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My First Memory
Rodney V. Hilsabeck (AJ4CT)
on
November 22, 2009
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My 1st memory was sitting at my dads elbow, while he pounded brass as a telegrapher on the wire, for the railroad in 1956 at Collins, IA., and later at the Sebula, IA. Draw bridge.
After moving to Springville, IA. In 1958, dad went to work for Collins Radio, in Cedar Rapids, IA., in the model shop, where he and other machinest would transform engineer drawings into Collins Radio works of art, one that became the 30L-1.
At the age of 11 my Phonetic Alphabet was pretty good, and my beginner's code test Element 1 (A) that dad had taught me over the years became second nature. In 1962 Collins Radio had a youth radio program and my 1st “Elmer”, besides my dad was Emory Lewis an engineer, and member of our church, who held meetings in his basement.
We learned radio theory “still have my book, Ameco Amateur Radio Theory Course, dated 1956”, attended many open houses for family's at Collins, by then my mom also worked on the printed circuit line, and taught me how to care for my solder iron. Also buildt my 1st “Heath-kit”, never understood why Heath-kit when Emory's basement was crammed with Collins equipment, and a visit now and then by Art Collins.
Received my ticket after passing Novice Class: Elements 1(A) and 3(A), On my 10th birthday 1964, dad gave me my 1st Key, his old DOW-KEY serial No. 1567 that I still have to this day, but my/our 1st radio was a citizen band SSB base station license KHD7769.
My late 60's found me to be a wild-child, and an AUDIOPHILE up late listening to Becker Street, Station KAAY out of Little Rock, AR.
Joined the Navy in 72, as a Data System Tech. in OE Division, with computer's as big as a side-by-side refridgerator and that wonderful Collins equipment, had lost my ticket but kept in touch with Conus, from the MED. via MARS.
Finally got my ticket again, Amateur Extra “AJ4CT”, and my MARS “NNN0UTG” for old times sake, but my MARS may not be active, have dusted off the DOW-KEY but need to break-out the Brasso and polish-up A LOT.
That bad case of Audiophilia Nervosa that I had in the 60's and 70's has paid off and went to the Valves vrs solid-state, just bought a Collins 30L-1 Linear,off E-bay, wish me luck.
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My First Memory
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by KX5JT on November 22, 2009
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Very cool story. I was born in 1966 and my first memories of listening to AM Broadcast radio was listening to KAAY's Beaker Street with my older brothers. I was maybe 4 or 5 yrs old and I clearly remember being amazed by the radio signals coming in from so far away. My older brothers just like the psychedelic rock, which I later learn to love.
Yeah for MW DXing Beaker Street!!
John, KX5JT
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RE: My First Memory
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by N5YPJ on November 22, 2009
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I remember listening to KAAY early evenings on the car radio when Dad would pick me up from after school activities. Fascinated me then and now!
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My First Memory
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by WD9FUM on November 22, 2009
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I love to hear stories of what sparked fellow hams interest in radio (there's a joke in there somewhere). I still enjoy BCB DXing, too.
73, Jude WD9FUM
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RE: My First Memory
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by K5FH on November 22, 2009
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Actually, it was Bleeker Street with Clyde Clifford.
I understand that Clyde's still around. Amazing.
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RE: My First Memory
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by W7IME on November 22, 2009
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Beaker Street, with Clyde is still doing well....
His web site is
http://www.beakerstreet.com/index.html
and the show has been resurrected on the Point, 91.4 KKPT, Sundays at midnight.
and can be streamed at
http://www.point941.com/
Have fun !!!!
DennisB W7IME
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RE: My First Memory
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by WX1F on November 22, 2009
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WMEX out of Boston in 1959...with Arnie "WOO WOO" Ginsburg at the mic !!
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RE: My First Memory
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by KE5JWC on November 22, 2009
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"It's Arnie Ginsburg, on the Night Train Show" call in and say Woo Woo Ginsburg and get a free meal at Adventure Car Hop! I was born in Salem and raised in Beverly and Peabody but now live in Las Cruces, NM.
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RE: My First Memory
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by WB0GOA on November 22, 2009
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I believe the voice of Clyde Clifford was WA5AVA, the engineer working at the transmitter site DJing and doing maintenance work starting at midnight. Used to listen to KAAY and WLS in those days.
