[JMS] Society Update - September 15, 2004

[Don Buska]

Good day fellow JMS Members,

Well it's been awhile since I've sat down and brought you up-to-date on what's been 
going on in the society.  So here we go....


2004 AWA Conference
-------------------

As far as we can tell eight members of the JMS were in attendance at this years 
Antique Wireless Association conference.  Gary, WA4IAM, had the wonderful idea of 
snapping some digital pictures of those JMS members in attendance.  These pictures 
appear on our website at http://www.qsl.net/jms/Articles/2004awaconf.html .  Check 
them out!  Frank White, W0BE was also kind enough to record some digital video of Gary 
running the big W1HRX station at the AWA Annex.  This video can be viewed at the 
aforementioned webpage.  It's only nine seconds long and around 3.7MB size.  If you 
don't have a high speed internet connection realize how long this download will take!  

As usual the conference was A1.  There were three wonderful entries in the Amateur 
Radio Equipment display contest. The big breadboard style rig by W1FPZ.  Driven by a 
VFO he wrote up in the OTB (AWA's Magazine).  A high power Hartley was entered by John 
? I forget his call.  Will have to wait until the next OTB comes out to find his full 
name.  His transmitter won first place along with a clone SW-3 receiver.  John built 
the SW-3 cabinet from scratch using a pretty hefty gauge steel.  When I asked how he 
bent it up I was surpised to hear it was done using 2X4's!  You would never know since 
the bends were perfect.  I've never had such experience with makeshift metal brakes!  
My personal favorite was the Aero receiver and transmitter that won The People's 
Choice award.  It was built by A.C. Stoddard from Lansing, Michigan. The Aero receiver 
was an original kit receiver.  The transmitter was completely homebrew from old 
articles about the transmitter kit.

For those of you that have interests outside vintage Amateur Radio this years 
conference theme was Boardcasting.  This was only my third AWA conference, but for me 
this was the best display contest out of my small sampling.

WEBSITE
-------

Just got completed on a few additions to the website.

1.  Eliminated underlined links on the main page.  This provides a cleaner look to the 
page.  Most people who surf the web soon realize that the mouse pointer changes as it 
is placed over a link.  Since most all our links are enclosed in table cells it 
becomes very obvious when and where to click. 

2.  Added a wonderful article from Anthony Alegero. Tony was an assistant foreman at 
Millen Manfacturing from 1948 through 1955.  It's always great when we come across 
ex-Millen people and better yet when we can convince them to write a bit about their 
time on the job.  I'm hoping Tony will write more and that this article will expand 
over the next year.  The story is under the title "Millen Memories 1949-1955" on the 
website.

3.  As mentioned above there are some JMS member pictures and the HRX station video 
under the title "2004 AWA Conference".  Thanks again to Gary Carter and Frank White 
for the content.

4.  As part of a purchase on a box full of documents at the AWA Conference auction I 
was able to obtain a booklet called "The Manual of Short Wave Radio".  This is a 
compilation of Radio News magazine articles, but the actual copywrite was from 1930 by 
the National Company.  Was alot of neat documents and books in this box purchase.  
However, this little booklet was my reason for the purchase.  Let's move on.  In this 
document is an article by James Millen and Robert Kruse titled "An Analysis of A.C. 
Operated Short-Wave Receiver Design".  Although the material is not original in that 
it appears in other forms in many National (Millen) articles of that time frame in 
other magazines.  However, it is a very good consolidation of early development work 
that lead to the creation of the National SW-5 receiver.  Great reading and 
downloadable from our site using the article title link previously mentioned.

QSL Net
-------

As a reminder, qsl.net is our website and email reflector provider.  Over the past 
month I've noticed periods when the web services have really come to a crawl.  Then 
for a week or so it's fine.  Today as I write this it seems a bit slow again.  Maybe 
Al K3TKJ needs some faster servers.  If you ever donate to qsl.net, as it operates via 
donations only, indicate your a member of the JMS and appreciate their support.  Check 
out www.qsl.net for donations.


Thank you Bill Fizette
----------------------

Bill, W2DGB, presented me with a nice little package of Millen material at the AWA 
conference.  It consists of document photocopies given to him by Alan Douglas.  Some 
of this data and information will hopefully find its way into publication sometime 
down the road.  Of particular interest are several pictures from late 1940's radio 
industry conventions and the display areas set up by Millen Manufacturing.  I want to 
add these pictures to our website, but first I will need to chat wth Alan to see if I 
can borrow or at least get high resolution scans of the originals.  The photocopies 
are a bit hard to see.  

The Standard Whines
-------------------

Still want your mug-shoots for the on-line JMS roster.  We only have two pictures out 
of 54 members.  Grab a piece of Millen or Millen-era National equipment (or a hand 
full of Millen shaft couplers) and stand next to it.  Get the better half to snap a 
picture.  Send it to me physically or electronically and I'll post it.

Articles.  Right something for the JMS site.  Your readership is the whole world.

Still looking for designs and ideas for a W1HRX generic QSL.  We should be using this 
wonderful call during those vintage radio contests.


On the home front
-----------------

It's been a busy summer.  After almost four years since we did a little home expansion 
I am on the last leg of getting the towers up in the yard.  In a couple of weeks I 
should have completed three towers at 54', 50' and 30' in heigth.  The 54 footer will 
support a 144MHz and 432MHz yagi for weak signal SSB/CW operations (will add 6M next 
year).  The 50 footer will hold up wires for HF.  The 30 footer has a 144/220/440 FM 
colinear antenna for FM operation.  All three towers, plus a few trees will also act a 
supports for alot of HF wire antenna experiments in the future.  It sure feels good to 
have the end of tower work in sight!  

Hope this Update finds you all in good health and enjoying vintage radio,

73

Don N9OO