[Hallicrafters] Re Al Waller At My QTH Today

[Duane Fischer, W8DBF]

I had the distinct pleasure today of meeting Al Waller, K3TKJ, and his father,
Roger, at my QTH. Al stopped on his way to Wisconsin to assist me with repairs
to my not functioning amplifier used for the HCI 40 meter Net.   	
	
Despite our plans in the past to meet in Dayton, something always got in the way
and changed those plans. Today, we were successful! It was most definitely worth
the wait.    	
	
Al is quite adept in the engineering department, a former NASA engineer, in
fact. His father told me about some of Al's projects from childhood into his
college years. Al loves to build Ham radio gear and is quite knowable when it
comes to circuits, diagnosing problems and effecting repairs. I got to witness
him in action for myself today.    	
	
The ailing AL-82 amplifier is back on the air and working well. There are still
some metering issues to be resolved, but Al did not hae the parts with him to do
said repairs. He discussed the problems with K8JRO by telephone and Jerry will
do those repairs next week. 	
	
I got an opportunity to demonstrate my more modern component stereo system and
the vintage 1963 H.H. Scott equipment. I played the current Eagles hit, "Hole In
The World", in fact! Are you listening Joe WB6ACU? I used the H.H. Scott gear
for this with a Marantz amp driving the Scott LK-72b center channel. Then played
a 1964 vinyl 33 1/3 album selection called "Java" from the album "Honey In The
Horn" by Al Hirt done in the RCA Nashville, TN studio on the modern system, but
using a pair of James B. Lansing Century L-100 speakers from 1974    		
	
I demonstrated the Minerva Tropic Master WW2 morale receiver for Al's father and
then showed off my home-brew short-wave xtal set. Then Al spotted the old Ameco
code practice oscillator sitting on a shelf and reminded his father of the hours
he kept them all awake practicing!  Looked over the SX-110 and SX-117 on loan to
me, and took a tour of the antenna farm. All in all, we had a blast! 	
Al had planned to hang around and sit in on the HCI 40 meter Net today, but the
threatening weather headed this way forced him to change his plans. He had to
drive to WI and the storm was coming right at him, so he left here at 12:55 PM
EST to get where he had to be, hopefully before the storm did. He did say Hi to
a few guys on 7.280, but sends his apologies to the others he was not able to
QSO with today from here. 	
	
He also got a chance to meet my twelve year old, going on twenty-five, year old
grandson, Brandon who arrived just before Al and his father had to leave.  	
	
If you get an opportunity to meet K3TKJ, do so. Just one more example of what
makes Ham Radio the tremendous hobby that it is. 	
	
Duane W8DBF