Author: k9hi

The Bristol County Repeater Association will hold an “Antenna Build” and in-person club meeting on May 14, 2022 from 1:00-3:00 PM at the Swansea Baptist Church, 25 Church Street, Swansea, MA 02777.

“We will meet in the upper parking lot, near the back of the church/hall.  We’ll have tables setup, tools and help in building your dipole antenna.  Details on the build will be discussed during the Tech Talk at the May 2nd monthly meeting.  We are going to have the builders choose their antenna, within reason.  More details will be sent out by email.

Norm Cantin, WA1LNG, writes on the Barnstable ARC mailing list:

We will be meeting in-person [on May 2, 2022 at 07:00 PM] at the Brewster Police Department – Community Room, 631 Harwich Road (Rt 124), Brewster, MA 02631.  In addition we will provide a Zoom link to the meeting.

The Zola Center ARC meets on April 23, 2022 at 11:00 AM. Following introductions, Tim Duffy, K3LR, of DX Engineering will speak about the history of DX Engineering and what it is today. The talk will be followed by a “virtual” pizza party, a wrap-up of Boston Marathon activities, and a repeater update.

[Contact Frank Ventura, N1FMV,  at frank -at- littlebreezes -dot- com for Zoom conference details.]

The USS Salem Heavy Cruiser museum ship is returning to the airwaves.

Hank, KQ1V,  and Ron, W1OF, wish to announce the recently formed USS Salem Radio Club, N1SLM. They have forged an agreement with the new director and have plans for the USS Salem to be quite active over the next few months. Lots of work needs to be done preparing Radio Room #5. Hank and Ron are hoping that some volunteers will come forward.

If you would like more information, please contact either Hank <hwpiel@yahoo.com> or Ron <w1of@nsradio.org> directly.

The Nashoba Valley Amateur Radio Club’s April meeting is Thursday, April 21st at 7:30 PM at the Pepperell Community Center (in Pepperell). Doors will open at 7:10 PM.

We will also “simulcast” this meeting via Zoom (contact K1BG for details), giving people who live outside the local area or who have concerns about meeting in person an opportunity to participate.

This month’s guest speaker will be Mike Murphy, WU2D, who will walk us through “Shortwave Dream Receivers of the 60s.”

For many of us, ham radio was an offshoot of an earlier budding radio hobby, specifically shortwave listening in the 1960s. It was the middle of the Cold War, and the bands were full of exciting signals. Even the marine frequencies between 2 and 3 MHz were busy back then. So as a kid, you no doubt had your eye on what would be called your Dream Receiver.

The hobby magazines were full of these shortwave sets, adorned with many shiny knobs and big slide rule dials.  Of course obtaining such would cost many hours of mowing lawns, delivering papers and even pumping gas. And yes –  begging, trading, threatening  and pestering your parents were all part of the game.  

Mike will walk us though those golden years by showing off some popular shortwave dream receivers of the late 50’s through about 1972. Don’t be surprised if you see your old Hallicrafters or Lafayette, or Heathkit receiver in this presentation.

Need directions? Click here and put your own address in box “A.”

Thanks and 73. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Bruce, K1BG

978-772-2773 or bruce.blain@charter.net

PS. Thanks to the Pepperell Community Center for the use of the building, and thanks to Jim Hein, N8VIM, and his employer, Medtronics, for the use of the Zoom account.