Chris ZS6GM
Licenced Since
1970
How you started
I had been on air for more than a year when a local radio ham reported me for transmitting illegally and my dad was summonsed to visit the radio inspector - Mr Fairley.
I was taken off air for a while but the bug had bitten and I was back on the air over the next long school holidays.
There was a second summons from the radio inspector who gave me an ultimatum.
Shut down the pirate operations and study for my Amateur Radio licence - or else!.
I worked hard at it, and in less than a year I had passed the technical exam and then my 12 words per minute Morse code test and earned the callsign ZS1CG.
I subsequently moved to the UK where I obtained the call G4HKP and in South Africa I am still licensed as ZS6GM.
Most Memorable Contact
-
Best part of the Hobby
Construction and design of antennas and equipment.
Favorite Modes
SSB using valve equipment.
Love mobile operating especially locally on 20, 30 and 40m.
About Chris Turner
ZS6GM, vice president SARL.
Proprietor LM Radio Mozambique. Lives in Hoedspruit. XYL Robbie ZS6VIP. Licenced in 1970 as ZS1CG. Founding member of Sandton Amateur Radio Club. Past President of SARL.
It all started in 1956 at the age of 4. My father had an Ecko 5 valve short wave radio that he had brought out from England with him.
I would sit with my ear glued to the speaker as he would tune into stations from abroad, like BBC World Service from London, Voice of America, Radio Netherlands and LM Radio from Lourenco Marques in Mocambique.
I was hooked!
I built my first radio at the age of 8 from parts that my Dad had brought from abroad.
It was a 1 valve (tube) regenerative receiver using a 1T4 with a 45 volt HT battery and 1.5 volt filament battery.
The coils were English made plug-in Denco coils covering all the short wave bands and the tuning condensor was a Jackson’s with a slow motion drive and home made frequency dial.
