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Author Topic: Web Tour of W1AW  (Read 62942 times)
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WA3VJB
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« Reply #25 on: April 11, 2012, 03:18:47 PM »

All kidding aside, the same could be said for other modes and operating interests (QRP, contesting, etc.) AM is unique but so are other parts of the hobby. The snob approach will send more away from AM than it will attract.

I am among those who observed AM was not included in the video tour of W1AW. That omission alone can send people away from the ARRL, where the club otherwise had a chance to draw support. 

A subsequent comment on here defending the coverage of other modes and activities in that video prompted additional attention to the missed opportunity the video suffers against AM.

In my opinion, the proud, perhaps boisterous flag-waving for AM on here was a response, not an initial parry. That's hard to interpret as snobbishness.

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Steve - K4HX
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« Reply #26 on: April 13, 2012, 09:43:48 PM »

Flag waving is fine. Statements like this come off a little snobbish to me.

AM is a way of life....

AM has blowers, but SSB has suckers.

SSB is a mere mode of emission; CW, maybe vintage RTTY and definitely AM, are cultures and a way of life.


Being trite and unnecessarily combative or inflammatory are not legitimate recruiting tools. It might make those of us already into AM feel better but looks silly and insular to outsiders. We can promote AM without putting down other modes or operating styles/tastes.

As for the ARRL, who cares? They represent a small minority of amateur radio. We can and have thrived without their help and will in the future of we play are cards right. You're not even a member, so why do you care?
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« Reply #27 on: April 13, 2012, 10:49:42 PM »

That's not inflammatory or any of those other negative descriptions. It is called "humor". It was not a jab against the ARRL or anyone else. As for the ARRL I like the monthly magazine and find membership to have benefits not the least of which is access to articles.
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« Reply #28 on: April 14, 2012, 03:21:47 AM »

We should all remember that disparaging remarks meant to be humorous, may be humorous to some, but may also be injurious or insulting to others.  Realistically, disparaging remarks should not be humorous to anyone.
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WA3VJB
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« Reply #29 on: April 14, 2012, 08:22:28 AM »


Being trite and unnecessarily combative or inflammatory are not legitimate recruiting tools. It might make those of us already into AM feel better but looks silly and insular to outsiders. We can promote AM without putting down other modes or operating styles/tastes.

As for the ARRL, who cares? They represent a small minority of amateur radio. We can and have thrived without their help and will in the future of we play are cards right. You're not even a member, so why do you care?

I agree with the first part.

As to the second part, that's a good summary to question why an ARRL sub-page is on this site.  

The information on here is so miniscule as it relates to our part of the hobby that relevant postings could be better placed within the QSO section.

All this brings us back to the original point -- the people in Newington failed to include AM in the "web tour of W1AW," and that does not serve the constituents the club claims to represent.
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« Reply #30 on: April 14, 2012, 01:41:30 PM »

I really don't read much from the ARRL.  I can buy old handbooks used pretty cheap and they are all I want. If they choose to 'ignore' AM, well, IF it bugged me that much, I would sign up and run for one of those director or whatever positions they have and then work to "fix" the organization from the inside.  Quite frankly, there's no good reason for any member based organization to listen to non-members, their constituents pay the dues and operating costs so they get first go. 

As for the rest, Honestly, The best way I can think of to 'promote' AM is to always be a first class operator. Be an AMbassador while on the air and at fests etc.  Encourage the new and inexperienced op with good old fashioned Elmering.  Nothing encourages participation like a group of folks obviously having a good time (most AM QSO's), and being openly friendly towards new comers (many but not all AMers). 

I know most folks mean well, but when a newbie flips the mode switch and breaks in, the last thing we should do is launch into a 20 minute dissertation about how bad his audio is, or what he really needs to do to make a good AM station (I've heard this exact scenario more than a few times).   Be kind and tolerant.
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73 de Ed/KB1HYS
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« Reply #31 on: April 14, 2012, 02:31:39 PM »

The best way I can think of to 'promote' AM is to always be a first class operator. Nothing encourages participation like a group of folks obviously having a good time and being openly friendly towards new comers.

