Turning Points
Life is a journey. It has a beginning and it has an end. All along its path are events, places
and people who are turning points. Here, I relate some of these turning points in my own
journey. Hopefully, the stories will illuminate and maybe entertain some of those who care
enough to read.
Life is a journey. It has a beginning and it has an end. All along its path are events, places
and people who are turning points. Here, I relate some of these turning points in my own
journey. Hopefully, the stories will illuminate and maybe entertain some of those who care
enough to read.
| CQ June 23, 2006 |
Hugh Louis led in the interest in
electronics and somehow got plugged into
the hobby of ham radio. I quickly ramped
up with him in this although he always did
and still does to this day, keep a big
stretch ahead of me on the technical
knowledge.
electronics and somehow got plugged into
the hobby of ham radio. I quickly ramped
up with him in this although he always did
and still does to this day, keep a big
stretch ahead of me on the technical
knowledge.
But we both studied the theory and practiced morse code until the day we went to Louisville and
sat down nervously for our tests before the Federal Communications Commission. Both of us
passed and after the weeks waiting for our licenses to be issued we began the greatest
excitement, building equipment and making short wave radio contacts with other “hams” across
the country. We saved our money until we could afford to buy some equipment while also buying
parts to make some of it ourselves.
In those days, there were no cellphones, no internet or e-mail and unlike today, long distance
calls were terribly expensive. So the idea of sitting in our “shack” and making a radio contact with
someone across the country was really an achievement, especially if it was with equipment which
we built ourselves. Some of the equipment was surplus WWII radio gear we converted to amateur
use.
We also converted the old no-longer-used privy to a radio shack and used an electric reflector
heater to keep it warm enough in cold weather to spend our days there with the new hobby. We
erected an iron pipe mast in the back to support the long wire antenna. I'm pretty sure we were the
first, and maybe the only, licensed amateur radio operators in New Haven.
One day while transmitting we had our first serious case of TV interference when a neighbor
came over a bit past his limit waving a pistol and threatening Daddy if we didn’t stop messing up
his favorite program.
On another occasion, Daddy himself was a bit past his own limit and came out to the shack while
we were gone. He threw some switches and began calling CQ, the general call to anyone who
might be listening. But, not realizing the need to tune the transmitter, he managed to burn out
some components and embarrass himself with his solo performance.
It was his last experience in ham radio but not ours. Hugh Louis continued his activity more or
less from then on. I dropped out during my college years and resumed only near the end of my
career with the same call sign I was originally issued in 1956.
sat down nervously for our tests before the Federal Communications Commission. Both of us
passed and after the weeks waiting for our licenses to be issued we began the greatest
excitement, building equipment and making short wave radio contacts with other “hams” across
the country. We saved our money until we could afford to buy some equipment while also buying
parts to make some of it ourselves.
In those days, there were no cellphones, no internet or e-mail and unlike today, long distance
calls were terribly expensive. So the idea of sitting in our “shack” and making a radio contact with
someone across the country was really an achievement, especially if it was with equipment which
we built ourselves. Some of the equipment was surplus WWII radio gear we converted to amateur
use.
We also converted the old no-longer-used privy to a radio shack and used an electric reflector
heater to keep it warm enough in cold weather to spend our days there with the new hobby. We
erected an iron pipe mast in the back to support the long wire antenna. I'm pretty sure we were the
first, and maybe the only, licensed amateur radio operators in New Haven.
One day while transmitting we had our first serious case of TV interference when a neighbor
came over a bit past his limit waving a pistol and threatening Daddy if we didn’t stop messing up
his favorite program.
On another occasion, Daddy himself was a bit past his own limit and came out to the shack while
we were gone. He threw some switches and began calling CQ, the general call to anyone who
might be listening. But, not realizing the need to tune the transmitter, he managed to burn out
some components and embarrass himself with his solo performance.
It was his last experience in ham radio but not ours. Hugh Louis continued his activity more or
less from then on. I dropped out during my college years and resumed only near the end of my
career with the same call sign I was originally issued in 1956.
___________________________________________________
| And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28 KJV) |
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