. The origins of the Wantagh Amateur Radio Club,
unfortunately, are a bit vague. It seems that recording the
Club's history was not a priority back in the good old days.
When the current club constitution was being rewritten a
few years ago, we did find out that the club was first affiliated
with the ARRL in 1953. There are recollections
that there was a Wantagh radio club or association during the
1940's, but it was inactive during World War II per government
regulations. In the early 1970s, and possibly the
late 1960s, the club meetings were held in the Chase
Manhattan Bank on Merrick Road.
One of our members, Ralph WP4KO, recalls when he was a
youngster going with his dad to visit the old Field Day site
which was near the check-point entrance of the present day
Wantagh Park. He referred to it as a hot, muggy, swampy, bug-infested
marshland. It must have been in the early 50s as we
moved to Wantagh when I was age four in 48. I recall
clearly that there was a large olive drab tent with a sign
outside that featured the Civil Defense logo! He
noted that the club constitution from 1953 stated that club
members had to belong to the local Civil Defense organization.
I can't recall any detail of the rigs or antennas, but I
wouldn't be surprised to learn that Pete's (W2SUM) state-of-the-art
Heathkits were there then!
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Our thanks were conveyed to Ralph, WP4KO, (SK), for his recollections.
If you have any historical data concerning the club, please pass it on to us by sending the details by Email to [email protected]