The article presents the memories of one of the initiators of radio-astronomy research at Saratov State University. The creation of a radio astronomical group in the laboratory of astronomy and geophysics and the development of radiophysical methods for predicting the solar activity are being discussed. The theoretical substantiation and practical implementations of the precision differential-switching microwave polarimetry method are considered. The development of two radio telescopes and a programmatic-analytical method for controlling small radio telescopes are described.