O.T. meaning "Off Topic" or "Old Time"! This so "Off Topic" I have to wonder if Wayne or Eric were born yet! It's "Old Time": Ham radio in the 1950's/60's (or thereabouts).
This is an excellent video for those with an interest in what Ham radio was like back then for homebrewing and operating with special emphasis on public service. You'll want a broadband connection: it runs over 20 minutes. After a rather sloppy interview at the opening there is a beautifully-produced public relations piece on Amateur Radio in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area of the USA. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2943570522939177086&hl=en I had one of the mobiles in the photos, except mine was mounted in my Studebaker Champion and I was in southern California, chatting with buddies on 10 meter A.M. as I drove to and from classes at San Bernardino Valley College and work at Lockheed Aircraft. Most Hams I knew were involved in RACES (Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service) that's so well demonstrated in the film. The technology has changed. We don't need to fill up the car with gear to run mobile and today's Hamshack can actually fit on a small desk. The people have changed. Hams today are no longer using an arcane technology completely beyond the imagination of our neighbors. A "wireless" anything was magic stuff of science fiction stories back then, not something everyone carries around in their pocket today. What I hope never changes is the attitude of the Amateur community. Toward that end, I see a lot of that old attitude right here on the Elecraft reflector and among the Elecraft owners. Let the good times roll on... Ron AC7AC _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [email protected] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