Amen. That approach is in sharp contrast to a conversation I heard recently on 75 AM where a casual mention of sideband immediately degenerated into "those idiots" and "slopbucketeers" .... nice  Roll Eyes  


I know most folks mean well, but when a newbie flips the mode switch and breaks in, the last thing we should do is launch into a 20 minute dissertation about how bad his audio is, or what he really needs to do to make a good AM station (I've heard this exact scenario more than a few times).   Be kind and tolerant.

Amen again.  As long as the station is audible, save the lecture.  Most folks want to improve their station and will do it on their own or solicit opinions at some point.  Ever walked into a restaurant for the first time and the staff you met made a bad impression ?  You probably said "well that sucked, I'm not coming back here again".  Smiley
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« Reply #32 on: April 15, 2012, 06:25:59 PM »


Being trite and unnecessarily combative or inflammatory are not legitimate recruiting tools. It might make those of us already into AM feel better but looks silly and insular to outsiders. We can promote AM without putting down other modes or operating styles/tastes.

As for the ARRL, who cares? They represent a small minority of amateur radio. We can and have thrived without their help and will in the future of we play are cards right. You're not even a member, so why do you care?

I agree with the first part.

As to the second part, that's a good summary to question why an ARRL sub-page is on this site.  

The information on here is so miniscule as it relates to our part of the hobby that relevant postings could be better placed within the QSO section.

All this brings us back to the original point -- the people in Newington failed to include AM in the "web tour of W1AW," and that does not serve the constituents the club claims to represent.

The question of serving the constituents makes the devil's advocate and bean counters ask what % of constituents either use, or are interested, in AM?
I think those "curtains and glass doors" stations there can do AM whether they do it well or not. Their likely worry, if there is one, is if there is an amplifier on those SS transceivers, can it be used for AM and not explode in the hands of an inexperienced guest operator?

The other half of the question relates to keeping a vintage AM/CW station around, and how many constituents would even want to try using it. (By vintage, I mean plate modulated).

I want the ARRL to keep a decent plate modulated AM station around and I wanted them to show it on the video. It could also be used for CW, no doubt. I concede that some "show me how to work it" would be necessary for many guest operators and that would take W1AW staff time, but the benefits would outweigh the cost because it would give new people a hands-on experience they might not otherwise get. I'm paying dues, they ought to go for something cool, not just new snazzy stuff.

Someone posted previously that when they asked to use the old AM station, they were asked questions about their qualifications to do so. That should not offend anyone.

The fail on the video is that they did not show the old station (assuming it still exists). I would have at least rather seen the setup in the basement, and am not offended by a lack of curtains and glass doors, or basements in general. Maybe the thing to do is ask them to include it in the next revision of the video or to do a few takes and edit it in.
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« Reply #33 on: April 15, 2012, 07:10:26 PM »

I'm sure it's no fun repairing that Valiant when a guest op forgets or isn't familiar with how to run it.

Maybe Pete can make up some laminated cheat sheets?
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« Reply #34 on: April 15, 2012, 11:35:57 PM »

That seems like a fine idea, and send a couple of them to Mr. Carcia!

How would one mistake-proof a transmitter like that? Too small for spark gaps isn't it? Here's an idea for protecting the modulation transformer which is probably the most expensive thing in the rig.

A bridge rectifier across the mod trans secondary clamped by a series string of a 300 Ohm power resistor and stack of VR tubes or Zener diodes at 1.5x the plate voltage? It would only need a few of the devices if the 150v ones were chosen. The resistor would limit current to about 225mA peaks.

If the secondary peak voltage is normally a +/-  B+ swing, so about +/-650V, the 900-1000V clamp would never conduct in normal operation, only when the modulator was unloaded and the transformer secondary swung too far either way like when the RF stage was drawing little or no current. It need not be invasive using 5KV test lead wire out the back, there is always a hole or two, or just put it inside.