Mike WBØGOA
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RE: My First Memory
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by W3DCB on November 22, 2009
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thank for that. I am much younger, but it sure bring me back...Daniel Baral w3dcb
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KAAY In The 60s
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by W8ASA on November 23, 2009
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I used to listen to (Rob Robin?) on KAAY in 1962 and 63. In fact, I was involved in an effort to collect candy bar wrappers in a KAAY-sponsored contest among high schools. The high school that won would have dance hosted by him, and a 50-pound Baby Ruth. Go Waynesville Tigers! I personally collected well over 1,000 candy bar wrappers from the soldiers on Ft. Leonard Wood MO, who would hold them for their favorite paperboy.
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My First Memory
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by K3YD on November 23, 2009
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Thanks for sharing your memories. Many of us have stories about the circumstances which drew us into radio, and the fun we've had. Too bad there isn't a "Radio History" website; I'd write something there.
For example, how many of today's "newbies" have ever seen, or used, a two-tube regenerative receiver? Those old Knight Kits were fun--wish I still had mine.
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RE: My First Memory
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by KE5JWC on November 23, 2009
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When I was about 11 years old, my family was on welfare. Somewhere, in a junk pile, I found an old Heathkit transmitter that would probably never live to transmit another day. I had made a friend, A gentleman named Lawrence Wriget, W1EGJ, who was a contractor who graciously invited me to his home. He had a Collins S-Line and contacted the Admiral Byrd Station. I was hooked. We went our ways and, about 40 years later, I was visiting back in Peabody, MA. I brought my XYL to meet mr. Wright. He greeted us graciously and said "you know, I knew you's be back, and I have something for you." Of course you know it was the transmitter he had sitting on his shelf for so many years. "How come, after all this time, you haven't fixed it, I asked??" The story is absolutely true, except possibly for my last comment!!
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My First Memory
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by WA5UP on November 23, 2009
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One of my first memories was being fascinated with the antenna farm at the Collins facility in Marion Ia. My grandparents lived nearby, and my mom used to take me to visit in the summertime. Quite an impressive collection out there.
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RE: My First Memory
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by WB2NVY on November 23, 2009
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I too can mix ham & BC radio. Started in 1963 age 13 with novice license & Eico 723 & Hallicrafters S-108 general coverage rcvr. BC dx from here in central NY included WABC Boston (Cousin Brucie), WLS Chicago, WKBW Buffalo (Chicken Man) and WBZ Boston. Locally you weren't cool if you didn't listen to WNDR Syracuse. Loved cw, couldn't wait to use my mike when I got my General in 1964. Used the mike a week, then went back to mainly cw. Knight T-150, Heathkit DX-60, then Heathkit SB-102, my most favorite rig ever. Ran it mobile in my '72 VW Superbeetle.
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My First Memory
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by KF5AHV on November 24, 2009
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I guess the mention of Collins prevented the usual flame throwing for him being on the CB first?
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RE: My First Memory
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by K3WVU on November 24, 2009
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WB2NVY,
I think you mean WBZ Boston. WABC was in New York. I used to listen to the same stations. Also WKBW Buffalo, with Joey Reynolds. Cousin Brucie is still on Sirius/XM...the more things change, the more they remain the same.
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My First Memory
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by W6ZPC on November 24, 2009
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My first radio was a one transistor breadboard kit. I remember it had a grounded emitter circuit and I tuned it with the slug in a tuning coil. The wand on the slug said vertical hold or something like that that didn't mean anything at all. I was in the sixth grade at the time. It was 1962. Later my dad (the original W6ZPC, sk) and I built another radio for me. When he bought a Swan 350 he gave me his National NC 183 receiver (which I still have). For some reason the broadcast band didn't work, but the next band up included the broadcast band from about 1420 to 1600 so I became very familiar with the stations in that area. There was KWIZ in Anaheim (CA), KDAY in Santa Monica, KOMA in Oklahoma City and I am sure many more that I cannot remember right now. I used to turn out all the lights in the room and let the National provide all the light I needed. On cold nights I would open the lid of the National and let the filaments keep me warm. I remember my first SWL QSL card was from HCJB in Ecuador. I also collected a few from hams as well.
