Hello to the AMers after more than thirty years!

[W2DU]

Hello All,

After the cordial invitation from Bruce, W1UJR, to join this august group of AMers, it is a real pleasure to return to the AM fold after being away for more than thirty years. My last AM QSOs were in the late 60s and early 70s, talking with Warren Ely, W1GUD (formerly WA1GUD), Bill, W3DUQ, Tim, WA1HLR, and Bacon, WA3WDR, and others whom I can’t remember––what a pleasure talking with those guys–remember the ‘upside down tube? Two of my three sons were also involved then, and are again into AM full tilt. They are Bill, W2WM, ex-WA2ETP, AG2B and 5A4TY, and Rick, W8KHK, ex-WB2HKX and WB4GNR. (Rick’s W8KHK is my original call in 1933. However, I have given them my AM rigs, 32V-2 and 75A3 to Rick, and 32V-3 and 75A-4 to Bill. Bill now also has a Continental 1 Kw, and Rick an RCA BTA1-MX that they are modifying for 75m. My third son, John, is K4JRM.

Bruce suggested that I tell you a little about myself. I was born in Daytona Beach, Florida, but grew up in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, and entered Central Michigan University there in 1935, earning a BS degree in math and physics. I was ready to take the ham exam at age 9 in 1928, but geographical problems delayed it until 1933 when I became W8KHK, while a junior in HS at 14.

During the late 30’s I was heavily involved with designing and building hi-fidelity sound systems (as hi-fidelity as possible in those days), and using them professionally outdoors and in auditoriums. On the air I was consistently complimented on the broadcast quality of my signal, partially from the use of Amperite and Electrovoice ribbon mics, when many others were still using carbon button mics.

In 1940 I joined the announcing and technical staff at AM BC station WMFJ in Daytona Beach, which included babysitting the xmtr. (Why they called transmitter operators ‘engineers’ I’ll never know.)  In late 1940 I joined the FCC as a monitoring officer, left in 1944 when drafted into the Navy during WW2 as instructor in the electronics technician program. On being discharged in 1946 I set up my own electronic service business in Mt. Pleasant.

In 1947 I performed the engineering with the FCC for new AM BC station WCEN in Mt. Pleasant, built the station, and was chief engineer (‘technician’) until leaving for the RCA Laboratories in Princeton in 1949. In 1957 I transferred to the RCA Antenna Lab, working alongside Jess Epstein, of the Brown, Lewis and Epstein who did the study of ground radials that became the FCC standard for radials required for AM BC stations. It was there that I began development of spacecraft antennas, first for the World’s first weather satellite, TIROS 1 and its successors. I later became chief of the antenna lab at the new RCA Space Division that built the satellites. I also developed the quadrifilar helix antennas now flying on NOAA’s Polar orbiting TIROS N, and which flew on OSCAR 7 as the 2403 MHz beacon antenna. Details on these quadrifilars can be found in Reflections 1 and 2, or on my web page at www.w2du.com.

In the 1970s I became uncomfortable hearing all kinds of myths concerning antennas, transmission lines and SWR on the air, so I contacted Doug DeMaw at the ARRL, proposing that I submit some material for QST that would counteract the myths. The result was the series of seven articles that appeared in QST in 1973 to 1976, entitled “Another Look at Reflections.” Those articles are also the first seven chapters of Reflections.

I also did a stint babysitting the 50-kw AM, and 100-kw FM and TV xmtrs at RCA/NBC’s affiliate WMAQ in Chicago. There I met Jane Pauley, who was a news anchor at WMAQ before she moved to NY.

I retired from RCA and moved to DeLand, Florida in 1980, continued hamming, and at the request of the editors at the ARRL, I completed the manuscript for Reflections 1, which they published in 1990. However, the infamous article “RF Power Amplifiers and the Conjugate Match,” QST, Nov. 1991, by Warren Bruene, W5OLY, unquestionably the most erroneous and misleading article ever published by QST, ignited the unfortunate controversy that trampled the conjugate match theorem. You may recall that Bruene contends that a conjugate match cannot exist when the source is an RF power amp. There was a change in ARRL technical editors at that time, so the new editors, believing Bruene that my writings in Reflections were wrong, decided to discontinue publishing Reflections. But Worldradio Publications saw the situation correctly and asked me to continue the writing that resulted in their release of Reflections 2 in 2001. Chapter 19 in Reflections 2 is a detailed rebuttal to Bruene’s charges that my writings concerning the conjugate match are incorrect. The identical material also appears in the May/Jun 2001issue of QEX. Reflections 3 is still pending at Worldradio.

