Click on the picture or the link to see some of my antennas.  The one in the center is a KT34-M2, a 4-element 3-band yagi  up 42 feet (12.8 m) above the ground.  Next to the tree you can see a  homebrew vertical. It is used mostly as another receiving antenna.  Finally, if you look closely, there is a 88 foot (26.8m) inverted V fed with open wire line attached to the tower. This antenna will work on any HF band, but it's intended for 80, 40, and 30 meters. The V is used as a top-loaded vertical on 160, and can be switched into that configuration for 80 as well.

This is a very early SpeedX bug.  I am its second owner!  The first was Ralph,W6JPU (SK), who bought it new in San Francisco for $8.00 in 1936 or 37.  It is tiny for a bug; the base is only 2-1/2" (6.35 cm) wide.  It has a very light touch, so it stays put on the table while sending despite its small base.

Here's a Signal Corps J-36.  This one was made by Vibroplex in 1942.  It's a solid, well-made, smooth-working bug.  Similar to the Vibroplex Lightning Bug, the J-36 was made by several manufacturers, including model train maker Lionel.

This is a 1960 model Vibroplex Original Deluxe Bug.  In the early '60's, Vibroplex used an especially thin piece of steel for the mainspring.  That makes these bugs capable of slower speeds -- and in my opinion, smoother operation -- than the ones with thick sprngs.  The little circuit board on the back contains a reed relay with a large capacitor and diode across the coil.  This eliminates the slight contact bounce from the mechanical key contacts and provides clean keying for modern transceivers.

This is a WBL model V22 paddle for an electronic keyer.  This paddle was made by Stan Hails, W9WBL.  As far as I know, only about 150 of this model were made.  The paddle is very smooth, stable, and adjustable in numerous ways to fit the operator's preferences. 

This is a Begali Magnetic Professional paddle, serial no. 40.  In my opinion, it is one of the best operating paddles of any that I've ever used.  It has an extremely crisp feel.  It is made by I2RTF in Italy.  His products can be seen on the Begali Keys Web site.  Read my review (and some others) of it on EHam.net.

Here is my National NC101X receiver.  It was made in 1942.  In 1955, just before I became licensed, I bought a receiver almost exactly like this one from David Becker, W2MZX.  David and others were engineering students at Stevens Institute of Technology in New Jersey, and they had aligned and calibrated this receiver as a project.   Recently I had an opportunity to buy another one, so I did.  I replaced a few capacitors and it works perfectly.

This is a classic National SW-3 3-tube regenerative receiver.  National made thousands of these, from 1931 through the war years.  Mine was built in the early '30s and uses a pair of '36s for the RF and detector stages, and a '37 audio amplifier.  It uses plug-in coils, and can theoretically cover 40 KHz to 35 MHz (!) with the appropriate coils.  It is remarkably sensitive, and works well on CW and even SSB! 

Here's my new (for me) National HRO-5TA1.  Built around 1945-6, this HRO came with an additional stage of audio amplification and a limiter that worked on CW as well as AM.  Unfortunately a previous owner had removed the extra audio stage and used the socket to install a VR tube!  I rewired it as it should be.  It was in good mechanical shape except for the dial which I refinished.

Not all the equipment is inanimate.  At least one of the cats shown is on duty in the radio room at all times.  If I make an error sending CW, they are probably sitting on my right arm.  On the other hand, there's no rodent problem.

I was first licensed in 1956 as KN2VCO, Hicksville NY.   I'm a member of ARRL (click here to read why), CWops,  QCWA (Fresno Chapter 213), OOTC, Central California DX Club, Northern California Contest Club, DXCC, and the A1 Operators' Club.  Click here to get my mailing address for QSL's and my e-mail address, courtesy of QRZ.