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RE: My First Memory
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by WD9FUM on November 24, 2009
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RE: W6ZPC - I also used to enjoy turning my bedroom light out while I listened to my S-40 (still have it too).
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My First Memory
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by K3LUE on November 24, 2009
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In 1958, I took an old Philco table radio my grandfather used to listen to the Phillies on and twisted the back panel around (built in antenna) somehow and began hearing 75 meters with W3EBM (Empty Beer Mugs) on AM. Later, it was Bill W3QDJ, one of my Elmers downtown on 75. Picked up a copy of "SOS At Midnight" and I was hooked. My mother went to school many years before that with another ham in my town of Shippensburg, Ray, W3ESV, and on Thanksgiving evening in 1959, we visited his station. Hooked for sure. Christmas of that year saw a brand new NC-60 under the tree, still my favorite Christmas present ever and a Novice KN3LUE the following spring. How great is it to remember!
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My First Memory (s/b Memories... hi hi)
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by KA5DWI on November 25, 2009
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Gee, where do I begin?
Living in Houston, I remember listening to WLW, WHO, WMAQ, WLS, WSM, KMOX, KDKA, KVOO, KAAY and many others in 1961 on a 6-Transistor radio my mom and dad had bought. My neighbor had a 9-transistor radio that had shortwave capabilities. I was jealous. I saw my first Hallicrafters S68 in '64 (WPE5DNB I think) and soon had my first transistor SW radio that year. A year or so later I had a 4-tube Hallicrafters S120.
I turned 16 a everything went to hell and a handbasket. Girls, rock and roll (garage band), VietNam and a hate for school (and my parents). I survived, made my peace, and started making a living. I bought a R.S. DX160A to keep up my radio interest
I bought an old Heathkit DX40 for $25 at Madison Electronics in 1972 and held on to it for 7 years. I was a CB'er (sorry, it makes me an expert on 10 Meters). I moved to DFW and rented a house from a Ham (K5UU). I got off my rear and finally got my license in early 1979 and haven't stopped much since.
To this day I enjoy doing something with a little. I ran a string of 6 Meter QSO's (winter Es) last night and was just a thrilled to do that like working my first CW QSO on the 80-Meter Novice band.
73's Art
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RE: My First Memory (s/b Memories... hi hi)
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by KE5JWC on November 25, 2009
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Another factor in my ham beginnings was attending the O5H (Morse Intercept) course at Fort Devens, MA. I left copying about 16 WMP, then worked my way up to 60. In Ankara, Turkey, (actually about an hour up a mountain) I could listen to WBZ in Boston on a Collins R390 and a Rhombic Antenna. I could also copy the AP and UP when they were using automatic Morse. In Vietnam, I worked Short Range Directing Finding (SRDF) and copied low level voice traffic from the VC and RVN.....Great fun and excitement. In 1972 I decided to go for my novice and, after about 20 years as a novice, my General. "She may have just been a Morse Operators grilfriend, but she did it did it did it!"
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by WB2TQC on November 25, 2009
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WB2NVY,
Yes WABC was in New York City at 770 KHz. In the mid 60's their jingle went something like "Seventy seven w a b c". On Sunday nights, Monday morning actually, you could tune up the band a bit and pick up Radio Bonaire at 800 khz.
I was a BCB DXer myself and had many cards from Stateside stns. WOWO in Ft Wayne,IN was one I clearly remember. I think WHO was in Cedar Rapids, Ia. CKLW was actually Canadian but was in the Detroit area. Great Fun. I went from there to international SWL then CB and then Amatuer Radio.
73,
John
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by W5HTW on November 25, 2009
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One of my earliest memories was when I was about three. My father slapped my butt one time, but unfortunately for him, (and for me) I had a pocket full of marbles on that side. It hurt him more than it did me. His hand turned red. My butt did not. Or at least I couldn't see it. But I sure did cry!
Earliest BC memory is probably from my preteen days, riding with my family in the car late at night. My father liked to listen to WCKY. I heard all the 15 minutes infomercials they had, on chickens, harmonicas, motor cure, and a dozen other things. They 'invented' the infomercial!
