Dave Benson, K1SWL, has gotten quite a few
questions in his years as proprietor of Small Wonder Labs. A number of
these prove to be perennial favorites, and the answers bear repeating to a
wider audience!. Questions like "How do I get 5 watts out of my 2W
rig?" "Can I multiband single-band rigs?", "PEP- what is
that?" and of course, "What's with the DSW-II? In addition
to tackling this smorgasbord of topics, Dave will entertain questions from
Atlanticon participants.
About DAVE BENSON, K1SWL ...
K1SWL is known all over the world and in New
Jersey as the proprietor of Small Wonder Labs, a QRP kit vendor. First
licensed in 1967, he mercifully doesn't remember his first few Novice QSOs.
His interest in QRP stems from the earliest days, with a 2N706 rig making
contacts on the 80M Novice band. He stumbled across an ARCI Sprint while
camping in Vermont, strengthening the interest in portable operation.
He attended the University of Connecticut, graduating in 1976 with a BSEE,
and with this training, the endless variety of homebrew projects actually
began working! Failing to gain meaningful
employment upon graduation, he had to be given a job as an aerospace
engineer. This included a number of design projects in both the analog and
digital realms, and with a healthy smattering of other specialties thrown
in. This training proved auspicious, and with the growth of desktop
publishing and the Internet, "it was time". Dave enjoyed his
mid-life crisis in the mid-90s, and the decision to forego a life of project
management and endless travel in favor of 'sole propietor' was the right
choice.
