W2VJZ / Irb - Estate Sale

[W1RKW]

From Sons of Liberty Farm:

Dear Friends of Irwin "Irb",
Just to keep you up to date on Irwin's "Irbs" Farm. My wife and I took over Irbs Maple syrup production this year it was an OK season. It was quite different this year as I had no mentor.
       
When I collected the buckets of sap this year I would often look up and anticipating seeing Irwin trudging through the snow carrying his buckets laden with sap, back to the storage tank pulled by his old tractor, or hear his voice while pointing to a tree saying "did you get that one?" but I didn't see or hear him this year, I will miss him as a neighbor farmer. What I liked about Irwin was, he made ya think.
       
I have thought long and hard about what to do with Irwin's Ham Radios, and TV,s and electronic equipment.
       
I have been contacted by many amateur ham radio operator's about his equipment. So I have decided to put all Irwin's electronic equipment up for Auction. I have hire an auctioneer. The date is May 5, 2007. Estate sale Auction starts at 1:00 or 2:00 PM. It will be held at Irwin's farm (Sons Of Liberty Farm) You can go to the following web site to check out some of the stuff that will be up for auction and for times. http://www.njauctions.net/  Please do not contact me for information about items for sale.
     
The only item not up for auction at this time are the famous Wind Chimes. My wife Kelly likes them soooo... what am I to do?
   
Please pass this message on to all Irwin's "Irbs" friends and to his " loyal opposition" over the air waves it would be greatly appreciated.
           
Thanks so much for your support.
                        Andy & Kelly

[Tom WA3KLR]

Following is a photo from the njauction website of one of the homebrew racks in Irb's father's hamshack room.  The day I was there a year ago, the hamshack was too cluttered to take any shots.  I regret this the most - not having tried to take any shots of the front panels of the HB rack panels.

The second photo is from when I visited Irb's world-famous shack adjoining the kitchen.  Note the dual-diversity S20R's.

__ . __

[WA3VJB]

THAT's quite a message !!!

[Tom WA3KLR]

One man's junk is another man's treasure.

[W1DAN]

Hi:

The auction is May 5, the same day as the new Deerfield flea.

Dan
W1DAN

[The Slab Bacon]

THAT's quite a message !!!

Ah, yes,
            Irb was the only one in the world that had more DX-ahundreds
than K2DK, and thats really quite a message!!

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

OK Fine.

[k4kyv]

I didn't know his father was a ham.  Looks to me like his homebrew station might be more interesting that Irb's.

Irb's operating position in the photo is about as cluttered as mine usually stays - the accumulation phenomenon, you know.

The date conflict with Deerfield is classic Murphy's law.

[W1TAV]

Wow, DX-100's stacked up like cordwood!

If Near-Fest in New England wasn't on May 5th, I would take a ride down just to see the place.

Here is a link to a move clip of Irb "on the air" with a DX-100 - chimes,  frying pan and all!

http://libertycornerfilm.com/images/liberty_corner.mov

Here is the link to the story on the film.

http://libertycornerfilm.com/

Steve -  W1TAV

[W2PFY]

Irb gave me that HT-4 on the condition that another ham who originally owned it didn't want it back I wrote him and he said he wanted it back because he was building a place on his house for it.

November 8, 2000

Peter J. Malvasi
W2PM
8 Joshua Drive
Ramsey, NJ  07446

Dear Peter:

Good Morning or Afternoon,

Irb W2VJZ is a friend of mine.  We talk quite often on 3.885kc from my camp in the Adirondack Mountains.  In fact my camp is just about four miles from his New Russia home.

The reason that I'm writing you this letter is because Irb said he has an old Hallicrafter HT-4 transmitter that I believe he said he acquired from you.  He said he has offered it on the Charity Net but there were no takers. 

I wondered if you would consider letting me have it at which point with Irb's permission,  I would move it to the Adirondacks and get it back on the air again.  I do have a BC-610C which looks almost like it and I would give it a fine home as long as I'm alive.  I would like to run it on ten meters in this opening as well.

