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 Previous: The Amateur Radio Crossword Puzzler |  Next: Greeting from Space, Change of Guard Highlight AMSAT-NA Gathering |
By Norm Fusaro, W3IZ
ARRL Affiliated Club/Mentor Program Manager
October 10, 2004
Keeping the troops entertained is essential to good morale. Often clubs are pressed to find interesting speakers and topics for club meetings.
 AN/VRC 10 Transceiver with 12/24 volt power supply. |
While subject matter can run across a wide spectrum, finding someone that is knowledgeable on a particular subject and able to present it in such a way that keeps the audience attracted is most important. Programs for club meetings do not necessarily have to be boring technology and stagnant components. A good presenter, one that is animated and comfortable in front of a group, can make even a bologna sandwich interesting.
You would think that an Amateur Radio club would want material that is related to Amateur Radio but often we have people in our clubs that have other hobbies and the club members may find them interesting. Given enough of a stretch, almost anything can be related to radio or communications or something in the hobby. For instance, are baseball cards much different than QSL cards? Do the baseball fans of today realize that the rhythmic clapping that they do at the ballpark to inspire their team comes from the early days of the game when fans would clap out DAH-DAH-DI-DI-DIT DI-DI-DI-DAH DAH, the telegraphers shorthand 73 meaning best regards?
It's like the Six Degrees of Separation (John Guare) where it takes no more than six points to connect one person or thing to another. Example: Building a tower? Working with concrete made from limestone? Visit a cave or do some spelunking lately?
Ask around in your club for people that have something that they want to share with the group. Chances are that you will not only get a good program but you will also find out something new and interesting about your membership.
Here is a great example of a club member that has another hobby that stole the show at the 2004 ARRL Western New York Convention.
Dave Barwell, N2XYP, of the Lancaster Amateur Radio Club in the greater Buffalo, NY area has an interesting hobby besides Amateur Radio. Dave also restores vintage military vehicles. In the photographs below he shows off his latest restoration project, a 1952 jeep M38A1. These jeeps were used in the Korean War and early in the Viet Nam War.
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Bave Barwell, N2XYP, (left) proudly stands beside his fully restored 1952 M38A1 jeep. | |
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Attention to detail make this restoration a show stopper. | |
It has taken Dave five years to lovingly restore this beauty back to its original condition. The Browning fifty caliber machine gun is a nonworking model but the AN/VRC 10 radio is fully functional. This is the actual radio used on this type of vehicle and it covers 38.0 MHz to 54.9 MHz FM and is capable of operating either on a 12 volt or 24 volt electrical system.
 ARRL is committed to support Affiliated Clubs in their efforts to mentor new hams. [Full Story] |
In addition to the communications gear and artillery, Dave also has many other accessories from the period on the vehicle to provide detail and realism. Some of these pieces include a bandoleer of ordinance for the 50 caliber, some pineapple hand grenades, a bayonet and a canteen. The radio has all the original government issued accessories including headset, microphone and all the connectors and cables. It was all this attention to detail that kept drawing a crowd around the vehicle and kept Dave busy answering lots of questions.
Dave has been a ham for eleven years and he started restoring military vehicles about five years ago. Other vehicles that he is working on include an M37 ¾ ton truck and another M38 jeep. He spent 13 years in the Army National Guard, SGT First Class, and is a member of the Military Vehicle Preservation Association, Empire State West Chapter.*
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| Previous: The Amateur Radio Crossword Puzzler | Next: Greeting from Space, Change of Guard Highlight AMSAT-NA Gathering |
