I suppose my main interest has always been in antennas.
I put one out across our rear garden into the trees for the rented radio,
to get better reception on radio Luxemburg: Yes that long ago.
I put a thin wire round and round my Bedroom picture rail for the crystal set. It worked.
Starting off as a radio and television engineer and with a vague interest in ham radio,
but a much better interest in any kind of dancing; and partners’… So the ham radio was not pursued at that time.
I moved on to Main Frame Computers and after a short time as an engineer I went into trouble shooting and teaching engineers for the next thirty years.
It was during the early part that I acquired an old army radio and used to listen in to whatever was available: can’t remember the set.
Much later I decided to take up the radio course at or local night school and soon passed my test.
I tried also the Morse course but it never sunk in or I didn’t give it the time and daily practice which you need in order to progress.
I am still determined to being able to read Morse.
I started off with a FT-270R two metre rig and a two element ant.
Eventually, I bought an ICOM 706 MKII HF and 2m + 50 MHz (6m).
I had help putting up a 20m wire dipole.
My shack is an 8 foot (2.5 M) square room at the end of a double garage.
Then I got an MFJ manual antenna tuner.
I now have a Hustler 6 Band (10, 15, 20, 30, 40, 80m) Tuned Vertical: Size: 7.3M (24ft). No tuner required.
I drove a 5 foot pipe three foot into the ground and clamped the 6BTV to it.
and a new acquisition, a tri-band ‘white stick.’ 6m, 2m & 70cm.
I am still interested in experiments with different designs of antennas ( I just have a Round TUIT ) .
and testing them at ground level with a NanoVNA.