[Johnson] Looking for K6ATX-Tommy Rockford Book information
Paul Vasek
w2ec at bmjsports.com
Mon Oct 1 19:26:28 EDT 2007
I sent out the message below about a year ago. While I picked up some of the data I'm looking for I still have not found anyone who has a copy of either CQ GHOST SHIP or DX BRINGS DANGER in the original unrevised hardbound editions. Does anyone have a copy of one or both of these hardbound versions that would be willing to look up some information for me, if they are not willing to part with the books, even as loaners?
My origianl quest was just to find the original gear that was identified, but now that I have reread the ARRL versions I find many other changes not related to ham radio gear at all, and I would like to find the original wording of the text for the areas that have been rewritten.
Original message follows:
Back in the late 50's early 60's I read several books about a teenage ham named Tommy Rockford, K6ATX (the author, Walker A. Tompkin's personal call). At a hamfest I happened across a few of the books that had been reprinted by the ARRL and picked them up to reread. It appears that they have been rewritten to bring them up to date equipment-wise, so that from a "nostalgia" perspective, they didn't fit my time frame. Does anyone have a copy of the originals, from the 1957-1964 timeframe?
What I'm trying to determine is what equipment the hams in the books were using at that time. Some of it, primarily transmitters, I recall, but I can't seem to remember what receivers were in use.
For example, in the book SOS at Midnight, I'm pretty sure Tommy used a DX-100 transmitter. In CQ Ghost Ship, Tommy's uncle had either a KWM-1 or KWM-2 he used mobile, and Trudy (K6ZNT) had a DX-35, but again, I don't remember what receiver she used. Likewise Noisy Noyce had a homebrew transmitter, but what receiver? (NOTE: Has been identified as an S-85). In DX Brings Danger, Tommy used the equipment of W7RDR but I can't recall what gear (NOTE: Transmitter identified as a Johnson Pacemaker feeding a ?homebrew? amplifier, Receiver possibly a 75A-4).
Anybody have these old books or remember the original series and what gear was used by the characters in the books?
Thanks & 73, Ray W2EC
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