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Secretary’s Beat – Meeting Minutes

Hamfesters W9AA amateur radio club meeting Jan. 8, 2021 7:30pm

Roll: Nora KC9MLV, Jim W9JPR, Ed W9EOL, Patti KC9LYE This meeting was held only on Zoom, there were 12-15 attending.

Health & Welfare: Gregg AB9MZ, Mom is not doing well, treatment for cancer. Don KC9EQQ, is being treated at home for COVID 19.

Minutes: Club minutes for Nov. 2020 approved by Cindy N9CAS, & Gregg AB9MZ.

Treasurer’s Report: by Ed W9EOL, the club has $60.00 more in it’s account.

Membership: by Brian W9HLQ, club membership 112 membership.
Club mailing list 200.
Club’s new members; Eric KC0AHK, James KD9QPD, Scott WA9VYT, and KD9RCD. Welcome!

Education: A Tech class has begun this month taught on Zoom, taught by Brian W9HLQ, & Mike K9ACM.

Field Day 2021: by Jim W9JPR, June 26-27th, if COVID 19 is over.

Programs: Tonight Hamfesters website, by Brian W9HLQ, & Gene W9PNG.
Feb. Antennas by Gregg AB9MZ, March White Elephant sale

Hamfester of the Year 2020 award is being over seen by Bob N9KWG, & Steve W9KXT.

Publicity: by Jim W9JPR, nothing, because of COVID 19.

Hamgab: by Gene W9PNG, everything is ok.

Hamfesters VE Testing: by Al N9ZD, VE testing in March.

New Business: Contact Brian W9HLQ, for website password.
Gene W9PNG, has the club’s Flex Radio, it works great.
If you’d like to have the Flex for awhile, contact Gene.

Adjournment: Jim W9JPR, and Steve W9KXT, end 8:21 pm

Akrad Radio

by Westlakes Amateur Radio Club – Feb 2021

With the introduction of Pye in 1953 both the Regent and Pacific brandnames were discontinued. At this time the Clipper brand was introduced, and seems to have been the budget line. Astor was also used briefly after 1959 after the name was obtained during the takeover of Radio Corporation of NZ. Some of the other brand names produced by Akrad were Everest, Invincible, and Five Star.

The Akrad Flyer tricycle was made by Akrad as was also home appliances such as washing machines and lawn mowers. The Akrad Flyer tricycle numbered almost 300,000 units between 1945 and 1982.

In the early 80’s Philips, who had previously taken control of Pye in the U.K., took control of Pye NZ. In 1986 they closed the Akrad factory, unable to compete with imports after the government removed import duties on Asian products. Thus ended one of New Zealands largest and longest-running electronics companies.

The Man Who Invented Radio
Reginald A. Fessenden

from Radio-Craft Magazine, Dec.,1930

In the ranks of the scientists and inventors who have made radio what it is today, it is hard to classify the subject of this brief article as belonging more to one vision than to the other. In both roles, he has been one of the most striking figures: and his versatility, be it said, has extended throughout many fields. There is little which he has touched, in the field of knowledge, to which has has not made distinct contributions. Yet, pre-eminent among Professor Fessenden’s achievements are the developments which he made in the art of radio telephony – that department of radio most interesting for the layman [and amateur radio operators], because it includes broadcasting.

Reginald A. Fessenden was born in Milton, Province of Quebec, Canada, although of Colonial American ancestry. While yet a very young man, he became associated with Edison as an electrical engineer and later as chief chemist. He later worked with the Westinghouse Company and in 1893 became professor of electrical engineering in the Western University of Pennsylvania at Pittsburg. Here, as early as 1895 he began experimental work with radio waves (or “Hertzian waves,” as they were then known). In 1889 he made radio telegraph demonstrations with the idea of facilitating the work of the Weather Bureau. He became associated with that organization and later the technical guide of the National Electric Signaling Co., one of the rival organizations which were then pushing the development of “wireless Telegraphy.”

But Dr. Fessenden, a master of the dynamics of sound—among many other things saw the possibilities in “wireless” of more than telegraphy. The Hertzian waves used in spark telegraphy rose and fell in “damped” oscillation; Fessenden conceived the possibility of generating undamped or “continuous” waves, and imposing upon them the modulations of speech. In 1901 he accomplished this feat and his was the first human voice to be borne into space on a radio “Carrier”. To this success, he added that of the rectifying electrolytic detector, the successor of the coherer and the precursor of the crystal and the tube. So also, Fessenden conceived and patented the idea of the radio frequency alternator. He worked in this field for years, increasing more and more the world’s knowledge of radio. In 1909 added the rotary spark gap to his previous inventions thereby extending the range of the “wireless” signals. Among his earlier suggestions we find, as well, the use of the principle of heterodyning; which was compelled, however, to wait the development of the tube oscillating circuit for its perfected application. In 1909 Fessenden successfully demonstrated radio telephone operaton between Brant Rock Massachusetts and Washington.

Replacing his radio-communication work by other activities, Dr. Fessenden has since devoted a considerable portion of his time and genius to the subjects of navigation and signaling at sea. How well he succeeded in this field may be shown by the fact that, less than a month ago (Dec, 1929), the medal for promotion of safety of life at sea, awarded to him by the American Museum of Safety. It was bestowed upon Dr. Fessenden for more than a dozen nautical safety devices: including the fathometer, which permits taking soundings without the use of a line, by reflection of sound waves; direction finders; and many other electrical and sonic inventions. The medal was received at an official gathering in New York by his son Major Reginald A. Fessenden, Jr., in the absence of the doctor, who was in Bermuda, the scene of his earliest post college activities.

It may be in interest to know that, in addition to many works on mathematics and other forms of pure science, as well as it application, Dr. Fessenden has made contributions in archeology and to ancient history. The interests of his restless and inquiring mind, in fact, have been almost universal; but no other branch of human activity, after all, is so deeply indebted to him for practical contributions as the science and art of radio telephone.

VE Testing

Hamfesters VE Testing Report
Al Bukowski N9ZD – VE coordinator

No VE Sessions until March 2021

The Hamfester’s VE examinations to Continue on APPOINTMENT TIMES ONLY for the remainder of the year. NO WALK-INS

The Hamfester’s Radio Club VE test session(s) for xxxxxxxxx  will be Appointment only.

Candidates MUST email to get an appointed time (earliest 8AM), other instructions, and directions to the Exam Location
Liaison Al Bukowski (N9ZD)        ( aln9zd@gmail.com )

TEST Location: TBD – Oak Forest, IL  60452  (will be using a VE’s Garage for now unless Oak Forest City Hall reopens)

VE Stock test material will be in Plastic protective sleeves to protect the next user after disinfectant cleaner applied.

NOTE: Since Hamfester’s average candidate attendance the past years has been average of 4, the 
Appointment times will be 3 candidates 8:00 AM / 3 candidates 9:30AM /  3 candidates 11:00AM  / Flexible as needed

A Special ‘Thank You’ to All the VE’s volunteering there Saturday morning to assist me at the Exam sessions.

Because it is touching sensitive areas of your machine it will ask your permission to make the changes it needs to. Simply click [YES]. Then agree to the license agreement on the next screen.

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Club Information

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Pics from the December Meeting

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