September 11, 1937 - Green Bay Press Gazette
Green Bay Amateur Radio Notes By. Irvin J. Kralovec, W9PXT
The chilling interest in five meter work would probably be warmed again of some of the results obtained thoughout the world world were made know. Primarily the five meter band is and will continue to be a short distance band for purposes of communication.
While many persons are engaging in this work of high-frequency experimentation, they have a tendency to hoard their findings; few if any of us know about the details necessary to get satisfactory equipment to work this "sight" band.
Nearly all apparatus used will necessarily be regenerative. For this reason an oscillator of ultra-short waves will change wave-length (or frequency) very easily when there are changes in the voltage or in the load. Frequency stability being of great importance requires an uninterrupted oscillation of the tube or tubes used. While osc-amplifier combinations are usually used for more power on the lower freq bands, they are nearly essential for the ultra-high freqs to maintain a specified and sought place on the UHF band. Quarts crystals furnish stable oscillation. But the direct use of crystals is prohibited by their cost and lack of strength to prevent breakage. Good results have been obtained thru use of a tourmaline plate instead of the conventional quartz, and he strength of the tourmaline will be greater than the strength of of quartz as ground for 20 meters. Details of construction point towards a prevention of field-concentration, elimination of sharp edges, and a careful watch of the grid of the tube to prevent overloading of the circuit.
Next week I will discuss "Why Amateurs Use HF Transmitters."
An impromptu chat was held by TKZ, Staszak and PXT. Harry was in the act of assembling and mounting the required gadgets for a broadcast aerial on a house next door to Irv's shack. A little yelling took place of xmitters swl Bellinger acting as the "go between."
Ye scribe exchanged a few yarns with an old time swl, G. Adams. George was active until about five years ago, when he threw up the work as a result of waning interest. His work does not all the tinkering necessary, but it may let up enough during the winter months for a renewal of interest. You may remember him and his work on midget portables with another swl, W. Roberts. There are still some of the set doing duty in town.
GFL, Kehl, gets the blown-out tube this week for having the most radio equipment in his rolling stock. Paul beside having a standard broadcast set in this auto has a long-wave set to pick up the local police station, and a portable five meter transceiver. A general neatness prevails, and no wires are left for the strangling of passengers. GFL is a radio engineer of KNHB at Green Bay.
Harvey Mattes, UBX, still covers 160 meters though he is looking towards the 3.5 megacycle band with a cw rig. His signal is heard consistently at Saulte Ste Marie by RYJ, Clark who is becoming accustom to the climate up there in the north.
A little mix-up resulted for the meeting of the GBARC last week. Some of the members get the date mixed, because there were five Tuesday's last month. Remember that the meetings are held on the first and third Tuesday's of each month and not any other nigtht.
Air-waves have TKZ still punddling with his transformer while his rig stands useless for the same reason... WWC, Burckle, remains inactive due to domestic affairs... TIS is supposed to be on Sunday if his skywire is hoisted instead the glasses. Did you know his nickname is "Taxi?".. We hear VOW-Van is "that way" about a certain YL. Finally PXT can truthfully say, "I will be on the air Sunday afternoon or evening."
September 18, 1937 - Green Bay Press Gazette
Green Bay Amateur Radio Notes By. Irvin J. Kralovec, W9PXT
Why do amateurs use the ultra-high frequencies?
That question can only be answered by the individual amateur and his reason will seem to you a bit on the obscure side the matter. Surely no two amateurs would be the same. No doubt the main idea would hinge on the possibilities of the radio field in many figured kilocycles.
A novelty is encountered, because there is very slight if any noise connected with this work. Long distance (DX) workers will be drawn to this band for that reason only, which is very much out of the ordinary. UHF sometimes "opens up" and permits a long distance talk, but as a whole they do not satisfy a want such as that.
Newcomers in this field find little difficulty in getting acquainted, and the lack of interference and static will enable him to keep these acquaintances though his ability to keep in contact with them. Naturally, the user of ultra-high frequencies must know whether there is activity within his locality in order to establish communications with someone. If there is a lacking of nearby stations, there will be no use in installing equipment.
One of the important items often overlooked by the person outside of the amateur fraternity is the necessary license as issued by the Federal Communications commission. A regular grade of amateur operator and station license supplies this need.
The regular bi-monthly meeting of the GBARC will be held at the Platten Radio company on Tuesday evening, Sept. 21 at 7:30 p.m. Important dope on local activities of the club will be started in order to get them functioning by the time of the cold weather. Without exaggeration it can be said that there will be a full quota of hams "on the air" within a few weeks.
Some of the fone boys are accused of to many liberties with the English language during their QSO's. That would not compare with a broadcasting station permitting its announcers to call each other rats and the like. Even the YL's who pass the studios are described as nifties while a program is on the air.
Many hams were surprised a license holder called their attention to the use of a few of the "Q" signals. It seems that all of the fellows during their chats will mix the use of QRA and QTH. The former is used to designate location, while the matter gives position. The designation of location means the name of the station.
Reports tell us that Art was in on the 160-meter round table made up of 11 members. Such a large gathering over the air gave the bite necessary to make VOW-Van finally finish his power supply. Maybe, TKZ-Staszak received a little inspiration too, because he is working on a 6L6 osc. 800 buff, 242 final, and modulating them with a pair of 845's.