During the five years between 1992 and 1997 I was privileged to be president, data-base manager, and frequency coordinator for the Florida Repeater Council, administering to more than 1,000 Florida repeaters, a sometimes difficult, but rewarding job.

Sorry, folks, I’ve rambled on long enough. But I’ll be with you on this QSO board, and also from Bill’s W2WM on 3880.

Thanks again, Bruce, for inviting me to join this fabulous group, the AM Foners! I also want to thank Bruce, Steve, and Bacon for the nice words they had for Reflections in their Sept 1 posts to the ‘Books and Handbooks’ section.

Sincerely,

Walt, W2DU

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

Welcome! It's great to have you here Walt. I remember listening to you as a SWL in the 70's.

Thanks for all your contributions to radio over the years. I consider your Reflections columns and books as required reading for any ham who wants to experiment of build antennas. In fact, any ham could benefit from the info, even those who just buy their antennas, since they will be far less likely to fall prey to some of the bogus advertising claims made!

Welcome back.

[WA3VJB]

Walt it's nice to have you back.
Looking forward to hooking up and spending time on the radio with you.
Among those you may soon work are Jim, W8MAQ namesake indeed from the complex where you worked. He is a retired BC engr in the Cleveland area.

Wonder what part of RCA you worked in. I just put a 1948 RCA Type 76 console back on the air, and maybe you're familiar with it? I picked it up from the original owner, WHVR in Hanover, Penna.

Paul

[W3SLK]

Hi Walt. I look forward to 'modulating you'. 

[W2INR]

Welcome to AMfone Walt.

I hope you enjoy the gang here and let me know if I can be of any assistance to you.

Gary /W2INR

[WA1GFZ]

Welcome Walt....we enjoy learning from been there done that guys.

Very interesting reading your post.

[WBear2GCR]

Some may wonder how or why the reference to Jane Pauley got inserted into that bio?

I happened to be in an elevator at NBC in NYC back around 1980, iirc, and a woman got on the elevator as I was travelling to where I was headed. I recognized her after a minute or so - people look rather different in person compared to TV (which is flat) - as being one Jane Pauley.

Let me say that TV did no justice to Jane Pauley.
She looked bad on TV compared to what she looked like in that elevator on that day.

I'd mention it too... 

...wait! I just did. 

                _-_-WBear2GCR

[WB2CAU]

Walt, welcome back to AM.  I've always had great respect for your technical knowledge of antennas and feedlines.  I have overheard you in the past on SSB but never realized you had been part of the AM fold in the past. Now I have even more respect! -- Eric, WB2CAU

[W3RSW]

It's an honor.  I'm honored as are probably all on this board to have you here.
Quite a distinguished career. 
Now I've got to read "Reflections 2."   I do remember the series of articles in "QST."

Somewhat aside and not in anyway meant to detract from your introduction to us.
If "QST" wants to be taken quasi-seriously, then publishing of articles ought to have some sort of peer review as opposed to the whims of the publisher. Yes, it's an "amateur" publication and perhaps not to be held to the same standards as say, "Nature." but they could certainly do better. 

[W1GUD]

Walt!!! How wonderful to hear from you, and kind of you to remember the miscreants of yester-year...we were just on 3885 with Tim and Eric WB2CAU and Rich K1ETP and a bunch more, with a great opening on 75 between Florida and the good old Northeast. I've just gotten my BC-610I on the air, with the help of a wonderful group of friends without whom, I would still be struggling a year after acquiring the old I model.
I will be listening for your dulcet tones, and congratulations on your sons! Of my three so far only Walter KC4UCQ, now near Dover, New Hampshire is in the fold, and I'm plotting to get him some AM gear next year.
Best of bye gollies, and please give us a call if you hear us...I'll be very active during the Holiday Break next week...running the stuff out of this old transmitter...
Again...thanks so much for remembering those great old days on 75...
73 and Happy Holidays to you and your family Walt!