That arrangement could even be optically coupled via a series lamp to a photocell to flash an indicator at the staff console so the staffer would know the guest was having technical difficulties with the rig.

Just my abstract idea of the week.
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« Reply #35 on: April 16, 2012, 01:23:29 PM »

"Modes" are just a position on a switch... It's a mode, no different then SSB or CW, and should not be awarded any "special" treatment or review.

Maybe it is just one of a wide variety of choices we have as an amateur radio operator, but those who choose AM as one of their primary operating modes have long and clearly demonstrated a greater tendency than those who mostly operate the "popular" modes, to build, modify and service their own equipment, display knowledge and curiosity about the technical facets of radio and interest in how their station equipment works; IOW one of three¹ basic divisions of the fundamental essence of amateur radio:

§97.1 Basis and purpose.-

The rules and regulations in this Part are designed to provide an amateur radio service having a fundamental purpose as expressed in the following principles:

(a) Recognition and enhancement of the value of the amateur service to the public as a voluntary noncommercial communication service, particularly with respect to providing emergency communications.

(b) Continuation and extension of the amateur's proven ability to contribute to the advancement of the radio art.

(c) Encouragement and improvement of the amateur service through rules which provide for advancing skills in both the communications and technical phases of the art.

(d) Expansion of the existing reservoir within the amateur radio service of trained operators, technicians, and electronics experts.

(e) Continuation and extension of the amateur's unique ability to enhance international goodwill.


This is not to suggest that AM enthusiasts have any sort of monopoly on these facets of AR. But compare the overall percentage of AMers who show interests in those areas to that of the mainstream AR community.  Now, compare the percentage of AMers to that of the mainstream AR community, of those whose status as an AR operator is essentially that of a "consumer"; i.e. whose activity beyond on-the-air communication is limited to purchasing toys from AES and HRO, and whose conversations over the air regarding station hardware, are dominated by what's in the ads, the latest products, and personal experiences with retail sales, commercial products and factory/retail repair service.

As AMers, we are one of the remaining vestiges of the original, fundamental essence of amateur radio. Of course, anyone with a modern day transceiver can turn the mode switch to AM, and some can put out pretty good sounding AM signals.  But does merely turning a control knob on a black-box make one a genuine "AMer"?

There is no clearer manifestation of the overall decline in technical interest and expertise in the mainstream amateur community (despite the decades-old promises of Incentive Licensing), than the decision by the League to move most of the in-depth technical topics out of QST and into a speciality publication, available only as an additional paid subscription even for full members.


¹ The other two would be emergency communications and international good-will.
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« Reply #36 on: April 16, 2012, 04:17:45 PM »

I wonder if they'd do a video or photo shoot of Joe taking his donations back home? Roll Eyes
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« Reply #37 on: April 16, 2012, 07:51:38 PM »

?
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« Reply #38 on: April 16, 2012, 08:46:06 PM »

?

The Question Mark (Polygonia interrogationis) is a North American nymphalid butterfly.



And then there is this Question Mark:



I'm sure someone will figure out how to weave the post into the W1AW web tour video.
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« Reply #39 on: April 16, 2012, 09:02:46 PM »

Fuzzy logic 90's thinking that "AM" should be treated as a some sort of specialized or unique amateur radio activity. It isn't! It's a mode, no different then SSB or CW, an
d should not be awarded any "special" treatment or review.

Let's get rid of this website.  It's giving AM "'special' treatment."  Or maybe just turn it into something called QSO.com or CQ.com where folks can flame each other on how to put on a PL-259. 

 
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« Reply #40 on: April 16, 2012, 09:51:43 PM »

As you know there are plenty more fault conditions on a Valiant beside the crummy mod xfmr being unloaded. Your solution would most likely confound the average repair person although it might work well.

How many people can walk in off the street ant tune a Valiant without reading the manual?

