[R-390] The radio machine, getting bit by the bug

[Pete Lancashire]

One could say I caught the bug when I was 4 and electrocuted myself
unplugging the radio in the kitchen :-)   But the real moment would have
been the summer of 1967 with I was 12/13, By then I had fixed a couple
AA5's I was walking around the neighbor hood and sitting with the trash
cans at the road was the compactor the went with a URA-8A The trash guys
also took scrap. I had my bike with me and seeing the man who lived at the
house I asked if I could have it and would he mind if I came back later to
pick it up. I had no idea what it was but it was "cool".

Well he and his wife chatted, talked to my mother and all was OK.  He was a
HAM and MARS operator and later to find out was the AF MARS equipment guy,
this guy totally infected me :). One Christmas he gave me a pretty much NIB
R45/ARR-7 and over the holiday helped me.  He helped me make  a powe
rsupply, etc. and I was in heaven. My next receiver came later from a
friend of his that worked from home and .. well lets say he did design and
repair work for a few 3-letter federal agencies all based around DC. On one
visit I was given a Australian version of the HRO-5, I think Amalgamated
Wireless ? It was told he would help but I was to learn how to get it
working.
I learned a lot getting it running.

Sadly when I left home on my 17th B'Day I had to give 99.9% percent of it
all away.