[JMS] Society Update - November 4, 2004

[Don Buska]

Ok Ok I am still alive and kicking.  Sorry guys for not keeping you up-to-date on what 
has been happening to the JMS.  Life has been busy, hectic and at times pure insanity 
from the N9OO side.  I have completed my new lab in the basement and can now easily 
work on several projects at the same time.  I have over 30 feet of bench space!

Let's see now for the news:

JMS Membership Level Passes half-Century Mark
---------------------------------------------

We now have 51 members in the society.  I hope that we begin to see more traffic on 
the JMS reflector relating to Millen and Millen era National questions, wants and even 
for sales.  I feel so humbled to be a part of such a vast knowledge and experience 
base relating to our common interest in Millen


First Millen-to-Millen JMS Contact Established
----------------------------------------------

During the April AWA OT DX contest both Gary WA4IAM and I were operational using our 
Millen 90801 transmitter.  I wonder if Jim W8KGI had his transmitter on too?  We did 
make contact on 40 meter between WA4IAM and N9OO for what I believe is the first 
Millen-to-Millen transmitter contact between JMS members.  Perhaps one of the few such 
contacts ever knowing the rarity of the equipment.  The AWA offers several low key 
contests during the year, along with other contests like the Classic Radio Exchange, 
for us Millen users to give this stuff a workout.  Gary had a neat sounding chirp 
signal while using his 90711 VFO.  All was fine under crystal operation, but it made 
finding him on the bands so much easier with the VFO in operation.  Don't think the 
FCC would agree with my assessment though, hi.  My 90711 was also giving me problems 
and would work and then not work whenever it felt like.  I think I have some problems 
with a couple of the trimmer caps and will need to make some changes.  If you have 
never worked on a 90711 VFO your in for a treat.  There are numerous screws to remove 
to get the chassis fully out, including removing everything from the front panel.  In 
addition, my HRO-5TA1 receiver has been giving me problems and I'm not only hearing 
the band, but tons of other mixer products.  Still need to get that on the bench.


Webpage Update
--------------

One thing I have been trying to do is keep up with the webpage.  Recent new member Ed 
Barile, if you consider six month recent, has written and excellent article describing 
his memories while working at Millen as a Co-op student in 1964.  A great description 
of some of the Millen people and a vision of the layout of the factory are presented.

If you haven't wired that Millen station yet please check out my article titled 
"Millen Station Setup Guide".  Although this is a highly tailored description of what 
I did to setup my station, its general application is valid across most user setups.  
Trying to configure a station based on the Millen manuals can often be confusing.  
Primarily based on the fact that each item designed by Millen was often destined for 
other functions.  Such would be the case for their 90281 HV power supply or even their 
low voltage supply.  These were often originally designed to be general enough for 
laboratory use and often get mentioned as power sources for their transmitters or 
modulators.  I have never come across one of the Millen low voltage supplies to date.  
So like most other building a power system for their Millen racks it is often 
homebrew.

I'm sure I've added a picture or schematic to the site over the past year, but I now 
forget which ones.  I did make a major change to the site about six months back.  
However to the user it was transparent.  Basically the original site had all the pages 
and associated website files in one large directory.  Those who work with computers 
all the time realize this is a practise destined for self destruction.  So now I've 
created many subdirectories which reflect the differing areas of the main selections 
when you first access the site.  Makes site management much easier, but alas no 
noticeable change to the end user.

As always I want to continue to beat the drums for original articles and general 
material that can be published to our JMS site.  When it comes to Millen it would be a 
real feather in the cap of the JMS to have our site referenced as "The Place To Go" 
for information.  Let's offer information that can't be found anywhere else, 
electronic or printed media.

Please note the QSL Net websites have been rather slow for the past month.  I know 
they were getting bombarded with illegitimate hits and it appears that may still be 
the case.

Also, please note that our website is provided gratis by Al K3TKJ.  He operates only 
by donation.  Consider sending him a few bucks to help keep things going.  They have 
been running in the red for quite some time now and could use the support.  Check out 
www.qsl.net for information on making donations and even see pictures of their 
operation.  Don't forget to mention that your part of the JMS when you make donations.  
He now takes PayPal for donation submissions too!

QSL Cards
---------

I think I've sent all the W1HRX cards that needed to go out for our joint AWA and JMS 
operation in the fall of 2001.  I still have a ton of the QSL cards left over from the 
event and will gladly send one to any JMS member who didn't have the opportunity to 
work the "BIG W1HRX" transmitter at the AWA annex.  Just send me an SASE and I'll have 
one off to you (sorry but SAMPLE or similar text will be written in the callsign area 
on these).

