Wn5VSX was active between 1965-1968 while studying electronics in grad school, but not much since then. Used a Heathkit 60Watt CW transmitter into a 15' cubical quad antenna. The receiver was a Swan double sideband. It got a 5X9 in Tokyo, Japan. Then I turned to QRP and tried working all states with a 1 watt xmitter. Never going beyond the "Novie" level I used Morse code on my home built paddle.
After graduating I began teaching at York College and it took too much time to continue with Ham Radio. In 1987 I found a new hobby that allowed me to mix my hobby and work into one: personal computers. Ham radio took a real hit when Citizen Band radio caught on. People were feeding illegal high powered xmitters into double dipoles on their trucks. Cell phones destroyed the CB market, and that is where we are today. From almost anywhere on the planet one can talk to another person anyplace else on the planet, and to a few orbiting above.
I'm following the vlog, "Gone with the Wynns", of a young couple who sold their business and home and bought a 52 ft catamaran to sail the world. Out in the middle of the Pacific they were able to phone home.
