Nostalgic Night

Technology marches on in all forms of modern life but, it seems, non faster than in the field of Amateur Radio. It is a long time since I have had to tune my radio receive and transmit for sensitivity and power, manually tune an antenna or manually paper log. 

I am not knocking modern equipment and practices, far from it, I actually embrace  and love them, but, it can induce a feeling of complacency as I take all of this modern convenience for granted. Worst of all, it makes me lazy and I need very little encouragement to pursue that route.

Operating "Digi" modes for me once meant using a computer for RTTY but those times are long gone. There are so many different digi modes now that I am at a loss to know what many of them are, or recognise them when I hear/see them. 

At my local radio club, S&DARS in Spalding, it is plain to see the attraction of these new modes especially amongst younger members. Indeed, it is a healthy sign that Club membership is increasing and most noticeably, is also attracting a younger generation into the hobby, many of whom are very active on the digital modes.

I try to keep up to date and am moderately active digitally but I often yearn for for the simple life, especially after a computer system or interface problem. For me back to basics usually means a barefoot radio and CW into a simple dipole antenna. This is my safety blanket when I feel threatened by temperamental technology.

Recently I came across notification of a contest using the Feld Hell mode and, when I saw that it was based on 1920's facsimile technology, I was tempted to give it a listen. Little did I realise that this was to breathe a fresh wave of enthusiasm into radio that I had not experienced in many a year. It was so refreshing to actually tune the bands looking for signals, adjusting the radio for best reception and then manually typing in responses to calls in the log because I had not got any macros pre-prepared. 

Not being familiar with Feld Hell at all the first problem was finding a signal. On the Feld Hell Club web site they give recommendations but they are fairly broad. Fortunately, another S&DARS Club member, Andrzej M6OIZ, was tuning around and I heard/saw his signal on my screen. Neither of us had worked Hell before so did not really know what we were doing or what to expect. Not to be intimidated by ignorance we plunged in and helped each other out, completing a QSO. Feld Hell is a really relaxed mode to operate. It is; 

• fairly slow so is easy for us, one fingered, typists. 
• It sounds similar to slow morse so nice to listen to, and
• It is strangely hypnotic watching the call scroll slowly across your screen.

I then went off and searched the bands for more signals but only found others on 80 meters. As it got close to midnight, when the contest ended, other stations must have got more desperate for contacts and I managed to work SQ3LMR, SA7CND and EC1RCB with several others heard but not worked.

There are a number of software programmes that support Hell but I was using FlDigi V4.0.18 which worked very well indeed. Power out varied between 40 and 60 watts to a trap dipole up at 6M agl.

It all felt like a trip back in time to traditional operating techniques with a modern twist. As a tiny tear of nostalgia starts to well up on my cheek it is time to wish you all 73. My thanks to Andrzej, M6OIZ, for that 1st QSO on a new, Old mode.

If you wish to see more about Hell, there is an excellent video by Randy, W7AGE on You Tube.  Have fun.