Went to very part time work for WIVK in Knoxville when I was 16. It was a one kw daytimer back then, though years later it went to 50 kw full time. By then I had a ham license, too. Also played live music on WNOX during their Saturday afternoon jam sessions (I did guitar, but I was far from "good!")
Into broadcasting off and on for years after that.
Used to listen to the WBAP trucker show, and one from WHO as well, plus one from that big station in Tulsa. And back then KOMA was country as well. I ran an overnight trucker show on KRKE in Albuquerque for about a year, but under a stage name, not my real name.
WABC was one from my youth as well. Here in NM, KKOB is also on 770, so they go directional at night to protect WABC. I had listened to WKBW while I was in France! One of the few US stations I could hear. And I think WMGA was in NYC and played good music, but I could not hear them in Europe.
Of course, XERF could be heard all across the USA. 250,000 watts, just across the border from Del Rio. The Wolf Man did his thing there.
WSM was a good one, but there was a blues station in Nashville, WLAC, that I listened to so much. Loved the blues guitar. The Sound Of The Hound, from WLAC.
When young and returning home, KOA always beckoned me. Once I could hear it well, I knew I was on my way back to Denver. "The Fifty Thousand Watt Voice Of The West, KOA, Denver." How impressive! And before KOB became KKOB, it labelled itself as "The Fifty Thousand Watt Voice of The Great Southwest." They don't do that anymore, though. Lost the call sign KOB a good 20 years ago now, became KKOB.
I remember well WBZ and the Jerry Williams talk show all night. Was it "Jerry?" Anyway, I used to listen to that down in Virginia. When I was in Mass, I was about a half a mile from the old WBZ transmitter site in Millis. It had become an FCC monitoring station, and was eventually shut down completely. When I was there it was an empty building and a few wooden utility poles. Not much left. But the BIG, BIG, BIG WBZ spread-base tower was along the beltway east of Boston. Wow, what a monster! It may still be there. I heard stories that even way back in the late 50s/early 60s, the guys working on that tower above 400 feet made $125 an hour! More than most people made in two weeks!!
Yep, many memories. And pages and pages more of them. Too many to think about. But most were pleasant.
Except for the marbles.
Ed
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My First Memory
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by KC2WI on November 25, 2009
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I can't remember which was first but I remember a few things.
Playing with CB "walkie-talkies" in the mid 60's. every once in a while we would hear a real CB'er but we could never get anyone to respond to us. Probably they never heard our signals. Maybe 110mW?
Also remember about the same time having a crystal radio in a small plastic case like a miniature transistor radio with a short extendable antenna. But it was not an antenna it was a handle for the tuning slug. My dad put up a wire "arial" but I found I usually got better reception clip leading to the metal rain gutter.
Used to listen to WABC and other Long Island/NYC stations.
I didn't get a real transmitter until 1975. When I was ready to go off to college I got a CB for my car. Or maybe it was the year before, I don't remember. ANyway, the first one was a Johnson. Had some problems with it and within a year I had the top of the line Lafayette 23 channel AM unit. A few years later when the 23 channel radios were being phased out I bought a HyGain HyRange V SSB which would put out about 10W AM when it was peaked up. CB was fun in those days but once it became too popular and the sunspot cycle peaked in the early 80's that was the end of CB.
Fortunately by then I had my ham ticket.
reading other stories I feel I really missed some of the magic of being a ham as a kid in the 60's. I don't think that there is any equivalent techincal activity/hobby for kids today. Ham radio would still be fun but there are so many other things like cell phones, computers, etc. that it just wouldn't be the same magic.
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My First Memory
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by K7DZW on November 26, 2009
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John lived with his parents at 29th and Klickitat.Deep in the heart of "Henry & Ribsy " land.Portland Oregon.In 1965 he had a 64 Ford Galaxy 390 4 speed.The first good looking Ford ever IMHO.He also had the biggest TV antenna anybody in the neighborhood had ever seen.Several elements about 30' long.One day I saw it rotate and it wasn't pointed at any of the local TV stations.The light went on. DING.This was something special.So one Saturday I rode my bike in front of John's house until he finally came out. I started the conversation about his car while staring at his antenna. He followed my gaze and said he had to go out for a while but if I was around later to knock at the door and he would show me what the special antenna was connected too. I was back in an hour awaiting his return.We then proceeded to his parents basement complete with oil burning furance the size of a pickup truck.The basement was filled with a workbench and Ham radios.Glowing,throbbing,static filled boxes on which I had my first QSO with a ham in Australiaat the age of 13.Crystal sets and SWL followed.Often interupted by girls,race cars and the other things that fill a young mans time.Thanks John.Thanks for introducing me to some great people and refreshing my outlook on life.Thanks John for Ham radio. I hope your receiving my rf.Thanks so much..........
