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My Elmer Could Probably be Yours Too!
by Hal, WN1TKD
Thirty years ago the late Bob Armstrong WA1RQF Treasurer of Fara corned me and my YL Shanie WA1WGX into leaving The Wellesley Radio Club and joining the club. I think Shanie was first lady who had a call sign. We both were Techs. Time wise it was before Lew Nyman K1AZE was at the helm of our club, put us on course and steered us into to being what we are now an outstanding organization.
Six meters was the thing at that time. We used the Band always, had daily nets, get togethers and battled TVI constantly but it was fun and a challenge. Our Flea Market was held at the Civic Center and Field Day at the Dog Pound. I recall we use to hope and pray that a clear spot was mowed so that we could put up our antennas, tents and whatevers.
We became sophisticated! Lew became president, (Karen, KA1BYP his YL assistant President), his family and friends all teamed up. Our Field Day became second best to none. I'll mention only few names but Dick K1KTK alias WA1KUG with his famous Chili and food specialties, his trailer, my 24' trailer, Marsha KA1JIR with her Koogle and Toby N1DDS with her upside down cakes. I'll stop with naming names but you all know who you are and what you did for Fara. Our Flea Market became the best in New England. It became lucrative and afforded us the opportunity to "Pig" up on our famous Pizza night and to do so much in the field of Ham Radio.
I thought it best to mention all of the previous items so I could lead up to the meat of my comments about my ELMER AND FARA'S TOO! JULIUS HOFFER W1DL.
Thirty years or so ago I met Julie at either our Flea Market or club meeting. WN1TKD was an immature Ham with very little knowledge. I had confiscated a 40' tower and needed help deciding where the best place was to locate this monster on my QTH property. He came down the house with his late wife Sylvia (This was before Sil became his right hand at Flea Markets and ran his tables). We became good friends.
You know as well as I what he has done for FARA. His donations to the Club table, the ropes, pulleys, connectors or whatevers he always seems to have in his car on Field Day set ups. Famous words Julie do you have?, because we forgot and how he has always comes through for us. He loads his
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car with everything to make sure that we have what it takes to make our operation run flawlessly. He, with his knowledge and expertise is unbelievable. You need something special in Ham stuff he has it or will get it for you!
Julie's life has been Ham Radio. He became a Ham in 1939. I know from picking his brain that he was far from a good high school student. He would run home to get on CW and play Ham Radio. His ability and knowledge in Radio got him into officers training school in World War II in communications. He became a 1st Lieutenant. My Elmer was even called back and served as an officer during the Korean in conflict working with Radar installations. Julie retired years ago from Sylvania as an Electrical Engineer.
There was a time in my life that there wasn't a tower or a roof that I wouldn't climb to accommodate my or others antenna needs. Things do change those who know me well can appreciate what I went through physically. Both Shanie and I this past year gave up our QTH with the antenna farm and all our Ham equipment and moved to apartment living in Norwood. Once bit by the Ham Radio bug your stuck for life!
I bought a Kenwood TS570D with the hope of making some noise. The unit is small and I had a good power supply left over for my 2 meter operation. The amp rating was ideal for the new rig. How now to make this work in an apartment without any real estate became a challenge.
I bought a used Spider mobile antenna, made a ground plane out of aluminum gutter strips put on my rug and actually got out, but, a big but, I, when I activated my transmitter started to ring my neighbors telephone and interfered with their TV(complex has 136 units) I even rang door bells !I called Julie and he sent me parts to make up some filters. No soap bells still rang. My Spider is up for sale as it just will not operate in my QTH without the interference I was creating. I talked the apartment complex super into putting an eye bolt about 28' on an outside wall near one of my windows.
I photographed my area with my camcorder and sent Julie a tape. We spent time on the landline . After much deliberation he paid me a visit. His car was loaded with every conceivable item that you could think of. Items included extension poles to sever branches. I couldn't believe what he had in his car.He had everything but the kitchen sink, in fact he may have had one there Hi!.
Seven hours later we had a trapped dipole
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up making some noise. The apex is about a 20 degree angle. We used copper wire on the 40 meter side of the traps. Insulated wire was used going through the trees I borrowed a MFJ tuner. We made a few contacts. This all was for "starters" .Julie and I compliment each other and worked well together but he was not satisfied!
My Elmer and I went through many phone discussions. Julie came down to my QTH again. Per usual his car was loaded and this time even included the kitchen sink! He used a sling shot went over trees, made adjustments, added, cut, spliced and whatever. We spent another 6 hours at my home. Bear in mind that this system is hardly noticeable. It is indiscreet, workable and I'm one happy puppy. (TKD-The Kind Dog) We've got the 75 meters about a 1.5, 40, meters is pretty flat without a tuner, 20 meters requires my internal tuner. What an effort!! MY ELMER JULIE,W1DL!
By the way I doubled up on the chokes and capacitors on the filter I made for TVI and haven't been ringing telephones. Julie is not done yet. He keeps sending me whatevers to try to improve the impossible.
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