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I’ll be there too…
63,
Jack WM0G
I will be there
Jack, WM0G
Chris,
If you want to try substituting with your rig, I have the BM-17 and the AD1YM adapter.
Call me,
Jack Ciaccia WM0G303-587-0993
With Chip Margelli’s passing last year, followed now by Bob Heil’s, the atmosphere at Ham Conventions will forever lack the vibrant presence of these two remarkable individuals. Their wit, wisdom, and amiable demeanor graced countless gatherings, leaving an indelible mark on all who had the privilege of knowing them. Their absence leaves a void that cannot be filled. May they both find eternal peace.
Best 73’s to these good friends … _._
- Okay thanks, see you there.
73, Jack
Do we need to sign up for this event?
Jack, WM0G
When I was a young General Class operator, callsign K1IVY, in 1959, I heard a familiar voice on 75 meters one evening. The familiar and distinctive voice belonged to the then famous radio and TV personality, Arthur Godfrey, callsign K4LIB, an avid ham operator, pilot, and a real advocate for the then controversial new mode of ham radio operating, called single sideband (SSB). He actually did a live SSB contact from Africa once just to show people what it could do and it was broadcasted onto his TV program. I managed to get through a rather formidable pileup and got a chance to speak with him for a short greeting, signal report, and exchange of rig info. He was running a Collins 75A4 receiver and a Collins KWS-1 transmitter into a tribander located on his horse ranch in Virginia. I was running a Heathkit DX-100 and a Hallicrafters SX-100 receiver into an 80-meter dipole at my home in Providence. I hadn’t thought too much about that QSO over the next few years or so.
Fast forward to 1966…
I was getting ready to leave Manila on a military ‘hop’ after spending 6 months working aboard US Navy aircraft carriers on “Yankee Station” off the coast of North Vietnam as a tech rep for Sanders Associates here in Nashua, NH supporting US Navy and Marine fighter aircraft with our ECM equipment used against the enemy’s SAM-2A missiles.
I decided to have dinner at the Officer’s Club at Clark Air Force Base in Manila as that was where my ‘hop’ would take off from. As I waited for my reservation for a table to come up, I saw an entourage of Air Force Officers and a couple of civilians coming into the area. I didn’t pay too much attention to them and I buried my face in an Air Force Times newspaper. As they approached where I was, I heard Arthur Godfrey’s distinctive voice and immediately recognized “The Old Redhead” who was talking with other people in the area while the entourage was waiting to be seated. So, I meandered over to where they were and introduced myself. I said, “Hi, Mr. Godfrey, K4LIB, I’m Jack, K1IVY… and we worked each other several years ago on 80!” He chuckled and was taken aback by my statement and asked if I was waiting for a table as well. I said, that I was, but there was a long wait… he said: “We have a big table… join us.” Wow! You bet… I’d love to… Thanks”. During the evening I had a chance to talk with him a bit about ham radio and I asked him what brought him to Manila this evening.
It turned out that Rockwell-Standard Corporation wanted to dramatically demonstrate that its “Jet Commander” aircraft was the finest business jet airplane ever built. William F. Rockwell Jr. its President, sought four pilots to make a world record flight round-the-world. The co-captains selected for their varying backgrounds were:
Karl Keller – highly trained engineer and test pilot
Dick Merrill – outstanding pilot
Fred Austin – air pioneering pilot
Arthur Godfrey – who devoted his private and public life to aviation and its advancement… and also was a “full-bird Colonel” in the US Air Force Reserve.
One of the around-the-world legs of this flight was this stop in Manila, the Philippines.
It was a memorable evening listening to Arthur, Dick Merrill, and the others about this adventure they were on. This is definitely my most memorable ham radio QSO and chance “Eyeball QSO” as well. You just never know who you might meet on or off the air.Jack Ciaccia, WM0G
Attachments:
You must be logged in to view attached files.Hi Len,
I could come over and see what your antenna situation is and probably give you a few suggestions as to placement, pulley system, etc…
Call me at 303-587-0993 and we can work out a time we could get together. I’m retired so I am usually available until about 3 PM each day.
Jack Ciaccia WM0G
105 Conant Rd.
Nashua, NH 03062 -
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