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6 p.m.? Ummm. . . band C . . . 5975 kcs . . .
"...this news comes to you in the World Service of the BBC."

K4AXF
Strasburg,Virginia, USA

My name is Jim Stoneback and this page is about my amateur radio hobby. My interest in radio began at age 11, when I found that my old bedside radio could pick up distant stations at night, muted voices from Cincinnati, Boston, Richmond, Memphis, New Orleans and Chicago entertained as I read myself to sleep. It was magical! I was hooked. The hook was more firmly set once I discovered shortwave stations on the Zenith Transoceanic my dad brought back from Korea.The things I heard! Airliners, ships at sea, "ham operators", and international broadcast stations coming in from places like London, Quito, Havana, and Moscow!

I was intrigued with "ham" radio and thought it would be fun to get a license to operate my own short wave station; so, in 1962, while living with my family in Germany and after months and months of practicing Morse Code, I took and passed the General Class test by mail (the German government would not honor either Novice or Technician license). My ham test administered by a Captain in the Signal Corps who forwarded the test to the FCC for scoring, and was eventually issued Amateur Conditional Class License, K3VBS. Then all I had to do was get a German ticket.

I submitted a copy of this license to the Stuttgart Post Office and was issued a German license, callsign DL4IP. For the next two years, operating as DL4IP, I had a ball, operating CW (Morse code) in the 40 meter band (7.0-7.1 MHz). My first receiver was my father's Zenith Transoceanic (see link below). I combined equipment with another American teenaged ham, Bill (K4ZVT/DL4WS), who lived across the street in Stuttgart and had a Johnson Challenger 120 watt transmitter which we used with a Geloso VFO. The Geloso would jump 10 kcs when anyone slammed the front door.

The Zenith was eventually replaced with a Hallicrafters SX110 (it took five months to arrive from the states - a Christmas present which arrived in April!). To this day I retain my love of the 40 meter band, for CW, and for the SX110.

While in Germany, we had a German Hi-Fi, a Loewe (Lion) Opta which was great fun for listening to Radio Luxembourg ("49.26 meters shortwave"), the only source of rock`n'roll in Europe in the early `60's. Over the last few years, I've had one German table radio or another around the apartment for nostalgia's sake. I've provided a link below to a picture of the most recent, a Blaupunkt Sultan.

In 1964, we returned to the States - to Rockville, Maryland, where I renewed old friendships, began my junior year in high school, and resumed operations as K3VBS. By this time I had a Hammarlund BC1004 receiver and an Eico 723 transmitter acquired before leaving Germany. I don't remember what became of the SX110. A few months later we moved across the Potomac River to McLean, Virginia and the Hammarlund and Eico were replaced by a Hallicrafters SR160 transceiver. When we moved to Virginia my callsign was changed to K4AXF. I later traded the SR160 for a Hammarlund SP600 and acquired a Johnson Navigator transmitter probably purchased from Arcade Electronics in Annandale, Virginia. Trying out different equipment has always been a major source of enjoyment for me. I've got pictures of several of the different setups I've had over the years. Try the links below.

The tuning dial shown at the top of the page is from a National NC-120, which graced my office for several years where it serve up daily such delights as Radio Canada International, Radio Kuwait, the BBC, and Voice of America. It now resides back at home with Frank, KA4TRG

Old National Radio Co. NC-120 at the Office

Current Station: I have long been an avid reader of Electric Radio Magazine. In the December 2001 through February 2002 issues there was a series of articles, penned by Bruce Vaughan, NR5Q, describing his “Ultimate Regenerative Receiver”. Over the years Bruce has built a large number of these sets; but, regen number 60 was such an outstanding performer, he decided to build another just like it to see if the results could be duplicated and regen number 61 proved that number 60 wasn’t a fluke! I decided I would build one for myself; but had to wait until we got settled in our new home in the Valley. In the spring of 2003 I completed my “Ultimate Regen” and was astounded by how great it worked. I dubbed mine “Shortwave Receiver NRQ-62”. I plan to set up a page with schematics and other information on this great homebrew project. But for now, just a few pictures of my set.

As you can see, It’s built on two chassis. The upper one houses the AC power supply, the 6V6 audio output stage and an audio Select-o-ject using two 12AX7’s, a cross between the Select-o-ject in the 1964 ARRL handbook and the National Radio Select-o-ject accessory. The selectoject is essentially Q-multiplier that works in the audio frequency range. The vernier dial tunes the peak (or reject) frequency; the knob below adjusts the peak or reject level; the toggle switch to the righ is select-rejectswitch. The knob in the center of the panel is the selectoject in-out switch and the knob on the left is the audio tone control.

The chassis on the bottom houses the 6C4 regenerative detector and a two-stage audio preamp comprised of two 6SQ7’s. The receiver uses one of three plug-in coils for the detector covering 3.8 to 22 MHz. The receiver uses one of three plug-in coils for the detector covering 3.8 to 22 MHz. The vernier dial on the left is the bandset (or coarse) tuning, The PW dial in the center is the bandspread tuning. And the vernier on the right moves the antenna link closer and farther from the top of the detector coil. Lower controls, from left to right are, AF gain, regeneration control, standby switch, and detector B+ adjust.

Shown below is the 2000-2001 equipment compliment at K4AXF. From left to right, forground: Drake 2-NT CW only, crystal controlled transmitter, Collins 75S-3 receiver, Collins 312B-4 station console, Vibroplex Blue Racer bug, and chief op . Facing, top to bottom: Hammarlund speaker, Heathkit HD-1410 electronic keyer, Hallicrafters SW-500, Hammarlund HQ-120 general coverage receiver. Facing, left to right: Hammarlund S-200 speaker, Hammarlund HQ-170AC-vhf ham-band receiver, Kenwood TS-130S hf transceiver, Kenwood TS-870 hf dsp transceiver, Hammarlund S-200 speaker, Hammarlund HQ-145A general coverage receiver.

In a previous residence, a rental apartment building, I was able to put up a G5RV on the roof. Was that ever sweet! Over the years I've experimented with many of the well-known and not-so-well-know solutions for the cliffdweller with mixed results. With this setup I was able to operate on all hf hambands 40 meters and above the air almost daily, operating CW.

This website has been in a state of dissarray since our move to Strasburg, Virginia in the Shenandoah Valley during the Summer of 2002. Prior to moving we (my wife, Pam, KA4EWG, and I) sold all of our old radios at the Manassas Hamfest (sob). I miss the HQ-120 the most. The Johnson Adventurer and the civilian version of the BC1004 Super Pro are still with us.

Internal Links:
Homebrew projects page
Zenith Transoceanics page
Past ham stations page
Drake Twins and R4 (Slow loading - patience is rewarded)
Swan Twins.
K4AXF Hi-rise antenna farm
Antique Homebrew receiver featuring deForest Audion
Blaupunkt page

Thanks for stopping by,
And come again soon, OK?.
Click here to email k4axf

last revised 1/31/08

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K4AXF Strasburg,Virginia, USA

K4AXF
Strasburg,Virginia, USA