The 2m SSB Liner-2

If you were around in the 1970s, you probably remember the Liner-2. This was the 2m rig that brought 2m SSB to the masses. I had a second-hand one and recall being amazed by how far I could reach.

With a simple loft antenna (HB9CV I think) I could reach stations totally out of reach on QRP AM.

The Liner-2 was a synthesised rig that produced lots of spurii if over driven. In the end mine was sold and replaced by an ICOM IC-202 as I recall. In its day, the Liner-2 was ubiquitous and a "must have" rig for serious 2m operators.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/vuhf/liner2

2m SSB in the 1970s

When I first started in VHF amateur radio it was in the early 1970s, when most rigs were AM. Gradually people started using FM gear and this mode really took off with the coming of repeaters.

My first 2m SSB rig was a Liner-2. It was a revelation, with distances I could only dream about being workable even with very simple antennas. Nowadays many prefer the "rubber stamp" FT8 QSOs. Back in those early days 2m DXing was real fun and ranges of several hundred kilometres were possible most nights on SSB.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/vuhf/liner2

Liner-2 2m SSB rig

How many remember the Liner-2? For me, it transformed 2m operation.

Back in the 1970s it was the ubiquitous rig for DXing on 2m in the UK and rest of Europe.

Coupled with a 30W linear and 9 el Tonna antenna, this was the rig of choice for many. They had plenty wrong with them, but I look back on mine with fond affection.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/vuhf/liner2

The 2m Liner-2

In the 1970s 2m operation was revolutionised. The 10W Liner-2 brought 2m SSB to the masses. Until then I had only used AM and FM and I was amazed how far I could work on SSB with just a small beam. People these days joke about the TX sidebands if the rig was overdriven, but 2m SSB was possible for the masses for the first time.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/vuhf/liner2 .

Belcom LS-707 70cm multi-mode rig

A radio amateur in Nottingham,Vic G0RVA, recently bought one of these Belcom rigs. It appears to be an all-mode 70cm rig, although I am not familiar with this unit.

I know Belcom did a 2m version (the famous Liner-2, which I did once own) and a similar version for 70cm. The Liner-2 was a modification of their 10m version, which I don't think was ever sold in the UK.  Inside Vic's rig was what looked like a canned preamp with the marking "AngleLinear" but again I am not familiar with this unit. Angle Linear appear to be based in the USA http://anglelinear.com/ .

In its day, the 2m Liner-2 transformed 2m. It was a synthesised SSB rig and was frequently pushed too hard so that splatter was a problem. I was amazed how far I could work on 2m SSB with 10W pep. From Cambridge I could work stations that would have been impossible on FM or AM. I found I could work 200-300km with a simple antenna under ANY conditions.

Many were critical of these early Belcom transceivers, but I enjoyed my Liner-2 as did many others. Later I bought an ICOM IC202 which was a better radio, but with less ERP. The IC202 had a mock military style, that really was not too clever.

The "coming of age" of 2m SSB marked the change from "tuning high to low" to single frequency working. Sadly, there is far less activity on 2m SSB outside of contests so people think VHF is only really any good for local QSOs. With 10W SSB, or even less, it is possible to work a long way on VHF irrespective of conditions. From my current QTH, I think 200km is reachable with 5W pep and a 3 el beam on 2m. It is not that different on 70cm where I use 5W pep and a 5 el beam. Both my beams are hand rotated.

My shack in 1977

Thumbing through some old family photos in a box tonight, I found this one of my shack as it was in 1977 when my son was about 1.5yrs old.  It was interesting to see what gear I had then. On the far right  of the table is the Liner-2 144MHz 10W pep SSB transceiver. Next to it is a 28MHz 1W crystal controlled CW TX (xtals on the log book) and below that I think it was a 15W PA for 28MHz that I used briefly. On the left of this is the Eddystone EC10 receiver which was used with a down converter to RX on 28MHz. I had more space then than now!