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Well, we got another NRR in the books!
Thank you to everyone that participated! I hope everyone had as much fun as I did. Dan and I both faced some challenges this year, and didn't get to promote as much as we like. Conditions weren't the best this year. Participation is diminishing, whether to our members "aging out" or other reasons. Dan and I are aware of those trends. We're not exactly sure what Novice Rig Roundup will look like going forward, but we are commited to keeping it alive and passing it on when the time arrives. We do see that it's time to plan for the future and we are starting to talk about that now. That being said, every year I'm reminded of what a great group we have. You folks make this the most fun event of the amateur radio year! Your continued support and the enthusiasm I read in the soapbox each year really recharges my batteries. It's still a thrill! Thank you!
Doug N3PDT |
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I had a blast this year! I used 3 different rigs:
Antennas used were:
I used a keyer and Bencher or K8RA paddles. KN4YB bug, J-38 key and my first Novice key, an Ameco K-4.
Thanks so much to everyone for a great time!
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Thanks to all for a fun NRR in 2026. I ran three different stations over the event. My HW-8 that I built in 1978, my Tempo 2020 that I bought used in 1980,
and a Knight T-60 transmitter that I got at a hamfest two years ago for $10. I used a very non-Novice-era receiver along with the T-60, a Xiegu G90. Looking forward to next year!
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I had a great time - on the last day! I had a busy schedule, and forgot to put it on my calendar.
My Knight T-60 worked great, at 30W out, with the few 40M crystals that I had on-hand. I also used my HQ-129-X receiver.
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Seemed like low participation compared to previous years. At least during day on 15M and early evenings on 40M. Still fun though. Most notable contact was John W0ENE in FL.
He was using a home brew 807 transmitter and regen receiver featured in Electric Radio that I had been eyeing that same week. (I have interest in doing a regen receiver)
My Heath SB301 and home brew 6140 transmitter worked fine and have proven to be reliable for NRR. Hope the numbers participating increase next year.
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Again this year, I enjoyed using my Heathkit DX-60B with the HG-10 VFO. My 40-meter dipole was lying on the roof of our Double-wide manufactured home about 18 feet off the ground.
It was pointed east and west towards the 10,000-foot Grand Mesa. My Heathkit HM-15 watched the SWR with my MFG 901B tuner making the antenna work for both 40 and 15 meters.
I was challenged using an old Collins 75A-2 Receiver to copy the code. This is like a big flashback to my early teen years when I started as a Novice but never really got off the ground.
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Another great NRR, thanks for all of the work putting it on.
The nine day NRR operating window really helped me find time to participate. Most of my time was spent on 40 using my NC183/DX40 station but I did spend some time on 80 and 20. As expected, it was a lot of fun putting my vintage equipment on the air and appreciating the other classic rigs that I worked.
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This was my first NRR, though I've been thinking about doing it for several years. It was great to put my original Novice station back on the air after over 60 years.
The Heath DX-40 that I built in 1958 and my Halli SX-100 have been carefully preserved and lovingly restored. Unfortunately I didn't keep my FT-243 Novice xtals and the
HC-17/U rocks I have aren't where the action was. So I gave up and hooked up the VF-1. Only one ham gave me an honest report of my 40m chirp, so I guess nobody was surprised.
QTH here is noisy, so I use a MFJ loop/preamp for receiving. No TR switch needed. Transmitting on a 23' vertical, much like the Gotham V-80 that I had as a Novice. Thanks to the NRR organizers!
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I operated a good number of hours the first few days of the contest. Managed to
fill about 3 pages in my log. I didn't have time this year to get the Novice
transmitters on air, due to my recent local move. It's hard to find things at this
point. Operated the entire contest with my Kenwood TS-590. About 80 watts
output. I had two antennas. A 70 ft vertical wire, which I used on both 80 and 40.
Coax fed against a goodly number of radials all around 50ft. On 40M I used
voltage feed at the base with an LC tank, link coupled. My other antenna was a
low FW 40m wire loop, horizontal, only 7 feet above ground. I was very happy with
how that antenna performed- a little bit surprised, frankly. It was also used to
make a few contacts on 15m. There's a Heath HD-1481 antenna switch on top
of the radio. I had to go outside to change bands on the vertical wire for 80 or
40m. Clip leads.
