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Project Jenny KLIK - 1st Inf Di v Women in Vietnam RELATED-- To AFVN To Saigon To Vietnam Further Afield Index
From: Bob Sullivan
Dated: January 10, 2017
Subject: Ham...yea I am a ham...just the wrong kind!
Hi Folks,
I may have a little trouble with the production side of the board, but you have touched on something this old engineer can identify with. I've been a ham for about 65 years now, very active all those years, picked up several foreign call signs along the way and will be on 80 meters CW in a few minutes. Its still a good hobby. The hobby led this 15-year-old kid into the profession and that resulted in the very short notice assignment to Saigon to build the two TV stations. At least one of our group, Gene LeRoy,, can vouch for that. We, and a number of others, were working in educational TV at Lowry AFB when we got the sudden call. So, if any of you would like to get into ham radio I can direct you to some good websites. Its easier than ever.
On another subject, I missed Bob Hope in Vietnam. Christmas 1966 I set up the equipment for the Billy Graham broadcast at TSN, Bob Hope was doing a show at Cam Ranh Bay. As soon as we finished the broadcast at TSN we boarded a C-7 for a flight to Cam Ranh to do the Christmas midnight mass for Francis Cardinal Spellman. Bob Hope went to TSNj and did his show there (in my absence).
I used to tell Adrian to not yell so loud because I was afraid he would blow the modulation transformer in our Bauer 707 AM transmitter.
73, Bob
W5RE Bobby L. Sullivan, AFVN January 1966 to 1967
Ham Radio
January 2017
From: Dickie Ellis
Dated: January 5, 2017
Subject: Ham...yea I am a ham...just the wrong kind!
I have dabbled in Ham radio all of my life...I have a zillion friends who were hams...but I never got a license. Am thinking about doing so at age 72. I learned Morse Code 60 years ago. My former Father-in-Law was one of the oldest Ham's in the country...W4ED. He started as a shipboard telegrapher in the Navy during WWI. Later worked for Western Union as a young man. It has changed so much over the years I don't know if I could take a test or not!!!! Will keep you posted.
Dickie, over.
AFVN Group Conversations
From: Dickie Ellis
Dated: January 10, 2017
Subject: Ham...yea I am a ham...just the wrong kind!
Thanks Frank...I know there are a couple of hams in our ranks...Steve Sevits...and I think Mike Babcock in Va. Beach. I did short wave in CA, P then two-way in TV we all had to have a company radio in our cars...as reporters. Then CB...all of my gang had one....so I never got into ham other than helping friends with shacks and antennas. Now in my old age am thinking about it. I never thought about cell phones and text...you are right.. What a wonderful thing to let slide away....ham-radio! D4-I kid