Mr. Rhombic W6AM

[WA1GFZ]

Just returned from the other side and spent last week working with a guy who knew W6AM and operated his selectable Rhombic array. It was a great time talking about radio and did a bit of work.
Anyway I told him us JNs on the east coast built some big rigs also.
Then he told me about the owner of the lab we were working in. I guess this guy is worth some bucks having just put up a full size 5 element 80 meter beam. We were working with his grandson who told us it is quite the thing.
So Tom Vu, the bar is higher.
Then they took us to their new facility and in the back was the area the work on their race and show cars. One very nice 454 rat that turned 9.5 seconds not to mention a number of other machines that were pretty quick looking.
I was stuck in traffic just east of the quake on RT5 and didn't feel anything but I heard the hotel shook pretty well. The guy I traveled with was sitting his room on the fifth floor talking to his xyl when it hit. This was his first trip west.
Took a drive through the Angeles National Forest on the way to Palmdale this is a very cool ride through the mountains.

[KD6VXI]

Just returned from the other side and spent last week working with a guy who knew W6AM and operated his selectable Rhombic array. It was a great time talking about radio and did a bit of work.
Anyway I told him us JNs on the east coast built some big rigs also.
Then he told me about the owner of the lab we were working in. I guess this guy is worth some bucks having just put up a full size 5 element 80 meter beam. We were working with his grandson who told us it is quite the thing.
So Tom Vu, the bar is higher.
Then they took us to their new facility and in the back was the area the work on their race and show cars. One very nice 454 rat that turned 9.5 seconds not to mention a number of other machines that were pretty quick looking.
I was stuck in traffic just east of the quake on RT5 and didn't feel anything but I heard the hotel shook pretty well. The guy I traveled with was sitting his room on the fifth floor talking to his xyl when it hit. This was his first trip west.
Took a drive through the Angeles National Forest on the way to Palmdale this is a very cool ride through the mountains.

Good old Palmdale.  You where not but 40 minutes from the QTH here, either.  Nor from N6NB's contest QTH.

At least you where here in May, instead of July, when the temperature is another 40 degrees WARMER!

--Shane

[N3DRB The Derb]

Shane, you're in Tehatchapi, right? I been there, o a uncle still living there. Engineer for Kodak, always wanted o be a ham, but couldnt do the code. Now he doesnt have the desire anymore, too old, wife too sick, etc. 

[KB2WIG]

Sri in advance, sometimes I can't help myself....


Goin back home
To the village of the sun
Out in back of palmdale
Where the turkey farmers run, I done
Made up my mind
And I know Im gonna go to sun
Village, good God I hope the
Wind dont blow

It take the paint off your car
And wreck your windshield too,
I dont know how the people stand it,
But I guess they do
Cause theyre all still there,
Even johnny franklin too
In the village of the sun
Village of the sun
Village of the sun, son
(sun village to you)



F. Zappa,  Village of The Sun

[W3SLK]

Shane aid:

Good old Palmdale.

Heh, heh. I remember going through Palmdale and Lancaster when I was visiting friends down in Victorville. I was stationed at Mare Island back in '81-82 and I would go down for a visit. I used to cut across the desert and catch I-5 right there at the Grapevine.

[WA1GFZ]

It just hit 100 a few miles north of Palmdale mid afternoon. I drove up RT2 a real nice ride.  My friend's lawn was brown by the time I headed out. It was a shade of green earlier in the day.
Mike, I was living in Lawndale in '81,'82 driving to Burbank each day.

[KD6VXI]

Shane aid:

Good old Palmdale.

Heh, heh. I remember going through Palmdale and Lancaster when I was visiting friends down in Victorville. I was stationed at Mare Island back in '81-82 and I would go down for a visit. I used to cut across the desert and catch I-5 right there at the Grapevine.

That one (the 138), like the one Frank took, Highway 2, are both very pretty drives, and if taken for a long ride, can give you a LOT of variety in the scenery you can see.

Having a place in Tehachapi, and in the bay area, I can see some REAL differences, when I go from Nor Cal to So Cal, or vice versa.

