[HoustonHam] Ham info and KFDM loses a legend

[Chris Boone]

For those waiting for Midlands or PC work from me, I apologize for the
delay...Work has had me slammed to the max (AND I am about to buy another
company out for ~$1 million, if all goes right). I will be at Belton
Saturday and back later that evening...Look for me on 444.5 if you need to
get ahold of me..

(last HT check gives it ~28 mile HT coverage from the site...mobile coverage
is checking in at ~40-45miles...going WELL into downtown Lake Charles too)

I have sold a good chunk of Jack Fox's gear for him (as he and Helen are
moving into assisted living). What hasn't sold will be with me at Belton..If
any is left after Belton I will post here...(and other lists).

What HAS sold:
Kenwood TR7950
Ten-Tec Paddle and Keyer combo
ICOM IC-706MKII
MFJ 259 antenna analyzer
Ten-Tec Centaur HF amp

What's left:
Ten-Tec OMNI VI+ with gooseneck desk mic and matching spkr/Power Supply
(depending on the filters in it; worth about $2000)
Astron RS20A (no meters....in excellent shape)  Asking $50
Alpha Delta DX-CC antenna with ~100ft of LMR400 (see their web site for full
details) Asking $120

If you are headed for Belton, I will be on 50.125 USB as well as 446.0 FM
simplex mobile on the way up with W5OMR driving up his pickup hanging on
446.0 FM, 441.7 rptr onsite (carrier rcv but DCS023N transmit side) and of
course at the TX VHF FM Society Board of Directors meeting (see Hamfest
Schedule for location..Meeting time is 1PM)

I may be resigning as Zone 2 220-UP Freq Coordinator as Andy, WY5V, the
Society President, has told me he has a special position for me and a
project to undertake...could be the shortest tenure of any Zone
coordinator....maybe....EHH lunch with Andy Saturday will resolve it..
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BTW, did you catch the Farewell Tribute to KFDM GM and VP/News Anchor Larry
Beaulieu this evening? He was a WA5 ham starting in junior high school and
into college (where he was an Electrical Engineering Major!!) and somehow
his call was changed later to N5BJB (I THINK Larry was a Tech and upgraded
to General in the 70s and accidently checked the box wanting a new call with
the new class!! He let the N5 license expired). 

The Chief Engineer, Richard Kihn (who was hired by the 1st CE of KFDM,
Harold Bartlett, W5KWA-sk) was on the program saying he could never BS Larry
about anything technical...and Harold said the same thing to me when I
worked for him in 1983-84...when KFDM moved its then 21 UHF antenna to the
top of their 900 ft tower in Vidor of August 09, Uncle Lar was out
there...and remembered me from Lamar where he was teaching a class on
broadcasting in 1977 and I was then Asst Chief Engineer of KLVI under Steve,
KE5O.

I had walked into the class (I was a EE student at Lamar...hmmm, does this
sound like a repeat??) and introduced myself...told Larry who I was and with
and offered to sit in the class and offer a radio prospective (NOT KNOWING
Uncle Lar was a former EE student and had been a former radio DJ !) He said
sure....and then my pager went off!...Off to KLVI I went and forgot the
class later on...OPPS!  Side note: KLVI original callsign was KFDM!! It and
the TV station were co-owned in the mid-late 50s...when John Hicks bought
560AM in 1960, he changed the callsign to KLVI...and NOW you know the Rest
of the Story as former ABC coworker "ph" used to say)

We caught up on old times (talked about Harold and the old days of KFDM
TV)....and talked about dogs and in particular, Max, my Rott Shepherd mix
who had to be put down a year later due to a back issue. Info about Max and
how I found him at the famous former KLIF1190 Dallas is posted on my QRZ
page. 

I am sad to see Larry retire; he will solely be missed from local TV screens
(and remember, KFDM is now on RF Channel 25..if you have any antenna, you
can view them in HD for free over the air!)...With Richard Kihn planning to
retire as Chief Engineer in the next year or two, I hope they had a
qualified replacement as it is rumored he has no assistant. It's a sad day
for local TV indeed...Enjoy the retirement Lar!! YOU earned it.
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For those heading to the hamfest, SEE YOU at Belton Saturday...Weather is
predicted to be PERFECT!!
Chris
WB5ITT