The AM Forum

I was recently afforded the opportunity of disposing of a local SK, Earle Thorne, somewhat local to me but up until now, not known.

As I plowed through his 75 years of personal ham accumulation I was lucky enough to find his original log books and a self made scrapbook of his QSL cards.  The starting date of the scrapbook with QSL cards was 1937 and ends in about 1950 although he continued in ham radio until well into the 1960's,

Some of the most interesting things in the scrapbook ae the original FCC licenses as well as a few cutouts from the local paper on Dec. 7, 1941 informing him that normal amateur operations must be stopped.  He actually pasted into the book the cutouts from the Portland Oregon paper... then in 1945 further cutouts referencing the resumption of ham activity.

Just out of curiosity I went through the QSL cards in the scrapbook on QRZ and found no one still alive BUT, I did find many of the old callsigns had been reissued to new holders. A few of which were club calls in honor of the original license holder....  so far I have sent inquiries to some to see if they are interested in the earliest QSL card for that call sign.... 

He lived mostly within 25 miles of where I grew up and live but even though he was active in 1960 and beyond, there is no card from my station.....

Seems the equipment and QSO's were mostly 160 and 80 meters A3J....  in the old cards many stations were running upwards of 200 watts but occasionally I saw some 6L6 homebrews too.

What family he has left indicate he was first licensed in 1934 but I have no firm sign of that.

He was quite an experimenter and the house I am cleaning had two outbuildings, a converted garage and an attic FULL of homebrew and parts of all kinds..... stuff i would have killed for in the 1950's when all we had was old TV's to strip for transformers and resistors.

Big job now finding folks to take the stuff ....

It has made me look at the mess I will leave behind and wonder who will have to clean it up!!!

73, Tom

Pictures of his shack and gear would be nice?

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