It's getting dangerous down here, though.  I just returned from a week stint in the hospital, and lost another dog.  Third one in a year, the coyote's are getting VERY bold, I think.  Only thing safe is that that burrows, or that which lives in trees, so I'm guessing coyotes or bobcats.

Derb:  Yup, good old Tehachapi is where I'm hailing from now, although now that the 160 dipole is up and ready, tuna was being built, I have to leave it all and go up north for surgery.  Oh well, that's usually the way it goes.  I'm VERY torn with leaving the station up, and doing an internet link from the hospital

--Shane

[flintstone mop]

OHH Boy,
Wait till Tom Vu reads this. He'll be pisssed. But we know that he can one-up anybody in the Whirl.

Rhombics are beautiful aerials, just take up a lot of room

Fred

[W3SLK]

Frank said:

My friend's lawn was brown by the time I headed out. It was a shade of green earlier in the day.

That's what I hated about that state. The grass got brown in the summer and green in the winter. 

[WA1GFZ]

That and the surplus of dirt bags.

[Carl WA1KPD]

Frank
I was in San Diego Tuesday. I thought I smelled pickled eggplant coming from the north.

Good dinner at The Coronado Brewing Company.
73
/KPD

[WA1GFZ]

We hit one of those beer joints in Fullerton Saturday night. The meal was $25 and you could see way too much empty plate between hunks of food.

[W3SLK]

Frank said:

We hit one of those beer joints in Fullerton Saturday night. The meal was $25 and you could see way too much empty plate between hunks of food.

Waste not; want not! 

[WA1GFZ]

I wanted to go to Gladstones corner of RT66 and RT1 and get a real fish meal.
6 shrimp on a plate with some gay looking veggy in the middle isn't my idea of a $25 meal.
Guys I was working with wanted to go to the movies and I wanted to check out the beaches or see the sights. 

[W2DU]

Had the pleasure of meeting W6AM in Dayton, 1983.

Walt, W2DU

[WA1GFZ]

I was told Don would open his shack to all hams once a year. The guy I was working with last week told me he showed up with his wife who was short. Don was a tall guy and when he answered his front door he took one look at this woman and lifted her off her feet and gave her a big kiss. This started their friendship.
So I had to ask. Did Don have a Ca. KW. I was told he didn't share that information with many people but some thought he had a vault somewhere.
I had a good time working with this guy and may get another all expense paid trip soon.

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

See some of the W6AM station in later years.

http://www.qsl.net/ne6i/w6am/

[WA1GFZ]

Yes, Steve Jensen told me some interesting stories about the rhombic selector switch similar to the tales on the web site. Reminded me of the Tom Vu beverage selector but you could also TX.
I remember Mark the Q and I went to PV in 1982. Everything was gone. I think it was just an open field.

[k4kyv]

Didn't the town eventually condemn his antenna site via eminent domain, claiming they had a better use for it?

[KM1H]

Don used to write regularly in the 30's QST's. One I remember he was in SF when he heard on the radio about a quake at home. He called his wife and she told him the poles were really dancing but there was no damage to them or the house.

Carl
KM1H

[WA1GFZ]

back on the left coast with new stories

[KD6VXI]

back on the left coast with new stories

You are back out in the L.A. area?  The weather is a  lot nicer this time around, no?  It is out here in Tehachapi, at least.

Funny.  ou come out west, I take Gen & Extra class tests today.  Then, off to the hospital for surgery (But, their gonna let me operate remote from the recovery room   )


--Shane

[KM1H]

What about the snakes?  So thats who you are Mr Toll Free!   Congrats on the General.

Carl
KM1H

[Bill, KD0HG]

Didn't the town eventually condemn his antenna site via eminent domain, claiming they had a better use for it?

I think Don sold part of the property to pay taxes. There's supposedly a subdivision there now.

I'm in the market for three 150' toothpicks, BTW.

[KD6VXI]

What about the snakes?  So thats who you are Mr Toll Free!   Congrats on the General.

Carl
KM1H

Thanks.

When 6 opens up between our areas, I'll look ya up.

Made my first 6 DX contact the other day, now it's time to put all this iron to work...

Them plate xformers are going to come in REALLY handy for 75 AM


--Shane