Ham Radios and RIcks

charlyg · Post by **charlyg** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 2:58 pm

This is declared the official thread for hams who also own a Rick.

My father and I got ours together while I was in high school. He is WA0PNB and I am WA0PNC. There is a story behind mine tho. I let it lapse while I was on a ship in the Navy(72-76) as I didn't use it, and didn't know you could. So in 96 or so, a friend wanted to get into it with the no code tech thing, so I helped out, got licensed as a Novice(remembered my code!). Then I went for advanced a month or two later, and was designated KN6VY. I thought it would be a nice gesture to my Dad if I could get my original back, so once that was allowed, I got it back.

What say you OM?

73!

wmthor · Post by **wmthor** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 3:16 pm

I never got my own license. My parents divorced and my Dad kept his gear before I could get licensed. However, I still have a couple of tube type CB radios.

johnhall · Post by **johnhall** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 3:59 pm

WD6GDL here. Guess I qualify as a RIC owner.

charlyg · Post by **charlyg** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 4:07 pm

Too cool! The man never ceases to amaze!

johnallg · Post by **johnallg** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 4:45 pm

KA8QML. Still a novice.... lack of time fully immersed in raising the three kids (sports, league boards, travel teams, college travel). Now with the internet. But the romance of keying and people in faraway places hearing... wait, just like here.

gray · Post by **gray** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 5:23 pm

Sorry to butt in, but although I don't do the ham thing, I always wanted to. I think it's really interesting, especially in this day and age, I think it's great that people still do it.

Allow me to entertain you with a side note, though. My grandfather was in WWI in the Navy where he learned Morse code. After that he was in the Merchant Marines, running guns to Pancho Villa or something (details are sketchy). He was apparently the ship's radio operator.
According to my father, many years later at their home in Flagstaff, AZ my grandfather had an old radio for which he made an antenna by running a wire out the window and most likely wrapping it around the chimney. He used to talk to people for hours on end by Morse code. My grandfather was very tight-lipped about his past (probably for good reasons) and nobody ever knew who he was talking to or about what because nobody else knew Morse code.

Sorry if that's off topic or something, but I thought maybe you guys would get a kick out of it.

rickboy88 · Post by **rickboy88** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 7:53 pm

I used to be N0SBF, but let my "Technician-Plus" expire 7 years ago. I'm sure someone else grabbed the call, although I never cared for it. I just had to get code and I pass at 5 wpm around 17 years ago. Of course I couldn't do it now to save my life. I really only did 2 meter repeater stuff though with my Radio Shack HT while active.
I started out as shortwave radio listener in the late 70's, and during the 80's and 90's amassed a nice collection of Hammarlund, Hallicrafters, and other "classic boat anchors in the pre-internet days from Ham Trader Yellow Sheets (now gone) and Antique Radio Classified.

wmthor · Post by **wmthor** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 1:25 am

I had lunch last month with a family friend, who is the Emergency Management Director of a Mississippi Gulf Coast county. Among the many topics that we discussed, he stated that ham radio operators saved their butts during Katrina.

johnhall · Post by **johnhall** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 6:17 am

I still have the tech-plus license plus a storage cabinet of old 2 meter and 70 cm gear. I used to own repeaters, along with some friends, on both bands with telephone auto-patches. However, a combination of repeater group politics, changes in friends, and cheap cell phone service relegated all that to "another life" status.

When I move in June, all that stuff goes on eBay or into the dumpster.

charlyg · Post by **charlyg** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 6:23 am

I am still semi-active, try to talk with Dad on 20 meters once in a while. My tower is ok, but I gotta pull down the Tri-bander and tighten the clamps. The arms are not even anymore and looks tacky! I have an eyebolt through the roof, and use a combo of engine hoist and chains to lower the tower. I liked the guys on 220 a few years ago (it died down), hated 2 meters(it's like cb now), and didn't want to pay the piper for a 440 link.

But, I am a rag chewer and that can be done in places like.......here!!!

soundmasterg · Post by **soundmasterg** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 12:29 pm

My grandpa who passed last year was a ham guy since WW2, originally based in Syracuse, NY, but since 1960 was in San Jose, CA. He had a huge antenna in front of his house that he could lift up, and quite a few ham radios and other associated equipment. I inherited his interest in electronics but not in ham stuff, so they're going to sell all his things I believe. I have no idea what his call sign was.

I have several RICS......

Where are you moving in June Mr. Hall?

johnhall · Post by **johnhall** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 1:24 pm

Not far- just across town in Laguna Beach, CA. I get a new studio out of the deal, among other things. No antennas allowed along the beach, but I've never had one anyway!

leftybass · Post by **leftybass** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 2:09 pm

John, was your Dad into amatuer radio as well, or was it something that you took on later? I'm curious due to your Dad's involvement with radio parts and later forming Radio-Tel......

johnallg · Post by **johnallg** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 5:02 pm

John, being there on the beach, you'd have one hell of a ground to work off of!

johnhall · Post by **johnhall** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 6:10 am

My dad was very much into early electronics, and built radios by hand in the 1920's. I actually still have his first one- Mullard tubes he had to order from England, coils hand-wrapped on oatmeal boxes, bare copper wiring and all. He studied electronics in college, such as electronics were, and originally started in the electronics business by building B batteries as were commonly used in home radios. This was the genesis of his radio business and expanded to include police radio installation, PA systems, and wholesale component supply.

During WWII he was the head electrical and electronics inspector for Douglas Aircraft on the B-18 and B-23 bombers. Following the war (during which time my mom had operated the radio wholesale supply business singlehandedly), he dove into television as a natural extension to the field.

Oddly enough, my dad had no interest in amateur radio that I ever heard of. Most likely he just didn't have the time, as he was often at work by 5AM and worked until 7 or 8PM, usually at least 6 days a week. He defined the word "workaholic".