Even some hard core AMers would be scratching their heads.



That seems like a fine idea, and send a couple of them to Mr. Carcia!

How would one mistake-proof a transmitter like that? Too small for spark gaps isn't it? Here's an idea for protecting the modulation transformer which is probably the most expensive thing in the rig.

A bridge rectifier across the mod trans secondary clamped by a series string of a 300 Ohm power resistor and stack of VR tubes or Zener diodes at 1.5x the plate voltage? It would only need a few of the devices if the 150v ones were chosen. The resistor would limit current to about 225mA peaks.

If the secondary peak voltage is normally a +/-  B+ swing, so about +/-650V, the 900-1000V clamp would never conduct in normal operation, only when the modulator was unloaded and the transformer secondary swung too far either way like when the RF stage was drawing little or no current. It need not be invasive using 5KV test lead wire out the back, there is always a hole or two, or just put it inside.

That arrangement could even be optically coupled via a series lamp to a photocell to flash an indicator at the staff console so the staffer would know the guest was having technical difficulties with the rig.

Just my abstract idea of the week.
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« Reply #41 on: April 16, 2012, 11:11:13 PM »

?


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« Reply #42 on: April 16, 2012, 11:29:36 PM »

As you know there are plenty more fault conditions on a Valiant beside the crummy mod xfmr being unloaded. Your solution would most likely confound the average repair person although it might work well.

How many people can walk in off the street ant tune a Valiant without reading the manual?

I could Smiley   but then it's been my AM mainstay for 10 yrs (Oh-My-God!).

and...



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« Reply #43 on: April 17, 2012, 10:05:28 AM »

Quote
?

How soon some forget!

I wonder if they'd(ARRL) do a video or photo shoot of Joe (Walsh) taking his donations (A.M. Station) back home?

They really used the PR generated when the donation happened. Then this video comes out and there's no sign of it.

I really didn't think I'd hafta explain the post. Undecided
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WB1GCM
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« Reply #44 on: August 20, 2012, 04:00:13 AM »

Hello Ladies and Gents.

I'm an old AM'er but new to here. I'd like to add to this old thread one tid-bit of information; or two...or three.

I was there when the "Tour of W1AW" was recorded. It was a live webcast. The reason why Joe Walsh's AM station was not shown was because of logistics. At the time, the AM station was located on top of Hiram P. Maxims very own roll top desk, in the foyer of W1AW: a place of great honor! This desk is located in the the area where the video started. Tucked in front of the desk and AM equipment was lighting equipment, cables, and many other trip hazards. In order for the camera person to do their job, the camera movement had to be unimpeded as no editing was possible for a live webcast. We had to bend to the production companies wishes during this session; there was no practical way around it.

May I please ask all who read this forum that the ARRL does not disregard AM these days. In fact, it celebrates it. Now, how can I qualify myself as saying this fact? Please read on.

After 28 years as a TV BC Engineer, I became the Test Engineer for Product Review at the ARRL Lab in April of 2008. At no time in my relatively new career have I ever encountered any anti-AM sentiment. Besides myself, there are others staff members in the building who operate AM. What is really important to me is, the ARRL Board of Directors have supported my efforts in creating a nice vintage radio exhibit in the ARRL Laboratory. I invite all AM'er to please visit it.

Inside the exhibit, is Joe Walsh's equipment. I wrote Joe to tell him about or new exhibit too. The Johnson Valiant and the National NC-303 is an active display and is put on the air by me and by visitors to Headquarters from time to time. Naysayers, pleae rad on.

Unfortunately, the AM station, while at W1AW, was not used by visitors. It had always been available for use, but very few AM'ers ever showed up to use it. It was my idea to move this equipment to our new exhibit (a small museum) where in a very comfortable environment, the station could be used by vistors to the Lab, under the callsign, W1INF. In this location, the station is now used by me and other staff members occasionally. There have also been visitors to the Lab who have enjoyed putting this station on the air too. I have created an atmosphere where when you close the doors to the museum while inside, you have a hard time determining what year you're in as there are no modern references (except for the modern coax switch for the three operating positions). This exhibit could not have been completed without the support of the management and Board of Directors.