A new tube called the "doorknob" 316-A has been developed. Leads are brought though the glass envelope and form so-called pigtail connections without the aid of the conventional base. Brass sleeves aid in the connections when they are held in place on the pigtails by means of set screws. The filament is a.c. or d.c. two volts with 3.65 amps required. This tube has a special use for high frequencies of less than a meter.
October 16, 1937 - Green Bay Press Gazette
Green Bay Amateur Radio Notes By. Irvin J. Kralovec, W9PXT
We find many ideas have been developed for the use of amateur, radio fan,, and the laymen. The idea while being very simple were all that has been necessary to turn out such articles as microphones with built-in volume controls, an outlet cord with switch for remote control, power filters which plug into the wall plates, and trouble shooters lights working on 110 volts. Directly in the way parts we find condensers which stack, thusly giving many sizes without sacrificing space or labor. The development of the metal tubes in itself has changed many of the bases of ordinary glass tubes to conform with them and continue the production of them until the demand ceases. Compact storage batteries of two, four and six volts supply the demand for midget sets, and a small charger furnishes a means of charging for the batteries, The outstanding device on the market is the electric eye and its use as an indicator for correct station adjustment.
A meeting of the Green Bay Amateur Radio club will be held at the Platten Radio company Tuesday evening, Oct 19 at 7:30 p.m. Every member should make an effort to be there on time.
Our 20-meter band welcomes W9GFL back to its crowded kilocycles. Paul, while having his new rig on, also has a new antenna to help the old signals perambulate around the horizon. The transmitter is mounted on crackle finish subpanels with a like finish on the front panels and rack. The plan of the new rig is approximately the same as described before.
When the finishing touches have been applied to a few xmitters, there will be of high or plea powered locals on the air. W9TIS lacks a signal squisher before his so-called high power can be radiated. His main problem in the erection of an aerial is the supports. Of course he might try holding one end up at a time, but then it might not work that way either. My advise is; hang it on a coat hanger in the closet.
W9TKZ has a bigger job to complete before he can doing any QSO'ing on the bands. His outfit requires the few necessary parts and wires before it will work. Of course a little thing like that won't cause any great delay in the job, but everyone know what cause a delay to him... Ahem.
The usual supply of radio catalogs arrived to make us wish we would buy something. Nice bright colors again prevail to make them look nice on a ham shelf. Inside we find all the part listed which an amateur could wish for. Either the cost has dropped or the demand is easily supplied, because hardly any prices have risen. But we are still lucky that he catalogs have indexes.
A self-addressed and stamped envelope will bring you an answer to any questions you may like to ask concerning this column or amateur radio in general.
October 23, 1937 - Green Bay Press Gazette
Green Bay Amateur Radio Notes By. Irvin J. Kralovec, W9PXT
Enlisted men of Unit Six United States Naval Communications Reserve will observe Navy Day, Wednesday, Oct 27, by having a display and complete amateur radio station in conjunction with Green Bay Amateurs at the WTAQ Radio show in the Columbus Community Club auditorium, tonight and tomorrow.
Further observance of Navy Day is explained in a letter received by Paul J. Kent, unit commander, from the Ninth Naval Reserve District Headquarters, and which reads as follows"
From: The Chief of Naval Operations
To: Commandants, All Naval Districts
Subject: Navy Radiotelegraph Receiving Competition
1. In accordance with the practices of past years, a message will be broadcast by radiotelepgraph to the amateurs of the United States and insular possessions on Navy Day, Oct 27, 1937
2. In connection with this broadcast the American Radio Relay League at West Hartford, Connecticut, will conduct a receiving competition. The League will receive copies from the various contestants and in due course will supply the results to the Chief of Naval Operations. Letters of appreciation signed by the Secretary of the Navy will be sent to to those persons who submit perfect copies of the broadcast.
3. The transmissions will be at the rate of approximately twenty words per minute, and will be preceded by a five minute continuous "CQ" call. The transmitting schedules are as follow:
From Washington 9:00 p.m., 73th Meridian Time , simultaneously on 4045 and 8092 ksc, call letters NAA.
From San Francisco, 7:30 p.m., 129th Meridian Time, simultaneously on 4045 and 9090 ksc, call letters NPG.
4. Commandments of all Naval Districts are requested to give this broadcast wide publicity in the Naval Reserve and through the press."
At the end of each year the different Units scattered throughout the NCR districts conduct an enlistment campaign in order to fill vacancies left by the expiration of enlistments transfers, or discharges. Unit Six is now in the first stages of their drive which will continue for for a period of a few weeks.
Able-bodied men who enlist in the NCR will receive a years training in the duties relating to the operation of radio equipment and the procedure used in the handling of messages. At the end of this time they will be eligible for two or more weeks of sea-duty during the summer months on one of the Naval Reserve training ships which are stationed on the Great Lakes. Special aptitude show by men in the Units will be rewarded by a special period of training at a Naval aircraft base.
An amateur receives a Third Class Petty Officers rank upon his enlistment, while a non-amateur becomes a Seamen up for Radioman until he successfully passes his amateur operator's license entitling him to his Petty Officer's rank.
Unit Six located at 22 N. Jackson Street in Green Bay will supply further information upon request.