[Elecraft] Operation of silver lollipop

Mon Oct 27 13:08:01 2003

 When I was in 10th grade, there was an old ham fellow named Ed Depue 
lived down the street from our place. He was in his 70's at the time, 
and it seemed to me like he was right up there with Moses out of the 
bible in age.... Ed was a tinker, he built some of the most elaborate 
"Rube Goldberg" contraptions ever concocted. He was also a ham radio 
guy, and that was to me the highest calling a man could do outside of 
being John Wayne ....

 He helped me learn the code [5wpm @ the time] for novice and study for 
the test. He also helped me build my first crystal receiver, and my 
first Heathkit [HW-9] that I had to deliver a ton of newspapers, sell  
Grit, sell cards of all kinds, shovel snow to earn the money for .... 
but finally the day came when the kit arrived. Ed showed me how to 
solder, how to read resistor codes, capacitor color codes, schematics 
... all that. But the most memorable thing that I have about Ed was the 
very first time he let me into his "ham shack", which was in another 
life a two car garage, and he fired up his transmitter and let me talk 
to a fellow in Ohio using the D-104 mic. It was big, it was shinny and 
it was beautiful. Every time I see one of those "lollipops" I think of 
Ed and how patient and wonderful he was to all of the kids in the 
neighborhood. How he helped me to learn to like math, and home work. If 
the home work wasn't done we didn't do hamwork. Thank you Ed, I am 
certain that your QTH in heaven has a D-104 as well ... I saw a D-104 at 
the hamfest in Spokane last month, was wondering then if it would fit 
the K2. Should have bought it if for nothing more than fond memories ...
Just some thoughts to share ..
73, Mike Heit KD7YLA

Bob Nielsen wrote:

>The Heil web site has instructions for installing one of their elements
>in a D104.  I need to dig around the garage and try to locate the one I
>have had since 1953 (unused since ~1961) and perform that mod.  I'll
>also have to replace the cord, since it is all dried up and cracked.
>
>  
>

-- 
73, de Michael Heit KD7YLA
"Real Hams do it at a high frequency"

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