A HISTORY OP THELAKE AMATEUR RADIO ASSOCIATION
Compiled from the assembled and assorted notes left by various and sundry Secretarys—•——
Beginning in 1952 Thru December 31, 1972
Compiled By:
Reid 0. Martin W4VDY and Augustus M. Goings WA4CPL
SOME LARA HISTORY
* I feel quite a bit older after searching thru the old files of the LAKE AMATEUR RADIO CLUB——and finding that it was 39 years ago that I and 4 other hams met in a garage in the rear of a fellow ham's home in Leesburg—at least we thought that he was a "fellow ham"—until we found out afew months later that he was bootlegging a W2 call.
Later in 1952 we received permission from the Naval Reserve Commander - a heap big 2-striper-to use abuilding that the Navy had, next to the Leesburg Airport. The ^-striper was a Novice ham named Reid Martin, with the call of WN4VDY.
Also in 1952 , to be different from the 75 meter '*" KNIGHTS OF THE KILOCYCLES Net, we started the MORON'S OF THE MEGACYCLES NET (show certificate). The NET is still full operation, with the last Sunday meeting being meeting # 1994. It is the most loosely run net that you will ever hear ——which is the secret of its success I believe. The Net DIRECTOR is termed the CHIEF IDIOT.
In 1953 we formed our first TVI committee, —too many of us were using the good old 80?'s and 813's in our unshielded finals. What made it worse was the only
TV station on the air around here was Jax, on Ch 4. One of the worse offenders was W4VDY—me.
In 1955 we erected a 6-meter antenna on top of the Clermont Tower. Al Richards, W4GYB and another darnfool ham rode to the top of the tower on top of the elevator. Incidentally—I don't believe that we ever used the doggone antenna after all that work.
PAGE 2
In 1956 we had an excellent FIELD DAY—-thanks to Golley Schall, a fomer rail road telegrapher (75 WPM) who Bade more contacts than all of the rest of us with an old rusty key and a bottle of OLD GRANDAD.
In 1957 our FIELD DAY out in Hell's Half acre some where was helped greatly by Al Richards who flew his mosquito spraying plane over the area. IN 1958 we had a FIELD DAY at Grand Island with 38 of us present, using a large tent that we had borrowed from the Eustis NATIONAL GUARD. A high wind came up so we very carefully moved the charcoal burner being used for cooking to the outside of the tent. YES-you guessed it The tent blew over. A nice big hole was burned in that tent. We folded the tent very carefully —with hole on the inside of a fold— and returned it the next day to the Armory—and we never had the nerve to ask to borrow it again.
In 1959 we bought the land for the Club House-paid $375 for it
We found that during high water months that we needed more fill dirt - so Marion Wingfield talked his County Commissioner ("CUZ" BABB) into delivering about 65 loads of clay—and then he talked them into spreading it all .
In 1961 we held "BUNNY HUNTS" with directional antennas. Bill DAVlS , our genial LEESBURG POSTMASTER won first prize—and was given a week old bunny in a nice blue box!
In 1966 we held an antenna party for CLAUDE CONKLIN —lowered his 40 foot mast and raised it again—and found out how much that NYLON ROPE stretches.
PAGE 3
In 1966 Hmer Hexamer, WA4 Z J I, built an excellent cabinet to house our antique radio fear. Our food antique ham, Irl Ball, donated to the Club a OMHIGRAPH which he had owned for 50 years --and then had to explain to the members ,who were rather ignorant of it's workings, how it operated. That item would now be about 75 years old.
We also put the SPARK GAP XKTR. that is in that display on the air one night—just so us new boys could say that they once operated a spark gap job Hi I do not remember the antenna that we used —if any.
IN RETROSPECT——back 25 to 30 years ago we all worked very hard to have a good Club—and we had a lot of good fun doing it «—-even though we get rather tired of having rummage sales.
Maybe all this is one of the of the reasons that we now have such a good, active Club that we enjoy.
