rigs I dreamed of were the old Drakes, SWANs, Heathkits and Hallicrafters from the late 60's and early 70's. When I got back to the US I just didnt have the time to get back into Ham Radio until Tyler (KD7MJO), my son, got me interested again a few months ago. So I went back and got my General. Getting the latest Ham Magazine gave me the "culture shock". The sticker prices for the rigs was way up there, nothing I could afford, and everything was so computerized that any problems meant it had to be sent back to the factory for repairs. I was sad to see almost all of the older companies had gone by the wayside. What used to be, I thought, was gone forever. After going to the local yearly flea market (Mike and Key ARC) here in the Seattle area I was attracted to all the radios that I dreamed of owning as a young Ham rather than the newer (1980's)digital rigs. By luck I chanced into a SWAN 500c. This was a rig I could never even think of buying as a kid and here it was at a great price that I could not pass up. Now here I am tuning the SWAN and loving it and feeling on top of the world and best of all there others out there as well who love these "older" radios. There is only one problem. I feel very old and I am only in my 40's because everybody calls them antique radios. And what is worse than that is that many of you call them "boat anchors". Boat anchors? Antiques? These are vintage top of the line rigs that make you work for your QSO's. You can't just turn them on and talk. You can't interface with a computer and they don't give you a digital read out of what frequency you are on. However, they do give me the pleasure of being on the air at a reasonable price and if I blow a final all I have to do is find a tube instead of sending it back to the manufacturer. I know that many of you will say that tubes are not even being made anymore but there are still a few out there and I plan to protect my finals by tuning correctly and having a good match to my antennas. Now please don't think that I am knocking the new rigs or the hams that use them. Believe me I would buy one if I could afford it but I would never give up my SWAN and I am bitten with the bug. I want more. My next goal is to save up enough for the SWAN250 6 meter rig and then maybe find the 600 twins. Of course there is the 2 meter transverter and the SWAN tribander and the SWR meter and oh yes the SWAN mike and.........oh well, I think you get the idea that I am hooked. So do me a favor and stop calling them antiques and boat anchors. Call them "classics"! If nothing else, it will make me feel a little younger. And to all those Hams out there young and old who love the "classic" rigs...I say Bravo as it is a piece of Ham History that would be lost without you. And to all those who feel I am just a little touched in the head......that's OK, the XYL and my son both agree with you!"
