The AM Forum

Well it has been about ten years since Paul VJB gave me a call to tell me that Brian W5AMI was looking for someone to takeover the AMfone site. At the time Paul , Huzman, Dave K3ZRF and myself  spent much of our spare time promoting the AM mode through events and stations being set up at hamfests. So taking on the AMfone site would be a great tool for promoting our mode. I don't think any of us would have guessed just how successful the site has become.

I have learned a great deal about people over the last 10. I have met many new people, made a few friends, lost a friend or two, gained some nutcase enemies but rally enjoyed having the opportunity to sell our mode.  
My time has come to an end here. I think new blood and ideas will help perpetuate our goals here. I want to thank all out members past present and future for your support. Without your participation the site is just html on a server.  

I want to give a special thanks to Jay, N3WWL who has been with me on this project from the beginning handling the Moderation and member registration. Jay had a thankless job but he maintained a fair and balanced approach to moderating the site. Jay I can't thank you enough OM.

So it is time for me to move on over to the other side. Maybe I can play radio now!!

TNX

Gary/W2INR

 

I too have moved on from my duties on AMfone, and hope the site retains the greatness it has achieved over the last 10 years.  It was my pleasure to serve with you, G.  You have been a true friend in every sense of the word.  

I'll repost what I shared on the other side, not to be lazy, but because I think the words well describe the contribution of Gary, staff and the AM Fone site. If the new hand(s) at the tiller can steer her even half as well as you did, we'll not have a thing to worry about.

Very good, glad to see that you can move onto other new challenges!

Indeed the site has grown far beyond anyone's wildest dreams. I recall first being on Steve's site, the AM Window, which I thought and still do find a great resource, then AM Fone came along, and really caught the internet groundswell. As others must be, I am also curious who picked it up, but sure that you made the best decision to safeguard the continuation of the site and the new owner will come forward in due time.

You should be very proud of what you, and your moderation staff have accomplished here, for it has retained a very classy flavor and atmosphere, certainly heads above and decidedly different from the rest of the sites we see. In so many ways AM Fone has become the radio version of Cheers of the web, where everyone knows your name, as
contrasted to others sites which function as Billy's Salon, where most gather to argue and rampage. There is a culture of cooperation and fraternity here, an amazing collection of technical knowledge and know how from which we've all benefitted. It is precisely because of this culture that AM Fone has also become this wonderful repository of questions and answers on almost any topic related to radio, and with the ability to search out answers to a technical query, the site is akin to a exceptional online reference book. The collection of audio clips and photos make it an invaluable time capsule for generations to come. When you have radio luminaries such as Walt Maxwell actively participating here...well that is a compliment beyond mere words.  


Best of luck in your future endeavors,
Bruce

I'm going to echo the sentiment of those who have previously posted G. I think you have been more than fair-handed and didn't over-moderate the board, nor those that you appointed to do so. I hope that your new endeavors leave you with some time to get on the aether every now and then and that the new 'skipper' steers it with the same steadfastness as you did.

Nice analogy, Bruce.

Gary,
  I would like to echo the comments above.
  Over the last 10 years I have learned a lot from the folks on this site. AMfone has attracted some of the smartest folks I have had the privilege to know in radio. When I have a question or need information, I search this site. The chances are good that the subject has come up and a solution or idea offered. It has come a long way from its start.
  
  To me it doesn’t sound like enough to say, but, I was never really good at putting feelings into words. So, I’ll just say “Thank You” and hope you know what I mean.

Bill KA8WTK

Proud to be an AM “Screw Ball”

It's been a good, long run, G.  As I've mentioned many times, you showed a lot of patience running the site. It wasn't easy to stay with it as long as you did. Most guys would have given up and dumped the site after a few confrontations.  The present moderation and posting rules are perfect.

The bottom line is, the rules are fair, there is security from bogus posts and guys are not afraid to post due to ridicule.  Compared to many other sites out there, AMfone is a very friendy place.  To me, this is "mission accomplished".

Over the years, the site has become a reasonably diversified forum. I think one of the strengths is an early decision to allow general topics along with the radio-oriented stuff. This allowed many to use the site to get answers to all kinds of questions and problems. Instead of members having to run off to strange, specialized forums where nobody knows them, we tap the vast knowledge here.  Still, the specialized AM radio information and knowledge pool has stayed strong.

All in all, it's not an end - simply a transistion. It will be fun to hear you back on the air. We appreciate the time and energy you put in on this site over ten years. Thanks to the moderators who have seamlessly kept a tight ship. And, finally, a toast to the many members who have contributed their knowledge over time.


Thanks, OM.

T

Gary,

I'm one of the new guys here -- signed up just a year and 10 days ago. The only AM "presence" I currently have is 25 PW watts from my ricebox. But, thanks to this site, I'm learning every day and I'm planning for the day when I can build a good AM transmitter with some great glowstuff showing through the front window.