Warren W1GUD
Tampa, FL

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

I'll add my 'welcome back/welcome aboard' as well, Walt. Wasn't licensed at the time of your last AM QSO,  so never had the pleasure of working you on the air. But like others, I've enjoyed reading your works in the past and your abridged history here. There's no doubt a great deal more you can and hopefully will share with us.

And Warren - I'll be seeing you in about a week, OM. That 610I looks like new in the photo. Glad to hear you've gotten it on line!

[W1GUD]

Todd...great...can't wait to see you/hear you down here in FloriDUH....

the 610 does look brand new thanks to W2ORL's hard work stripping , priming and repainting with original color...and Howard Mill's magic silk screen!

Its a screamer!

give us heads up when you are settled in... we are anxious to help with antennas, whatever we can do to make you feel at home...

73, Warren W1GUD
w1gud@tampabay.rr.com

[Jeff W9GY]

Pre - WMAQ in the early 70's, Jane Pauley used to do weather reports on Indianapolis WISH - TV, channel 8. She's an Indianapolis native.

[W2DU]

I want to thank you all for the cordial and warm welcome you'e given me as I come back into this great group of AMers. I really appreciate it.

As I said earlier, I've given all my AM gear to my sons. However, one of the two 32V2's needs rehabilitation, and Rick, W8KHK, is going to perform it so I'll again have AM capabilities. So I hope to see 'ya all on the air as well as on the AMForum.

After reading this forum for a few weeks I'm now aware of the IARU band plan. Consequently, if there's anything I can do to help keep AM alive, please let me know.

That's it for now, except for wishing you all a very Merry Christmas.

Walt, W2DU

[W2INR]

Hi Walt

It is a honor to have your presence here on AMfone.

I have always said we need to understand where we came from to know where we are heading. Your experience and many years of contributing to the hobby are an asset and I look forward to your input here on AMfone. This is a great hobby and our little group in my opinion is one of the best gathering of individuals in the hobby.

Welcome and Merry Christmas to you and yours.

Gary/W2INR

[Tim WA1HnyLR]

Hi Walt, I was told that you surfaced on the amfone site. I remember listening to you and Bacon going into deep technical discussions at the time in the late 60s. I had just gotten my General then and did not have a signal then. I have read a reprint of some of your "Reflections" publication.  After reading the section on shortened antennas and mobile antennas I said to myself "Finally here is someone who knows what is really going on. I was under the impression that you had passed away some years back . I was happy and surprised to see that you are among the living.  There is much bunk and old wives tales when it comes to antennas. I have learned much on the subject over the years(40), as well as the art of high power HF radio transmitting equipment. Someday I hope to catch you on the air. All the best Tim WA1HnyLR

[G3UUR]

Hello again Walt!  Great to hear that you're getting back on AM after all these years.  I hope the fact that you're on the AM Forum means that your recovery is going well, and you're feeling much better now than when we last exchanged emails.

Shame you had to mention Warren's 1991 paper in your bio, especially as he's unlikely to monitor this medium and , consequently, isn't in a position to defend himself.  Others might suggest your 1997 Communications Quarterly paper with Jack and Tom Rauch as the most erroneous and misleading paper ever published, but this is not the forum for a debate on the conjugate match question, so I'd better leave it there.

I sincerely hope you have a Happy and Healthy New Year, Walt, and look forward to continuing our discussions on the conjugate match controversy, perhaps on 20m AM?

Best wishes,
                  Dave, G3UUR.
 

[WA1GFZ]

OK Walt,
You have had a week or so of joining so now time to start asking questions.
Some guys like Frank AHE are stuck using a coax tuner inside the shack with a short run outside to a Balun driving open wire line to a low Z load on some bands 160 / 75 with a lot of reactance then upper bands a higher z. How do you select a core and transformer configuration to handle this. I've always used low perm IRON and just make it so big that it doesn't get hot. A while ago I changed over to a coax balun driving the low Z side of my balanced / balanced tuner and suggested Frank try the same thing or one with just wire and eliminate core loss. I used 30 feet of RG393 to eliminate 6- 2 inch iron cores (red) with 5 turns trifilar #14 teflon.
I was doing 1:2 step up into the tuner.
So what do you think. We are talking QRO here as Frank runs a 4-1000A. frank