Latest QST?

[Phil]

Hi Terry

12AX7 because it is the most readily available valve (aka tube) in the world today, and therefore one of the cheapest. Just about every guitar amplifier and studio mic preamplifier has to have at least two nowadays.

AM, why not? It sounds great, it’s easy to tune, and with nobody on the air 99% of the time, who needs to save bandwidth? Not hugely efficient, but QRP is all the rage, and guess what - homebrew is gaining popularity, if the project ain’t too complicated.

History, you know, repeats itself. Otherwise, what is the point of studying it?

Meanwhile, over this side of the pond, our “premier” radio construction magazine “Practical Wireless” awarded its £20 “Star Letter” prize to a tired argument as to why “antennas” should not be called “antennas” but “aerials”. The Editor responded with the point that “aerial” is not a noun, but (quote) “a verb”. Verb? It’s an adjective, actually (“an aerial conductor”). Thus, the Editor reveals he knows no basic grammar. I despair.

Phil M1GWZ



> On 18 Dec 2017, at 22:29, Terry Fox <tfox at knology.net> wrote:
> 
> So, I'm now to the point that I can read again.  In the pile of magazines is the latest QST.  On page 30, I read that the magazine format is changing for more modern and potentially easier reading, along with more interesting, practical projects.
> 
> Then, I see the first DIY article, on the facing page (31) about these updates to the magazine.  My lord.  A tube transmitter?  Complete with warnings about high voltage.  Well, at least it's for 80 or 40 Meters.  Wait a minute, what's this about a 12AX7 mic preamp?  Not CW?  Wait, 7290 kilocycles per second.  A new kind of SSB?  No, it's Amplitude Modulation. AM????  Really??  (I know it's by Bob Heil, but how many hams are REALLY going to build this project?)  Did someone find a huge warehouse of 12AX7s that they need to push?  All of five Watts of AM, maybe the 6AG7 is the tube to unload.
> 
> So, the lead DIY construction article in this newly designed, modern magazine is fresh from the 1940s? My my.
> 
> Will next month's lead construction article on how to tame that spark gap? Or how to make a matching cats whisker receiver.
> 
> Meanwhile, I have heard that at least a couple author's articles have been turned down because they don't fit into QST.  Maybe because they used parts available after 1950.  Way to attract fresh hams.
> 
> What am I missing here?
> 73, 72, Terry, N4TLF
> 
> PS:  AM, really?  It's too early for the April issue, Isn't it?  Where is Wayne Green?
> 
> 
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