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My First Memory
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by K6LHA on November 28, 2009
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It must have been in 1940 when I listened to a recording of news from the London Blitz, the rich baritone "news voice" of Edward R. Murrow opening a show with "...This...is London..." All coming over a floor console Zenith from a Chicago CBS station. Growing up from age 8 at the start of World War II was an emotional time for a young lad in public school.
It wasn't on "shortwave" although the Zenith had two bands to cover that in addition to just AM BC. But the recording by CBS had the 'wowww' and slight flutter one could hear on HF audio. Not a single commsat was up and Arthur C. Clarke was entering the RAF, working on ways to let RAF bombers land in English fog. Clarke would later publish his idea of a triad of geosynchronous radio repeaters out in space in Wireless World just after WWII was over in Europe.
Us kids knew that "radio" existed in 1940 since we had all heard AM BC at home...but that was all, no TV, no FM, very few "shortwave" receivers around, not many houses had any external wire antennas for HF broadcasts.
Edward R. Murrow's voice made an indelible audio memory in my mind, never left.
73, Len AF6AY
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RE: My First Memory
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by N2EY on November 29, 2009
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Excellent story!
I can remember being 3 years old, and knowing I was 3 years old, and knowing it was 1957. I also realized that I couldn't remember being 2 years old, so I started paying closer attention.
Of course TV and radio were common things for a kid in the 1950s and 1960s. TV was old analog channels 3, 6 and 10 on the big DuMont, radio was AM.
Somewhere in there I discovered a book which told how to build your own "foxhole radio", using a razor blade and pencil lead as a detector. I built one, ran a wire from the house to the crabapple tree in the back yard and a ground to the radiator, and received WPEN, 950 AM, a couple miles away. I was hooked!
Other books told more about radio. The book that told how to build the foxhole set also told about something called "ham radio" and so I went in search of other books about that. Howard W. Sams and ARRL publications had lots of info, and pretty soon I was taking apart old TV sets, radios, record players, etc. for the parts.
Nobody in my family was a ham, nor were any of the neighbors, so it was a solo effort in many ways. But books can be good Elmers. Money wasn't plentiful but I managed to save up a few dollars for those parts not found in old TV sets.
By the time I was 12 I had a working 2 tube shortwave receiver that could cover the 80/75 meter ham band and up to 6 MHz or so. (It wasn't really calibrated; I figured out what the frequency was by the kinds of signals heard.)
That little receiver, slapped together from old parts, opened up a new world. The Voice of America, BBC, Radio Moscow, Prague, and many other SWBC stations were heard almost every night. It also brought in some hams on 75 meter AM, most notably the wonderful signal of Bill, W3DUQ.
Of course back then (1967) getting an amateur license required passing a Morse Code test, so I learned Morse Code by listening to other hams on the 2 tube receiver. One hand on the tuning, one on the pencil because it wasn't the stablest thing in the world.
Also had a key and home-made code oscillator to practice sending, and more books for the theory part.
Soon after my 13th birthday I passed the Novice tests, thanks to K3NYT, who served as my volunteer examiner.
So I set about building a transmitter. The only new parts were the 6V6GT tube and the 3726 kHz xtal. The power supply was one of the chassis of an old Philco TV, rewired; it was probably good for over 200 watts but was powering my 10-watter. The wire out to the crabapple tree was raised and upgraded to handle transmitting - all 7 watts of it. A dime-store knife switch was the TR system, and when the license arrived, I was set to go. My first QSO was K3RXN, now a Silent Key but back then a big signal on 80 CW.
By summer 1968 I was an Advanced and by summer 1970 an Extra. Built, converted, bought and sold a lot of rigs, too!
Doesn't really seem that long ago.
73 de Jim, N2EY
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