Hello and thanks for stopping by for a visit. Any comments or suggestions will be most welcome and may be sent to me by clicking on the following link. e-mail W5SG
I have included sections below on my ham radio stations, machine shop, and some of the cars I built or restored over the years. My latest project is at the bottom of the web page. It is a 1953 Ford Victoria that has been mildly customized.
General
I am retired from the Oil and Gas measurement business. I was born in Pittsburgh, PA and lived there until 1954 and my only memories of Winter are good ones. I have been in Texas ever since and don't plan on leaving anytime soon.
I have been a Amateur Radio Operator for 50 plus years. My interest in Ham radio began as a shortwave listener "WPE5PX" in the mid 50's using a combination longwave and shortwave Zenith console radio. I spent many hours tuning across the dial listening for some far off station. My Novice call was KN5ETJ. My current call sign is W5SG which I obtained in the mid 70's. I am a member of the following organizations:
ARRL: Life member of the American Radio Relay League
A1-OP: ARRL A-1 Operator Club
FOC: First Class CW Operators' Club, #1863
HSC: Radio Telegraphy High Speed Club, #1861
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Earlier Ham Radio Stations
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circa 1959: Home brew crystal controlled transmitter, fitted with a 6AG7 oscillator and a 6L6 amplifier. The picture on the left is similar to the transmitter I built. My receiver was a Hallicrafters S-40A, and the antenna was a dipole at 15 feet.
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circa 1960: Home brew transmitter fitted with an 807 final and an external p-p 6L6 plate modulator along with a Heathkit VF1 VFO. The picture on the left is similar to the xmtr I built. My receiver was a Hammarlund HQ129X. The antenna was a dipole at 15 feet.
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circa 1962: Johnson Viking Ranger transmitter and a HQ129X receiver. Antennas included an inverted Vee and a Gotham 2 element 15 meter yagi at 20 feet.
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circa 1964: Hallicrafters HT-37 transmitter, National NC-300 receiver, home brew amplifier with a pair of 4-400A’s in grounded grid, Heathkit scope, home brew keyer and paddle. The antenna was an inverted Vee.
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circa 1974: Yaesu FT-101EE transceiver, Yaesu FV-101 remote VFO, Yaesu Land-liner phone patch, Collins 75S-1 receiver, Heathkit keyer. Antennas included a Hy Gain TH6DXX at 60 feet and inverted Vee’s.
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circa 1976: Collins S-Line, Collins 30S-1 amplifier, and a Heathkit keyer. Antennas included a Kirk 4 element cubical quad at 70 feet and inverted Vee’s.
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circa 1979: Collins S-Line, IC-701 HF transceiver, ICE-551D 6 meter transceiver, IC-211 144 MHz transceiver, Yaesu FT-901DM, FV-901, YO-301 monitor scope, AEA keyer. Antennas included a KLM KT34XA at 55 feet, a Hy Gain HT-18 vertical, and inverted Vee's.
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circa 1981: Collins KWM-380, Yaesu FT-ONE, Drake TR7, ETO PA-78 amplifier, Collins 30S-1 amplifier, JW Miller AT-2500 antenna tuner, AEA keyer, Radio Shack TRS-80 computer. Antennas included a Hy Gain 205BA at 57 feet, a Hy Gain DB10-15A, at 67 feet, a Hy Gain HT-18 vertical, and inverted Vee’s.
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circa 2007: Ten-Tec ORION transceiver, Ten-Tec OMNI VI Plus transceiver, Ten-Tec HERCULES II amplifier, Ten-Tec Automatic Antenna Coupler, Logikey model K-3 Keyer, Chevron HCD paddle, Heathkit HO-10 monitor scope, Waters Dummy Load, and a Daiwa power meter. Antennas include a delta loop for 80 through 10 meters and a inverted "L" for 160 meters.
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Present: Elecraft K3 transceiver, Ten-Tec HERCULES II amplifier, Ten-Tec Automatic Antenna Coupler, Icom 706MKIIG transceiver, Logikey model K-3 Keyer, Chevron HCD & Begali Sculpture paddles, Heathkit HO-10 monitor scope, Waters Dummy Load, and a Daiwa power meter. Antennas include a delta loop for 80 through 10 meters, a inverted "L" for 160 meters, and a Squalo for 6 meters.