To me, that's the magic of this site. I'm able to learn from a group of guys who've been there and done that and are still doing that. The depth and breadth of knowledge on this site continually amazes me and I've never asked a question that wasn't answered quickly and in a friendly manner. Many times the answers to my newbie questions have given me the knowledge to ask a more advanced question.

Any organization takes its cues from and develops its attitudes based on the man at the top. It is truly a testament to you and your leadership that this forum has become a haven and a gathering place for the exemplary quality of members that we are so very fortunate to have here.

For all that you've done and the massive effort that you've expended over the years, Gary, thank you.

Larry
K5WLF

The 3 or 4 numbnuts over the years that tried Gary's patience aside, there's no better group of guys and certainly no better radio website around.

Many, many thanks for your patience and generosity in providing us a hangout, Gary.  The hobby is far better for your efforts over the years.

Thanks Gary- You did a great job and will be missed :-[
Enjoy your new pursuits. :D
73
Carl
WA1KPD

Hate to see you go but 10 years is a long time to volunteer for anything. Thanks for the decent and fair adminstration and the countless hours of work. Hopefully you will retain a member account!

PJ

Hi Gary,

I'm pleased to hear that you have finally found a new owner for the site. This was of course something you have wanted for quite some time, and I'm sure you are happy with the way things have finally worked out, and will work out for the benefit of AM Fone in the future.

I would like to personally thank you and Jay, N3WWL for the spectacular job you have done in terms of unselfishly creating, maintaining, and running this site. It has been a wonderful resource for those of us who participate in this particular subset (AM) of the amateur radio hobby. One of the really great things about AM Fone is there usually is someone out there who knows more than I do about a given topic; they've been there and done it. This provides a great opportunity for me (and for many others, I'm sure) to always learn something new on a continuing basis, whether it is related to AM, or essentially any other topic that may appear here.

I hope to see you in person at the various upcoming ham radio events, and that you continue to maintain a presence at them.

Best of luck to you and your family!

73,

Bruce

Thanks, Gary!

It's been a great ride! 

73 de W1JS

     Along with the others, Gary, I wish to express my thanks for the great service
     these past seven+ years...

     Hope to see you down at Franks at the end of March...  Frank has said it's on
     as long as all things go well with his health...  

     This could be the last one as he has stated a couple years back that he was
     growing weary with all the effort required so we better make it a BIG one for
     him...
    
     (Jay, take notice!)

Long may you run, Gary.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nszR0tfp4Es

Gary:

THANK YOU (and Jay and others) for your very hard work here-is is appreciated!

This site is a major part of my hobby and is enjoyable to spend time, learn things as well as pass knowledge.

Be proud of your efforts and the friends you have made or continued here, and welcome back onto the airwaves!

73,
Dan
W1DAN

My sincerest thanks, Gary, for all that you've done.  Best of luck in your future endeavors.  :)

Gary,

What you and your team have created is the best resource on the internet for AM Radio Operators.  Spanning from the endless technical pool to some good fireside chats within the QSO section, Amfone is awesome!   The new caretakers of the site will have tuff standards to meet as they go forward but hopefully they have learned from your mentorship. 

I remember our discussion several years back down at Frank's.  I will try to paraphrase.  "Remember Joe how fun it was when we set up our first stations?"  "Maybe someday I will go back and do that."   If you go down that path, it will certainly be good to talk to you on the wireless! 

Best Wishes,
Joe, W3GMS   
 

Joe has hit upon what I've said previously, Gary: this site is an incredible resource for the AM community. When I look back at the help it provided to me getting back on the air and since, through online information or the ability to ask a question in the Tech section, I realize how those experiences for me are multiplied by the hundreds and thousands for all the other users. The fact that a handful of nutcases lost sight of the real purpose of the site over the span of a decade speaks even more for the quality of the site and its overall membership.

And for those of us who have known you for even longer than the site or 'net has been around for us, we recall the times before you left for a while to sell off the current station and buy or build something new. I know myself and many others hope and look forward to the day you again appear down on 80m or where ever else and join in the furball of fun without the hassles of having to be that guy who runs AMfone. Especially since "the antennas are still up". May they remain up, and may they fill the air with RF again one day soon.

Thanks for everything you and Jay have done for us here. I'd lift a bottle of Long Trail IPA to you, but they don't sell it down here. Yet.

Hey Gary,
   Thanks so much for everything.
 I am especially thankful that I had the opportunity to meet and talk to you personally.
 So take care, keep healthy, and have a very merry Christmas. Hope to see you again at Nearfest.

  Regards
      Q

I too want to say thanks to the AMFone team.

And a _special_ thanks goes to Gary who sold me parts
before I was re-licensed.

AMFone is the main reason I got re-interested in the hobby.

Peter

Gary,
       Many thanks for all of the years of fun and enlightenment here on AMFone. You were definately appreciated and will be dearly missed. sometimes, ya just gotta do what you gotta do. Stay well, live long and prosper, and party hearty.

Now that you have mentioned it we now full expect to hear you back on the air! ! !