On the subject of QSL's.  We really should create a JMS QSL card.  Let's get the W1HRX 
call on the air for some of these contests and other special event operations.  So who 
want to create the design?  Should we have a contest of some sort?  A Generic W1HRX 
JMS card should be available to members when they use the call.  Let's hear your 
idea's.  Send them to the reflector (see the bottom of this email) for all to talk 
about.

The donations for the AWA special event payed for about 50% of the QSL creation costs.  
For this generic W1HRX JMS card I'd wait till we got a membership approved design and 
enough donations to get 1000 QSL's printed.  The AWA event cards cost us around $100 
for some very nice picture cards.  I'll probably go back to the same QSL printer as I 
know we could get 1000 or more for well under $150 total expense.

Pictures and Bios for Website
-----------------------------

Ok I forgot before, another addition to our website as been a link to a one page bio 
and picture of our members.  If you view the site membership roster you will notice 
that Gary Carter and myself have bio pages linked to the roster address area.  Let's 
tell those visitors a little bit about who we are and even a neat picture of us in 
front of our favorite Millen or Millen-era National gear.  Send me your bios (ready 
for posting) and pictures.  If you don't have access to a digital camera send me a 
hard copy photo via US mail and I'll scan it for the site.  


The AWA
-------

As I'm sure you have noted from this update and previous posting I am a proud member, 
now Life member, of the Antique Wireless Association (AWA).  If you haven't heard of 
them I'd suggest visiting their website at www.antiquewireless.org.  I can only report 
great praise in my personal dealing with AWA members and the organization has been 
instrumental with their support of the JMS and our activities.  The AWA museum and 
Annex are a treasure trove of historical artifacts and research material that are 
available to the radio historian or collector.  I often wish I lived much closer to 
their facilities just for the ability to use their extensive library of books and 
magazines.  Any good job offering in Rochester these days?

Several of the JMS membership are also directors or general "big wigs" within the AWA 
organization.  With my last OTB magazine mailing I noticed that Gary Carter WA4IAM is 
nominated as a new director at the AWA.  Congratulations Gary!


2BYP Station
------------

Who is 2BYP?  Well that's our Mr. Millen and his first ham callsign.  Wouldn't it be 
great to find out what equipment he used and built for his first shack?  Wouldn't it 
be great to create that same setup and put it on the air?  Perhaps using the W1HRX 
callsign?

Well, if you know of any vintage QSL collectors out there see if they might have a 
2BYP card.  If you live close to the AWA Annex maybe a group effort to go through the 
thousands upon thousands of vintage QSL's in their possession whould be a viable 
project (hint... hint...)  Hey if someone does this contact me I have a few other 
calls I'd love to find, hi.  During my recent research for an article I've been 
throughly going over 1920's vintage QST's and other period magazines.  I kept my eye's 
open for 2BYP in the "Calls Heard" column and elsewhere, but alas no mention.  So 
either James did very little operating under 2BYP or I just missed it.  Those old 
"Calls Heard" columns have pages and pages of callsigns listed.

Your ideas on how we can proceed finding out what Millen's first staion was comprised 
of our welcome.  Heck even an old photo from the 2BYP period would probably provide a 
good starting point.


Final Thoughts
--------------

Again, I want to extend my sincere apologies for getting this society update out with 
such delay (if you can call two years a delay)!  We went through quite a depression in 
the semiconductor industry in the past few years, and like most areas of American 
corporate economics most of us who are still working have been doing the work of many.  
Oh those wonderful words like downsizing and rightsizing.  They still mean the same 
thing.  In reality I'm still not out of the woods in that I don't expect to be at 
Advantest for to much longer.  I know they will give me the opportunity to move out 
west, but that just isn't something I want to do.  Heck it would move me even farther 
from the AWA Annex, hi.  After twenty years, the writing is on the wall and I expect 
to be hitting the pavement within the next year.  Part of me is happy to move on and 
try some new adventures.  Advantest America registered on the NYSE a couple of years 
back and the whole operation has felt the effects, can you say P&L.  It just ain't fun 
anymore.

I expect to spend much more time in my new basement lab during the winter months.  
I've got a ba-zillion projects waiting and so enjoy working on them.

Please keep the posts to the JMS reflector coming.  Where should we be going as an 
organization?  What changes need to be made?  Is it time to dump el-presidento who has 
been so lapse in his duties of promoting this great society we all belong to?  Better 
yet let's talk Millen....

Hope this update finds you all well and healthy.

73

Don N9OO
President - The James Millen Society.