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MACHINE SHOP PICTURES
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South Bend Heavy 10 Lathe with 10" swing and 4-1/2' bed fitted for use with R-8 collets as well as 3 and 4 jaw chucks.
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10" x 42" Milling Machine with variable frequency drive, digital readouts for "x" and "y", plus "x" power table feed
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Primary work area
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Hydraulic press, sand blaster, Miller water cooled TIG welder, MIG welder, grinder, lathe setup area, and lathe.
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Air compressor & 36" metal brake
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Secondary work area
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MY EARLY CARS
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(Nov. '61 to Jan. '62)
My first car, 1938 Ford 2-door sedan. Purchased for $95 in 1961. V8, 60 HP, 3-speed on the floor and a heater.
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(Jan. '62 to Jan. '63)
My second car a 1940 Ford 2-door sedan, fitted with a 330 cubic inch Oldsmobile engine and a 3-speed transmission. I traded a 1938 Ford 2-door sedan and a chrome plated 265 Chevrolet engine for it in 1962.
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(Jun. '62 to May '65)
My next car was a 1936 Plymouth coupe that I bought from a fellow who was sheet-rocking a new home and needed some beer money one Friday afternoon. It cost me $35 and had a lawn chair for the front seat. I had big plans to put a hemi in it, but never did.
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(Oct. '62 to Jul. '63)
My next car was a 1957 Desoto Firesweep that I purchased during my senior year in high school. It was black and gold with a V8 and a push-button automatic transmission. I bought the car for $650.
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My next car was a 1956 Chevrolet 2-door sedan that was the first custom car I owned. It was fitted with '56 Buick tail lights, '55 Pontiac split front bumper, '58 Chevrolet grill, louvered hood, electric doors and trunk. I went through a number of engine and transmission configurations, finally ending up with a 327 and a 4-speed manual transmission.
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(Dec. '65 to Jan. '68)
Next on the list was a 1963 Chevrolet Impala, 2-door hardtop with a 327 and automatic transmission.
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My gas saving work car, 1951 Nash Metropolitan, 4-cylinder, 3-speed standard transmission.
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1967 Oldsmobile Cutlass, V8, A/T, A/C
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The Metropolitan did not stay around long. In June 1969, the local Ford dealer had this '68 Shelby Mustang in the show room and the little Metropolitan was traded in along with some cash for this beast. It had a 428 engine, 4-speed manual transmission, A/C, P/S, P/B, plus every other option available at the time. It drank gas like it was going out of style, but it would really move. I kept it until the gas crunch in the 70's and sold it for next to nothing.
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CAR PROJECTS & RESTORATIONS
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(Sep. '74 to Jun. '91)
1958 ROLLS ROYCE SILVER CLOUD I
13 YEAR BODY OFF, TOTAL RESTORATION
LEFT HAND DRIVE, WITH A/C PLUS ALL POWER OPTIONS
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(Nov. '85 to May '88)
1955 CHEVROLET 2-DOOR BEL AIR SEDAN
327 ENGINE, 4-SPEED, DISC BRAKES, & A/C
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(Jan. '88 to Jan. '90)
1940 FORD DELUXE COUPE
350 CHEVY ENGINE, A/T, A/C
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1936 FORD CABRIOLET
350 FUEL INJECTED ENGINE, A/T, A/C
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1934 CHEVROLET 2 DOOR SEDAN
OUTLAW BODY AND FRAME, 350 ENGINE, A/T, A/C
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1953 STUDEBAKER
RADICAL CUSTOM, CHOPPED, CHANNELED AND SECTIONED BODY
500 CADILLAC ENGINE, FULL POWER
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(Sept. '08 to Present)
1953 FORD VICTORIA 2-DOOR HARDTOP
Completed November 2009. The hood, trunk and doors are smoothed. The doors and trunk are operated via solenoids. The dash is from a 1954 Ford and is fitted with Stewart Warner gauges. The grill is from a '53 DeSoto with '49 Ford parking lights. The car is fitted with functional lake pipes and whitewall tires & '57 Cadillac wheel covers. The headlights and tail lights have been frenched. All of the stainless trim has been straightened and polished. The paint is satin black for that old hot rod look. The interior is rolled & pleated in red and black. The car is fitted with an under the dash A/C, heater, and floor shifter.