(And you wont have an excuse for not making it to the pharty this coming year)

Stay well, brother ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

My thoughts exactly!!

This site is the reason I'm getting back into it; lots of great information and ideas. I too have bought parts from Gary and others.

Thanks again to Gary and team!

Greg

Yes, this is the best ham radio site ever! Probably one of the best resources for any question about ham radio you could want. Good luck Garry & Jay ;D ;D Great job well done ;D ;D

Thanks Gary and all of you that made this forum happen and have kept it running so well for so long. AMfone is my favorite website. I learn something new here every day. You gave us all a great tool Gary and we appreciate it. Well Done!

Mike

Gary,

Thanks for all your effort over these past years.

I can express my appreciation speaking from experience, having resurrected W2NRM's old AM publication to co-publish and then publish The AM Press/Exhange for about 10 years, even after the whole thing was dumped in my lap when Roger, N4IBF(SK) gave up his part shortly before his demise.

I was happy to see AMPX die as a victim of its own success, as Electric Radio and shortly thereafter as more AMers gained access to the internet, the AM Window, AMFONE and the AM Reflector came on the scene, and I returned to fully participating in the radio aspect of the hobby knowing that some form of AM bulletin service, which was and still is essential to the preservation of AM privileges in amateur radio, would continue.

We have come a long way since the days when the AM community had to constantly defend our position by countering the ill-conceived, poorly thought-out dockets that came down almost monthly from the FCC, along with the steady trickle of RM petitions from disgruntled amateurs who wanted to see AM outlawed. Because we have this and other websites, whenever any threat does occur, the ham community is fully aware of it within a matter of hours instead of weeks, and no panicky letter-writing campaign has to be instantly launched.

I thank Gary and all who have made this site so enjoyable. Its so much better than that antique forum that some of us use which is so overly up tight and moderated.

Carl

Thank you, Gary, for your friendship and your time spent crafting the best showcase we could have ever imagined ten years ago.  I hope we can stay in touch.

-pc-

Thank you Gary for welcoming the entire AM community to a really special site.  We have enjoyed AM fone as a tremendous resource as well as a friendly place for like-minded (mostly  :D) enthusiasts to meet and share camaraderie which is unmatched in other venues.  Good luck to you in your future endeavors.

73,  Jack, W9GT

Thanks Gary for your dedication for everyone's benefit.  Maybe now you'll be enjoying the hobby more and will be heard on the radio.

I've been waiting for the announcement from the new administration... who is it?  Is it Facebook, Google, or Yahoo? lol  ;D

Fantastic job over a long period of time - that's a real feat!

Hopefully, we'll still hear from you on the board or maybe even - gasp - on the air some day  8)

Thanks for so much!

Regards,

Steve

Gary, thanks so much for making this site work so well. It is on a daily basis a real pleasure to read posts here and on occasion make a few posts as well...

Thanks!


                 _-_-WBear2GCR

Gary,

Thanks for running this site. You have probably saved my sanity.

When I first came out to consult in Wyoming ( back in 2000) I had no TV, and although the radio would receive I'd screw up everyones internet and phones if I transmitted.

This site and Steve's at first were the only communication I had to the outside world that was not related to work.

It also had a lot of people who had the same interests.

10 years go by pretty quick, I came out here in 2000 as a favor to do 4 wells. I'm still out here after hundreds of wells and have even built a house in Boulder, WY and made it my residence.

Gary, thanks for making this site, it has helped me out not only on radio things, but to keep me sane in the middle of nowhere.

Marty WB2RJR

Let me add my thanks to you Gary, for a top notch site and also to everyone else who has helped manage this thing.  I learned a few years ago that the secret to a great website like this is having not one but a team of moderators.  Single moderators tend to burn out or become dime store tyrants imposing arbitrary and nutty rules.  A team democratizes that and imposes more reason and balance so real problems are dealt with no more and no less.   Unfortunately I know of only one other web forum managed by a group.  Thank you Gary and all the other managers.

Rob

So I'm assuming Jay is taking over as your "replacement"?

No Don.
Apparently still TBA

   Not to worry, the site is in well qualified, experienced hands...

   When the proper time comes, they will step forward, I'm sure.

AmFone is a great site. I've always been impressed how the staff and management run this site without allowing any petty diferences to screw things up. I'm sure the new team will do as well as the old team. Again thanks G and  others.......



On another note, the emergency crew will stand by in case of failure.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOfsNiQxfAo


klc

Hi Gary,
my thoughts of thanks too. It's amazing how the AMFONE is almost like a living thing. And so many ways to get a problem figured out with our stations. Buy, sell, P&M and even make some new friends.

BTW that Wheatstone console is making beautiful music on the air. It was a huge project. Didn't cost more than $250.00 to get some spare strips and a couple of sliders and those beautiful LED retrofit meter lamps. They put a lot into that and they look like the incadescent lamps. That was a real busy time for me as we were preparing for our big trip to the Philippines.
Keep in touch with us.
Fred