Enclosed is a self address envelope for your reply. Please reply via mail if you would consider me having the transmitter.
Sincerely,
Terry J. Yoder
KA2PFY

So here it is seven years later and it's still there. I no longer have a use for it but it would have been nice if someone had it on the air for the last six years or so. It will probably suffer the same fate or be parted out.

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

Ha! He gave it to me also, Terry. I found out about it from Pete when we were swapping radios and keys back in the mid 90s. He told me about finding it with a bunch of other gear someone had tossed out and giving it to Irb (quite a story in itself). He said Irb wasn't using it and would probably let it go. So I talked with Irb about it but never found the time to go down to get it. Looks like we both lost out.

I've always loved the looks of the original HT-4. I really hope someone gets it who will clean it up and use it. There probably won't be a lot of competition at the auction.

Maybe I can get ebay to bid on my behalf....

[WA3VJB]

I seem to remember he gave it to The UAN too, before he died.

[W2JBL]

don't know about the rest of guys, but i'm going!

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

He gave it to me too, along with his Desk Kilowatt.

[W2PFY]

He gave it to me too, along with his Desk Kilowatt.

Really, he must have really liked you.

[Tom WA3KLR]

Hi to Tim if he's listening....

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

Irb liked everyone. He often called CQ with the following phase, "peace on earth, good will towards man, with malice towards none....."

He gave it to me too, along with his Desk Kilowatt.

Really, he must have really liked you.

[W3RSW]

Ah, a sad day to see Irb's stuff scattered to the four winds.

All I want is the outside speaker.  Classic Radio redux.
I think I really learned what an ol' buzzard QSO was when he put me on the outside speaker and started chopping wood.  Oh yeah, that would demand at least a 20 min. (3 id) one way.

Lessee... unsolder the T/R line. Listen to Liberty Cor. broadcast for a half hour or so.
Fire up the lead pot. Sacrifice some .50 balls. wait till it's molten. Dip in the T/R line. Respond with several interpretations of the US constitution.
Repeat.

But Irb sure had a memory. He could pick up a conversation after many years .. .all about my QTh, my kids, my job, interesting local lore I'd told him, you name it.  
Yeah, just save me the outside speaker....

[Tom WA3KLR]

"I'll be listening on the outside speaker."

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

don't know about the rest of guys, but i'm going!

Snag that HT-4, Chris! It deserves a good home where it can be ridden hard and put away hot.

[wb1aij]

KIMO SABE, ME THINK THE BUZZARDS ARE CIRCLING.

[Herb K2VH]

Irb liked everyone. He often called CQ with the following phase, "peace on earth, good will towards man, with malice towards none....."

Oh yes, he was very likeable, as demonstrated in the following verbatim CQ.

"Calling CQ Happy Constitution Month -- the Second Greatest Story Ever Told.  Obey it or be executed for treason.  Article 3 Section 3.  If we had been obeying it the Pentagon and the Twin Babble Towers would never have been built.  This is W2 Victor John Zebra listening for that little voice in the wilderness."   September 6, 2002 0807 hrs. EST 3885 KHz.

Couldn't have been friendlier!

vH

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

I totally agree Herb.

Irb liked everyone. He often called CQ with the following phase, "peace on earth, good will towards man, with malice towards none....."

Oh yes, he was very likeable, as demonstrated in the following verbatim CQ.

"Calling CQ Happy Constitution Month -- the Second Greatest Story Ever Told.  Obey it or be executed for treason.  If we had been obeying it the Pentagon and the Twin Babble Towers would never have been built.  This is W2 Victor John Zebra listening for that little voice in the wilderness."   September 6, 2002 0807 hrs. EST 3885 KHz.

Couldn't have been friendlier!

vH

[flintstone mop]

I would like to get that famous "outside speaker".........................hi
Fred

[W2JBL]

 i want a DX100 for my Adirondack location, and S-20R, 'cause it's "the finest receiver ever made!" don't need an outside speaker, as i have a very nice Bendix two way speaker in my OUTHOUSE. i'm looking forward to using verbal pornography through one of his rigs!  to the victor go the spoils...