[JMS] JMS Update 06-Oct-2005: Website Status; W1HRX QSL Card - First Draft Sample; Station Pictures

Thu Oct 6 12:25:31 EDT 2005

Hello JMS Members,

Was considering making this a one topic email to the group, but as I entered the subject line things just came to mind ;)

Website Status
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Bob Sullivan WØYVA has essentially completed the redesign of all the old JMS WebPages and they are now operational from his server.  Great work Bob!  The first thing all will notice is the vast speed improvement over the old qsl.net site.  Second is the clean and easy to surf style that he has used to migrate around the site.  Some really nice web work!

The old site has an automatic redirector to Bob's server so for now. Even those who bookmarked the old site will seemlessly end up at the new site. 

Thanks to all who have submitted photo's to Bob for adding to the Membership (Roster) area.  We've gone from two pictures to five.  Still a long way to go with  the 59 members we have now.  Get those pictures of yourself with your favorite Millen or Millen-era National (1940 and before) equipment over to Bob.  I took the liberty of submitting a picture of Mike W2NVR that he submitted along with his JMS application.  It's a picture of his station in 1947, including a Millen 90800 exciter in the transmitter rack.  Mike is working to rebuild the same transmitter. Hopefully we will have pictures of the 1947 and 2005 versions on the site in the near future.

Bob is still collecting serial numbers for your Millen items.  If your not on the list yet please send him an email with your serial numbers.  This will go a long way in presenting just how rare some of this Millen equipment is.

A direct link to "The New" JMS website is at:

http://www.isquare.com/millen/millen-page.htm

W1HRX QSL Card
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With more W1HRX operations in the planning it was time to get busy and produce a generic QSL card for such operations.  I was playing around with a low resolution scan of an original Millen W1HRX QSL card from the mid-30's.  The intention is to reproduce this old card modified for use with our current JMS operating activities.  I have already sent a copy of the graphic to a few JMS members I had in my address book for review.  I have loaded the picture of the card to the web so all JMS members can view and make comments.  It is at:

http://www.qsl.net/jms/w1hrx_Society_QSL_1.jpg

This is the old qsl.net site so even though it is a rather small file it still takes a bit of time to appear.

Comments Received:

1.  Remove the "Acknowledging" text from the lower portion of the card.  This will be done.  This was part of the original cards text and was originally kept to preserve some of the QSL cards originality.

Other comments bring up areas that will be addressed by the BACK SIDE of the card which has not been completed yet.  These are listed below:

1.  The top of the back side will provide a bit of text describing the JMS and its purpose.  Basically a copy of what is in our Document of Organization.

2.  An area will be provided to enter the CALL (W1HRX___), Operator, Operating Event Name and QTH of activity.  Although in most cases the user would use W1HRX without any call area designation, there may be future operating activities where W1HRX might be used from several call areas during an event and thus we will need to signify which station this card relates to.

3.  An Address (QSL Too:) area.  This I plan to make into a rectangular area that would allow  the operator to either fill in an address or use a sticky return address label.  If you are seeking return QSL's from contacts and you make a bunch of them it will be easier to use your own personal address sticker.  Heck, tis the season when we all normally get a few hundred in the mails as part of donation seeking organizations.  Event operators should be responsible for QSLing.  Thus prior notice to stations contacted should direct QSL to an operator home QTH.  We don't want to inundate John W6GL, our trustee, with QSL confirmation requests.

4.  An Equipment Area.  For entering receiver, transmitter and antenna information.  

5.  Contact Exchange Area.  Call Worked, Date, Time, Frequency, Mode... The standard stuff.

6.  Comments area.

7.  All the aforementioned entry areas will be organized to allow using some form of standard Avery label in place of filing in via pen.  It is 2005 and although we love the vintage radios that doesn't mean we don't use our computers to help us out.  Therefore, you could setup an application to printout a bunch of Equipment stickers and simply apply them to the Equipment Entry area on the back of the QSL.

So check out the QSL sample on the web and provide feedback and suggestions.  Scott WA9WFA has the original 1930's W1HRX qsl and he will be providing me with a high resolution scan soon.  I will then create both a new front and back side for final review by society members.  When all is reviewed, changed and approved I will seek out QSL printers.  Hopefully we can get this all done and out of the way before the end of the year.  Once I get some monetary numbers for the cost of 1000 or 2000 cards I will send out an email asking for donations to offset the printing costs.  As you all know we are a dues free group and thus have no moolaa source, no bank account and no budget.  I do record donations.  I think for our big AWA W1HRX 2001 operating event in East Bloomfield the donations covered around 50% of the QSL printing costs.  This time around I will hold off the printing until a period of collection can determine how many cards get printed.  If my memory serves me correct, which it often doesn't, it cost use around $100 for the 1000 cards printed for our early AWA operation.  I still have around 850 of those cards sitting in my basement.  I'm positive this generic general use W1HRX card will see more use. So 1000 or 2000 cards will eventually get used through membership operating activities.

What'sa Buzz
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The past six months has seen a flurry of activities among JMS members both old and new with projects relating to Millen.  It won't be long before most AM/CW operators out in hamland will not have made a contact with a station running Millen gear.  In some cases High Power Millen gear!  That's great news.  Six years ago when the JMS started I expected it to be a small interest group and by normal metrics it truly is.  However, for a group that numbers just about sixty members this has got to be one of the most radio active groups I've been associated with.  I'm truly humbled to be associated with such great experts in so many areas of vintage radio.

73 all

Don N9OO 