Smoking gun(n)

This goes back at least 45 years, to the late 1970s. Our radio club was divided in two sections: operators and constructors. While we shared the same club rooms, we had absolutely nothing in common. Constructors were much older, heavy smokers and politically reactive. Operators were young teenagers only interested in Morse code and DXing. We talked about openings and QSL cards, they talked 10GHz.

And back then, 10GHz was a hot topic. Getting the ‘right stuff’ behind the iron curtain was impossible. The key component: gunn diode, made of ‘unobtainium’. But the older boys were determined to get us on microwaves, with a plan that one of the operators would go on 20m CW, make a contact with Americans and ask for a small favour: a gunn diode, a present to the poor but technically minded Yugoslav amateurs. I am not sure whether the task of a CW beggar was actually assigned to myself, or did I simply put my hand up voluntarily. Either way, for the next week or so, I was trying as hard as possible, sending endless ‘please gunn diode’ messages over the Atlantic.

Unfortunately, we failed and Americans were laughing at my request for help: “sorry can not send firearms, illegal.” And when our plan became known to the club president, the project was quickly canned. Luckily, I got away with just a caution.

Needless to say, from then on, I’ve followed the microwave developments from a safe distance. But I did follow it with interest: from the first 10GHz transmission with 10mW output. Over the years, output power increased from 10mW to twenty, then to one hundred. In the early 80s we had two dozen amateurs active on 10GHz, eager to set national and international records, and even a dedicated magazine covering UHF to SHF, from Tropo to EME. These were the golden years of ham radio, at least of my generation.

As I type this, I am expecting the delivery of IC-905. A multiband gigahertz transceiver designed for appliance operators. A cutting edge radio with solid 2W output on 10GHz. Unthinkable! Would I be tempted to take it out to a hilltop and set some personal records on voice or television? Highly unlikely, there is not much DX to chase up there. An EME project? Maybe, one day.

If you are on the market for IC-905 and all the accessories – from control cables, collinear and parabolic antennas to 10GHz transverter – then I suggest that you source all from one dealer. The main reason is that radios, transverters and antennas are highly specialised equipment made for a very limited market, in a very small quantity. The supply is irregular so be prepared for some wait time. I am not going to sugar coat it: this is expensive stuff, made for cashed up amateurs.