By next year I should have all the vintage gear up and running again. Thanks for all the QSO's. It was fun as usual. Photos show my cobbled together setup and a shot of the 40m loop. If you look closely, right near the top of that little green Holly tree, you might see the corner feed point. The square wire loop goes off to the right. Coax fed. See you next year...
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Only made 2 contacts on 15M, only 2 signals heard! Balance 13 were on 40M.
My (courtesy of my Dad) Gonset G76. All ops with both the Gonset and the Viking Navigator were crystal control, the two bands I worked.
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Had to fix the rig a few times, that slowed me down a bit. The Ranger did not want to work with the crystals. Had to adjust a few coils.
Even then it had a little chirp. Called CQ a lot on 40 and 15 but only made 3 contacts. No answers on 80M. The SX96 worked OK and the 1948
Vibroplex was flawless.This setup keeps you warm on a winter night.
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Dan & Doug,
Thank you so much for another great Novice Rig Roundup! I surely hope there is a way to keep the event going forward.
This year I ran two HT-40's under crystal control, one on 80 and one on 40 meters. We never have the right crystal, right?
Thanks everyone for your patience with this old guy and for putting all the interesting rigs on the air! Fun, fun, fun!
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This was the first year I have had a chance to participate in the NRR and really wish I would have done this sooner. I bought the Globe Scout (680A) and the Halli SX-122 at the Houston Ham Fest last year. The Halli just needed a tune up and replacement dial cord. The Globe Scout was a total wreck having been modified and repaired multiple times over the last 60+ years. After a considerable effort, I got the Globe Scout up and running again the day before NRR started! This combo predates my 1969 Novice era, but it is a rig that I would have been delighted to have if I could have afforded it back in the day. The rig worked perfectly, with just the addition of a TR relay. I used the same Navy key and SWR meter from my Novice days. I had forgotten what a challenge it is to be rock bound and have to use the receiver as the side tone. Chirps and Clicks for sure, but terrific fun. Next year my goal is to complete work on my original Novice transmitter and a basket case ARC-5.
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Here's my mix 'n' match station from NRR 2026. The old gear challenged me this week. The HT-37 dial disc slipped on its shaft and I had to realign and glue it
down to be able to tell my frequency. The 2B dial indicator was hanging up just at the wrong spot for NRR and I had to troubleshoot and fix that problem, too.
I ran on 80, 40 and 15, crystal-controlled and VFO, using the HT-37 and Adventurer; 1930s McElroy straight key and Begali paddle. Everybody got to do their part.
I even worked Saudi Arabia in the bottom 25 of 40.
We're moving house and I had to scramble at the last minute through thigh-deep snow drifts to hang a (too-short) 80-meter ladder line-fed inverted vee. Fun task for an 80-year-old!
NRR is the only ham radio “event” I participate in. I have no interest in the ubiquitous “contests'”, POTA, SOTA and so on. Just give me a ragchew with a
good CW op and I'm happy. Or a DX pileup to slip through. As much as I enjoy NRR, it's really an annual anticlimax because I use the tube gear daily year 'round.
It's more fun for me because it's an enjoyable challenge, kind of like sailing vs. a motor boat. (Try finding a Bristol key for the old Hallicrafters knobs and shaft lock screws).
Joe W1FYL
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Thank you for another successful Novice Rig Roundup. I was able to work two 6L6 rigs several Drake 2NTs, an ameco AC-1! and some other Homebrew transmitters.
I enjoyed using my Homebrew 6AG7/807 Xmtrwith 25 wts out and my 5-tube Regenerative Rcvr. Thank you everyone for the nice signal reports I received.
Maybe we could do this more then once a year? More fun!
John - W0ENE
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I enjoyed my seventh roundup! Many thanks to all who put this event together. C.W. has played a very important part of our history and I am glad so many others are helping to keep it alive.
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