At first I used mostly homemade tube rigs. After buying first transceiver, a secondhand HW-101, I focused my constructions on antennas, tuners, power amplifiers,preamplifiers,preselectors,filters,keyers,power suplyes, SWR-meters. First totaly new purchased rig was Yaesu FT-107M.

I bought it in 1980 and later sold to Janez S53MJ, well known RTTY operator. From the begining of this year he is using newer station and I bought station back. TX chain is very good with robust PA. PSK IMD is impressive and it is still a great box for digital modes.

IC-775DSP, now my main RTTY weapon has been carefully tested and compared with another two popular brands. I choosed Icom and later inprooved it with modifications regarding greater sensitivity, rx front-end protection and elimination of 24/28 MHz SPLIT TX birdies. Transceiver DUALWACH function is fantastic. Combined with SPLIT function, you can hardly overlook the station on band.

Maybe somebody will one day demand new RTTY CONTEST CATEGORY: SO DUALWACH RX.

As one of the S5 Kenwood dealers I got the chance to buy this small wonder at good price(final price was still higher then regular USA price). This station is for me the best in multiband allmode cathegory. I am using it as service receiver and 50/144/432 MHz station. After the warranty expires I intend to rise sensitivity,add narower xtal filters by TS-870 recipy and HF band decoder.

During the past years several amplifiers have been built. Then I constructed one with pair of Philips QB5/1750 glass tubes. Russian vacuum condensers, SRS of Nebraska vacuum relays, some Friedrichafen fair components and other long time collected elements provide arc-free use at full input even without any antenna connected. Plate dissipation of two QB5/1750 is 1000W, same as with a pair of 3-500Z in popular SB-220 or TL-922. Plate voltage and efficiency are somewhat higher. But inspite very low harmonics I don't use amplifier on 10m - guess why!

-KLM KT34XA at 24 m,

-KLM 40M3 at 21m for 40 m,

-TRIVAL 4 el 3band Quad,

-1 el loop on 80, corner feed, bottom wire at 3m, top at 20m,

Sloping wire 27m on 160,80,40 and 30m, with tuner at feeding point. I suspect that most of the output goes into heating the ground and I will replace it with 78 m Windom.