Please consider this good news. Please consider myself as someone who is dedicated to the hobby and dedicated to the preservation of the history of Amateur Radio. As I said, our Board is also committed to this too and we now have an active Historcal Committee, which I am staff liaison to.

I would like to ask all of you to come visit the Lab and, please, let's move forward. What has happened in the past with the ARRL and AM is a memory and is not of solid form. Come see our solid AM station and enjoy it. It's real and it's there, for all of us to use.

I've been a ham since '74 and an AM'er since 1980. Remeber that guy in Glastonbury, CT, in a barn with his ARC-5's? I used to operate Collins equipment then; 75A1, 75A4, 32-V3, + 6 meter AM. Today, at my home in Coventry, I have my ARC-5's still, a TCS set, DX-100, Johnson Ranger, Gonsets G-28 and G-50, lunchboxes galore....I can go on; please do not consider this bragging; I'm only qualifying myself. I get on infrequently, due to my many committments these days, one of which is as a Board Member of the Vintage Radio and Communications Museum of Connecticut, of which is a volunteer positon. Come by Saturdays; I am also a volunteer tour guide. 

Comon all you old buzzards! Come to the Lab and visit, please.

Bob Allison
WB1GCM
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WA3VJB
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« Reply #45 on: August 20, 2012, 09:08:18 AM »

Thanks for the post, Bob.
It is appreciated.

Oh -- and your credentials are FB OM --


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« Reply #46 on: August 20, 2012, 02:08:38 PM »

Hey Bob, Welcome aboard. Happy to have you as a member. Now if you can get RFI back here too, we can all dance around the technical tree.

Is this the small museum you mentioned in your text. I'm trying to picture where in the building this is:

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« Reply #47 on: August 20, 2012, 03:31:57 PM »

The "museum" is located right off the Lab. Imagine you're entering the main entrance to the Lab; it's at the first door on the left, which was formerly used to store our parts and extra lab test equipment. In 2011, we had to have our floor replaced in the Lab. Unfortunately, the floor tiles contained asbestos, which meant a full abatement with men in spacesuits. Once completed, we condensed the parts etc., and moved them into our machine shop, leaving this new room open for a new display of vintage test gear and Amateur Radio related equipment.

The BoD liked the idea and financed the antique furniture (Mallard's Nest Antiques in West Stafford, CT), oriental rugs (cheap at Ocean State Job Lot). We have three operating positions; a really old spark station from 1907 (not on an antenna, but it sparks!), the Joe Walsh station and an average Novice station of the late 60's. Also in the museum is a Collins 75A4 (serial number ONE) and other gear we all know of and love. Interestingly enough, we have Major Edwin Armstrong's Super Regen Receiver prototype and one of three Oscar 1 satellites built in 1961. (One went into space, the other at the Smithsonian and ours transmits "HI" too). There going to be more items removed from storage soon; so it should get interesting. We also converted our old chemical etching room into a restoration room, which has a sink, vented paint booth and metal storage racks.



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« Reply #48 on: August 21, 2012, 12:22:20 PM »

BTW Joe and I checked out the W1AW basement during my last visit. There was still a bunch of stuff down there but mostly rice boxes from the past. He told me the fire dept. was bugging them to clear it out. I know a bunch of the rigs went on epay. I think they found the Ranger before my visit.
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« Reply #49 on: August 23, 2012, 09:54:21 PM »

Hello all, I can vouch for Bob GCM's AM credentials, having shared countless 6M  AM QSO's, some 75M, and gallons of Spaten Dark. I think we got 10 miles and more out of his converted CB 1 watt 29.0Mhz walkie talkie on various occations too. I will put in a plug for Joe Carcia as well, we go back to before he was licensed.

...........Larry

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