Reid Martin
March 1991
• HISTORY 0F THE ;LAKE AMATEUR RADIO CLUB ——Program of Sept.3,1981
1— Two years ago I was asked to give this summary of the history of this
Club—and I have been told that it bears repeating. So you that have heard it before—bear with us——but I have dug into the files rather deeply— and have found some rather interesting facts that will bring smiles to some of you old timers—and will be enjoyed ,1 hope, by some of the newer members,
While I am speaking I will pass out some of the SCRAP BOOKS that have been assembled in the past 29 years —so feel free to look thru them as I ramble on.
I came across an article that was published in FLORIDA SKIP "IN SEPTEMBER OF 1962—written by ART RAYNOR—K^GOX—and I find that this is an ideal place to start this discourse.
(READ THE RE-MARKED EXCERPTS)'
THEN HAND OUT. THE SCRAP |OOKS——
2—-The date was June 12, 1952 that a group of fellows got together in George Fuller's garage at 905 Kolb St in Leesburg to find out if we wanted a Club or not. Present were George Fuller(who was bootlegging a W2 call we found out later) Bob Henry-W4SXJ—Reid Martin, WN4VDY—B ob Cannon-Harry Bell—Charles Bell——Mart Wagoner——Leland Kimmons—Brownie Neil—— Lee Neil—Earl Roth-— (WN^YAN) —and Owen Chessman. We decided to call it THE LEESBURG AMATEUR RADIO CLUB, with dues fixed at 250 per week.
The next meeting was two weeks later, same place, Reid Martin presiding——and some other amateurs came ,such as Bob Hollenbeck,W4IQJ—— Howard Hardaway——Earl Hester—James Deal—-Gene Shelfer—David Matthews. Art Benzee -W^FE, and David Coffield (a Pastor??) came later in the month.
Reid Martin happened to be the Commanding Officer of the Naval Reserve unit in Lake County and was able to obtain that building for our meeting—near the Leesburg Airport. The following April the Reserve unit was disbanded, so we moved into Building T-101 at the same place.
IN Nove. of 1952 we chiselled a mess of crystals from the orlando bunch (W4MSX) —that would put us all on 29.520 Mc. and that was the start of the MORONS OF TIE MEGACYCLES—which held their Meeting # 1484 this past Sunday morning at 9:15 A.M. —but on 29.5&0 Mcs . A Mrs. Mary McCloud of Eustis drew up a pretty CERTIFICATE for this Net——which we still use today.
One of the first things to do was to have a TVI Committee. Too many wide open 813 and 807 finals!!!
IN 1953——we had a couple of fine additions to the Club in the shape of .TINY SMITH (W4BP) and Al RICHARDS-W4GYB. __________________
J
I In 1955 we had 22 members in the Club—and were busy all year with
' such activities as participating at the COUNTY FAIR—THE WATERMELON PARADE-Installation of a six meter whip on top of the Clermont Tower— The notes for that year state that W4GYB cleaned up the entire Club grounds—
„* we got 2 telephone poles from Fla. Tel—(FREE)—and a certain individual v by the call of W40VO-(Jesse Kimmons) stated that he was going to run for GOVERNOR of the State—and we passed out PASSPORTS TO GEORGIA THE NEXT WEEK? The title of NINCOMPOOP OF THE WEEK was started this year—W4VDY was the first to get this title after he found out that his VARIAC METER was incorrect, and he had been running his equipment at home on 97 volts for a month. W4FE (Art Benzee) took away the title quite soon after leaving his 10 meter transmitter on the air all night——and Earl Roth got it for being the BUNNY at a BUNNY HUNT and forgot to put in his crystal and talked to us, he thought, for 10 minutes with no output, while we all waited.
1956 was a good year because K4LPS and K4LPV -Clude and Irene Conklin moved down here from Iowa and joined the Club. Also new was W40VU-Ed Sanders-and Dale HOONSTRA, K40LU.
1957 saw a couple of nice guys join with us —HENRY SUTTKUS,K4AOB and S3D
TOMLINSON. One good program was when the Conklin*s told about their experiences as HAMS in working o$ the COUNCIL BLUFFS FLOOD in 1952.
Page three
IN 1958 —a special note was made that W^GYB worked St. Pete and Texas on SSB.
