Thread: ham radio str8 net?

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Just saw this thread.Know nothing about ham Radio but have a fun story to tell.
My father in law was a very active Ham in Sacto Calif W6JBA,I think he got his license in the 1930s.I used to watch him for hrs work his radio,was amazed that he could talk to people all over the world with his homemade equip. (Halicrafters?)
At any rate these guys would send postcards every time they contacted someone new, he had thousands of them.
He worked for the calif CHP and his minor claim to fame was outfitting the first Sqaud car in the state with ham radios.
Wife remembers them working late at night in the garage putting all this equip in a big old 54 Buick roadmaster black and white.
Attennas to him were sort of like razors and hones to us,every time we came to visit was some new thing on the roof of the house or on the back lawn,cannot tell you how many of those things I helped him put up and take down.
I still have his Key,do they still use them? was great times.

I imagine there are few old hardcore "CW" users out there yet. I figure they're getting few and far between as well. Not sure but I think the FCC did away with having to be proficient in Morse Code for most of the licenses. I haven't fooled with that stuff since the 70's. I'm WAY behind the power curve nowadays.

Your FIL may have had HEATHKIT rigs as they were kind of a build it yourself company "back in the day". Hallicrafters made lots of radios "back in the day" as well.

Interesting bug pixelfixed.

If you guys revive the 20 meter razor net, I would try and make a check in.

73 de AB9VN