North Carolina Single Side Band Net Recollections
K4ZKQ – “Al”
I joined this net in early 1960. At that time it was already a very active group of hams who saw suppressed-carrier side
band transmissions to be a more effective use of the radio frequency spectrum. I think that we can safely accept the premise
that this net was established at least as early as 1958. Its organizational stature in early 1960 and the fact that the South
Carolina Single Side Band Net celebrated its fiftieth anniversary in April 2008 led me to that premise.
In the early days, all hams did not welcome suppressed-carrier side band transmissions. Not all ham operators had receivers
that would tune the SSB signal appropriately. Thus they described what they heard as being “Donald Duck” or “Mickey
Mouse” chatter. Those detractors had some very un-complimentary definitions for the initials “SSB.” But
gradually SSB became the predominant operating mode for the high-frequency spectrum.
My “Elmer” was W4DCL, “Doc.” In his professional life, he was an outstanding general surgeon in
Greensboro. As a ham radio operator he had an excellent station. If he appeared sleepy during the day, he simply told the
nurses that he operated most of the night. One nurse told me that they would not ask which kind of operating had kept him
from sleeping. His receiver was a Collins 75A(4). I think that his transmitting set-up started with a Central Electronics
exciter. I don’t remember if he had an amplifier behind it. He encouraged me to begin with SSB capability. So after
operating initially in the novice bands with the prerequisite CW operation (using a 60-watt transmitter borrowed from him),
I put a Gonset GSB 100 on the air with 100 watts input of SSB signals on Christmas Day, 1959. The rig used a 6DQ5 sweep tube
for its final output, drawing 160 milliamps at 600 volts on the plate. My receiver was a Hammarlund HQ 170C. The “C”
indicates a clock that could be preset to turn the receiver on for a warm-up cycle to gain better stability before operating.
In addition to 3.938 megahertz being the gathering place for North Carolina hams operating on SSB, several hams from Virginia
were also regular participants. Some of the earlier participants were:
WA4LWE, Brad Thomas, Pilot Mountain, NC, Net Manager. (SK)
W4HUL, E. H. “Pete” Petree, Winston Salem, NC. (SK)
W4BOH, Wilson Lamb (Sr.), Winston Salem, NC. (SK, his son has that call now.)
WB4CES, P. Glenn Summerville, (then in Charlotte) Statesville, NC
, Marty Hope, Charlotte, NC (and his XYL)
WB4ZAI, Roger Hillers, Virginia Beach, VA
W4HBA, Bob Akers, VA (SK)
WB4MXX, Willie Parks, Chesapeake, VA (SK)
, Sandy Taylor, VA
W4MBD (current call), Bob McNeill, Morehead City, NC
W4AJT, Weldon Fields, Greensboro, NC
K4FPA, Russ Tippett, Greensboro, NC (SK)
WA4GBO, “Barney” Reed, Martinsville, VA
K4VLR, Charlie Brown, Morehead City, NC
W4LGR, Rev. Mel Palmer, Greensboro, NC
WA4SQA, Ted Hudson, Greensboro, NC (SK)
WA4SQB, “Deputy Dawg” Greensboro, NC (SK)
W4CCW, (current call), Craig Willis, Atlantic Beach, NC
WA4UWK, Maxine Harris, Fairfax, VA (SK)
WB4GIM (early call), George Smith, Goose Creek, SC (SK)
K4KTR, Dwight McSmith, Newport News, VA (SK)
W4KRT, Fred Wetzel, (then Winchester, VA) St. Augustine FL
K4ILW, Lou LeTender, Hickory, NC
WA4AR (last call), Amos Rhames, Danville, VA (SK?)
WB4EJJ, Ralph Meeks, Sanford, NC
N4TAG, “Tag”
K4ULV, Ernie Jones, VA
K4HTD, Hugo Hendrix VA
K4VBU, Lynwood, "LYN", Judkins CARY, NC (SK)
K4TTN, Ed King, Asheville, NC
W4HIR, Cary Brown
N4NZ, “Bush”
N4YL, “Magpie”
That is a very skimpy list for a group that had a relatively large group of check-ins each night. But almost fifty years
have gone by, and the only log page I have is the one showing when I put the GSB 100 on the air. Consequently, I have no “hard
copy” list of participants during the early days.
For several years the NC SSBN on 3.938 megahertz was a member of the National Traffic System. The North Carolina Tar Heel
Emergency Net on 3.923 megahertz also participated in the NTS. Eventually NTS designated the NC THEN as North Carolina’s
NTS representative. Being removed from the NTS did not reduce the activities of the NC SSBN. Our evening net sessions were
usually preceded and followed by rag chews, technical discussions/differences of opinion, etc.
Starting sometime in the mid-sixties, the group held an annual banquet. This was the outgrowth of an impromptu gathering
for Chinese food at the Lotus Restaurant, in the 100 block of South Greene Street. At that time this was the only such restaurant
in Greensboro. I didn’t participate; therefore this account is the story as I heard it: A couple of hams commented that
they wanted some chow mien and decided to meet for a Saturday night supper; and a couple of others said that they would join
them, and then some others said “Yeah, that’s a good idea.” Weldon Fields, W4AJT, recently recalled these
names as the hams that joined him at that get-together: Russ Tippet, Bob Akers, Sandy Taylor, Ernie Jones, and Lynwood Judkins.
The idea of an expanded group get-together grew into the annual banquet with upwards of 100 – 125 attending at its
peak. We met in Raleigh, NC, (at more than one facility – considering the alleged/admitted antics of self-proclaimed
“Dr.” Harry Goforth from Shelby, maybe we couldn’t go to the same place twice), Burlington, NC, Thomasville,
NC, Lake Lure, NC (the last one as I recall them) to name a few of the locations. In addition to the meal, the usual evening’s
program of planned entertainment included hilarious (just short of ribald) skits, roasts, parody songs focusing on one or
more members’ misfortunes, embarrassments, etc. Although very enjoyable, the event was discontinued. I think that was
due to increasing costs for the facility and meal (guaranteed attendance and related amounts), as well as a lessening of energy/willingness
(due to age?) to organize, participate and promote the get-together.
The NC SSBN, as a net group, has a good reputation as a congenial group. However, not so many years ago, 3.938 became a
frequency that mirrored (and in some cases went beyond) the general laxness and deterioration in language and attitudes shown
on entertainment radio and television. Some long-time regulars on the frequency viewed this as uncalled for and completely
incompatible with the traditional high standards for amateur radio and “spun the knob” as they were told to do
when they mentioned the “antics.” Fortunately, that type of behavior appears very infrequently now, and some of
the old-timers are beginning to come back. Those of us who “stuck it out” are delighted to have more and more
of them coming “back home.”
Although I am one of the oldest, I look forward to more years of being a part of this group.
73,
Al, K4ZKQ