[Elecraft] FCC Memories [was: Attitudes]

[Phil Kane]

On 5/9/2009 1:35 PM, Stephen W. Kercel wrote:

> Despite having passed the commercial Second Class CW back when
> you still had to draw schematics, the Amateur Extra back when
> there were both code receiving and sending tests (back in the
> day, if you took the test from Angelo Ditty in the Atlanta FCC
> office you were more likely to fail sending than receiving),

  When I first joined the FCC staff (after 10 years in the
  private sector) in 1967, Angelo and I shared a room in the San
  Francisco District Office for a year until he transferred to
  Tampa and later to Atlanta.  He was quite a guy - half German,
  half Sicilian.  He'd give you the shirt off his back as long as
  you didn't challenge or contradict him, whether he was right or
  wrong.  He was known for being a very detailed ship radio
  inspector and CW freak.  Out of the office he had a fully-grown
  de-clawed and de-fanged cougar as a house pet.  The cat died
  before he reached Atlanta.  He and I worked quite a few cases
  together in that one year.  He retired from the FCC several
  years before I did, and although there is an "FCC Alumni Reflector"
  we've lost touch.

  Thanks for the memories even if it is off-topic for those
  who never met him.

--  73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane  (Esq. / P.E.)
    Elecraft K2/100   s/n 5402