IREKB CONKLIN and some other women got their photos in the Leesburg Paper -(See album marked "W4YKY")
in 1959- —Clude Conklin was Editor of the HAM SALAD and Irene CONKLIN was our Club SECRETARY.
In 1959—
K4AOB finally got his TECH ticket! The club purchased the
present property from L.R.Busk for $375 (via the fine hand of the CONKLIN'S)-the lot is 130 feet by 200 feet. MEMBERS WERE (among others)as follows—
Reid Martin Al Richards— K4AOB~Hank-
Dale Hoonstra- K&AAJ_ I&AOL-Mike Nate Stinette Bob Hollenbeck— K40VU
Marion Wingfield Irene Conklin (All living at this time)
IN 1961— we held various activities — Mt. Dora REGATTA communications —— a 'bunny hunt1 which was won by BILL DA VIS --who was presented with a baby
bunny at the next meeting.
We were now planning on a building, about
20* by 2V — and sold notes and bonds to ourselves — And in June we laid the building foundation. In December, by courtsey of DON RICE, we had a roof on the building at a cost of $ 590.39. IRENE Conklin ran rummage sales to raise money for the Club.
IN 1962 ——We drove a well-and got water??? MARION WINGFIELD talked a County Commissioner -"CUZ" BABB-out of 65 loads of FREE clay -and then got them to level it off at the same price ! J And in October of 1962 we finally moved into our new building— after Pearl Church and Mel Griner wired it up. DON RICE —gave the Club two gifts during that year to finish off the Club house---$228 and then $243 ($471 total) on the condition that nobody would know where it came from.
In 1962 The well was driven by Dale Hornstra- K4OLU with the help of a friend, Gene Twiss.
In 1960 -A VHF HAMFEST AND PICNIC attracted 6l attendance.
—————— ——————————
BILL DAVIS got an FCC citation for "HARMONICS"--and Irl Ball got a
nice present as he left for the North for the summer—in the form of a
little PUSSYCAT -named "C.Q?" In return we received a 4-page letter from IBL BALL —-all on one postcard. We had a visitor from the North-J. A. (Pete) PETERSON W0AIS (for the benefit of Irene Conklin)
IN 1963__ —
Claude Conklin painted the refrigerator _-AGAlN — and Reid Martin
installed carpet in the "Head"— wall to wall We still owed $910 of the
Building Bonds.
IN1964--1965--1966--New members were Roger Spicer,K4FC — and Tommy Thompson, WA4NXA— .-DOC McClelland —Roy Barnes Johnny RAYBURN— HOWARD McNEELEY— HOMER HEXAMER and Zack BRUCE, Gus Goings-
Conklin had an antenna party—and we all found out how much that NYLON ROPE could stretch. SUTTKUS fixed us a nice roadside sign.
But IRENE'S refreshments made up for it. HOMER HEXAMER finally got his GENERAL Class tickets. IRENE CONKLIN ran two rummage sales this year of 196?.
Bonds outstanding were now only $475.00~
IN 1968 -"HOMER HEXAMER completed a beautiful case to house the antique gear that was donated to the Club by DON RICE. Johnny £ RAYBURN and TOMMY THOMPSON bought the Club a newer refrigerator.
IN 1969-1970
Conk gave us a 30 cup COFFEE URN at a low price.
a "MYSTERY MEETING" was held at Martin's Furniture store in Tavares one night—$2.00 admission—and then your choice of about 6 tons of surplus gear that a few of the lads had had gotten from Perry, Fla warehouse.
CARPET was installed on the floor, courtesy of JOHNNY RAYBURN. CEILING TILE was installed by TOMER.HBCAMBR and JMNY SMITH (Refreshments by the Conklin's)~~
IAND PURCHASED—additional land was purchased on the NORTH AND EAST sides of our property which increased the size of our lot to 200' by 230'.
TOMMY THOMPSON and REID MARTIN paid for it—-and Conklin's paid for the
legal work. ( WE NOW CAN CALL IT " SWAMPY ACRES ESTATES"_
(The last ten years of our HISTORY is rather well known to most of us——
so I will end the talk right here).
Reid Martin
[Home] [Officers] [Events] [Stations] [Minutes] [Contacts] [Members] [FTP]