7dx 3bq

Recognised text

Text below was produced by optical character recognition and may contain errors. Check it against the original.

The Wireless Institute in Hobart has some log books which belonged 
       to W.T.Watkins 7AA, 7DX, A7DX, OA7DX, VK7DX from 1923 to 1930.   
       Trevor Watkins was born in 1899 and died in 1931, probably of TB.

       The log books appear to be incomplete and it looks as if the books 
       are a fair copy of his working notes.

       An article by Geoff, VK3AC, in the March 1997 copy of the RAOTC 
       journal mentioned Trevor Watkins, OA7DX and Max Howden VK3BQ.

       I was reminded of an aside in the first log book of Watty's when 
       he logged a contact between 4AA in New Zealand and 3BQ.   Next to 
       3BQs call are the words "bum fist".

       Watty's first log book entry is dated 4th February, 1923, and 
       reads "VHS de 7AA  sigs qsa laying at Hobart wharf".   He notes 
       that he was using 80 volts on an "R" valve.

       Wattys initial experiments were on 420 metres and it was not until 
       he heard New Zealand stations on 250M that he tried the higher 
       frequency.

       There are many stations logged sending things like this from 15th 
       July, 1923 ". . . if anyone gets this at a distance would be glad 
       of report. Address R.J.Orbell 254 Heaton St Christchurch"

       Watty was heard on the mainland and reports swapped by letter, but 
       the first interstate two way contact, with 2ZG, was not until 
       August 1923.   It was not until he had a more powerful 
       transmitter, a UV202 with a 350 volt AC power supply, that regular 
       interstate contacts are logged.

       The phone versus CW debate was apparently in evidence early, 
       because on 22nd August 1923 he notes "The stations in Australia 
       with the exception of 3JU 2DS & NZ seem to be too fond of the 
       fones not the cw or tonic".   Tonic train was interrupted CW to 
       give a modulated note which could be copied on a crystal receiver.

       During October 1923 he logged 29 American stations during the 
       Trans Pacific Tests.

       In January 1924 he notes "got receiver going on short wave" and in 
       June 1924 he logged the first shortwave broadcast station KGO.

       There's an interesting entry on 19th March, 1924 -
       "7aa de 7om . . . using rec for transmitting as transmitter out of 
       action for time . . ."   Those regenerative receivers were multi - 
       purpose.