My amateur call is WA5PDK. I have been a ham since 1966. I was rather late getting into the hobby. I became interested when my brother-in-law went to South America as a foreign missionary and I became a shortwave listener on a transistorized receiver. I began to hear a lot of hams that still used AM and thought it was interesting. Years later, I make contact with those hams using a Kenwood 440S during one of the many sessions on the 7290 Traffic Net and during the 3 to 4 session every afternoon with the bunch on 7.260 and 3.876 Mhz. This is basically a form of "appliance operator" communication. A far cry from the days when most hams made contact with another ham using homebuilt CW transmitter and a homebrew or modified surplus receiver. My early mentors in ham radio included the "Father of Ham Radio in San Angelo", W5QX, Carl Brinegar, the namesake of the San Angelo Ham Club Station. Carl worked for Sears during his long career and pioneered in early ham radio in the area. An old acquaintences,Bob Metcalf, K5MGH, and James Ingram, K5DFO, spoke of how Carl began radio in a day in which he had to make his own capacitors. He was a well seasoned ham when he gave me the Novice exam in 1966.
In this same time frame, I met K5DZP and W5RSV. K.C. Connell, and Marion Rivers. Marion loaned me some practice records to learn the code. K.C. helped he set up my first station and "showed me around the bands" with his Collins S-Line, free-standing tower, and triband beam.
K.C. also introduced me to Arnold Weathersbee, W5JXA, another seasoned ham in San Angelo whose Shop was the gathering place for hams at the time. Arnold died on Dec. 26, 1998 at age 91. One of Arnold's friends was Jess Lee, W5GCJ, perhaps the most innovative ham in the area. Jess was a Navy trained radioman who did pioneer work in developing phasing type of single-sideband transmitters and filter type ssb transceivers. He was on the verge of entering the commercial production of these rigs at one time. He continued to experiment and construct state of the art radio and computer equipment up to the time of his death.
I would hasten to mention one of my first instructors in the theory of radio was my good friend Bob Hetrick, K5REX. He was a retired Air Force radioman and was employed as audio-visual specialist with the High School where I taught. Bob helped me in many ways in explaining the basics of superhetrodyne receivers and gave me a surplus Navy receiver.
Shortly after getting my General Class license I met Chuck Williams, W5SBI, who has been a friend and an advisor through all of these years. He was one of the first ham I knew to obtain the Extra Class license (AI5Z, his current call). Chuck was a in single-sideband operation and mobile operation. He built all of his rigs from converted Mars equipment. As a member of the Air Force Reserve, Colonel Chuck Williams profited from his association with Mars. I could say my friend Chuck was "the man from Mars." He pioneered in two meter communications with the Unit here.He also became one of the developers of the BC453 for amateur radio use. His transistorized version was one of the first solid-state communications receiver in the area. In the Mars program I also met Alex Papoutsas,K5CMW. He has always been a top notch ham and very helpful to the local hams in maintaining two meter repeater operation. Don Elliott, WA5JSN, is another ham of distinction in San Angelo. He had a Collins station with a Mosley triband beam with a forty meter rotatable dipole. Don helped me with my first permanent mobile operation by mounting the Hustler Antenna on the back of my Oldsmobile.Don established two meter packet repeaters for the area. Elmer Harris,W5FZY,brother-in-law to Arnold Weathersbee was another active ham locally. He told me of how the hams bought their own chairs at the ham club and he was very determined to get his chair if the club disbanded. Elmer has been active in two meter mobile operation. Another ham that worked with Arnold in the shop was John White, W5NEW. Ken Durham, K5MCF, an active ham during my early years with the club. Ken was active in Races and Red Cross communications. He also worked with Doug Clark, coordinator of City emmergency communicatios. Ken was the Father of Two Meter Mobile Operations in San Angelo. He obtained G.E. Progress Lines as surplus telephone equipment and distributed them to many of the local hams.One of his friends,Marvin E. Barnes, W5IWZ, came to San Angelo from Brownwood with Ken and was active in the club until he was transferred to the South Plains. Ken said he had 45 of those rigs in his garage at one time and was assisted in distributing them to GTE hams by K.C, Bill Emsolff, and others. Tom Earnest,W5UFO, a professional in the field of radio and tv cable in the local area established the first two meter repeater at his radio stattion for ham operation. Charley Cathey, K5JEZ, established his "Ponderoso" out in Irion County with a tremendous beam and became very active in CW DX'ing until the very end. Charley was a leader in Field Day Operations locally, and with Johnny Williams, had the annex to the club at their office supply store. Walt Pratt,K5SZC, who helped in refurbishing the ham club building in 1967 and built the operating desk. Walt was a good friend of Arnold Weathersbee and he was a devoted homebrew experimenter. R.V. Allison, W5WLC, another seasoned ham who lives on a farm near Wall, Texas, has perhaps the most unique antenna farm I have seen.I always enjoyed RV. The first time I came to know of him was when I visited with Carl Brinnegar back when I was just getting interested in ham radio. Carl had a big new beam and he rotated it with a steering wheel/pulley arrangement that went through his ceiling over his operating position. He turned the beam toward RV on one of those 10 meter sessions and RV told him he had a good signal. Carl said to me, "he ought to hear me....I've got that beam pointed down his throat."
Later, when I listened at home to the group, I heard him give the phonetics of his call....W5WLC ("White legged chicken")....He kept his transmissions short and would say, "I don't know much....I'm as blank as all get-out. And I'm going to sign on the next go-round and catch a flying mattress."
Chuck and I visited him a few years ago and we were amazed at the great antenna farm he had up. The big quad over his house looked like somebody had "a bad case of ham radio." Monsterous!"
I really liked RV and I hope he is having a great reunion with his loved ones and the old hams that have gone before him....That will be quite "an eye ball" fest.
They will be running "AM" ("Angel Modulation").....
Article from morning paper:
R.V. Allison
R.V. Allison, 83, of Wall died Tuesday, Feb. 2, 1999, in a local hospital. Service will be at 2 p.m. Thursday in Robert Massie Funeral Home Chapel with Dr. Chris Seidlitz, pastor of Belmore Baptist Church, officiating. Burial will be in Wall Cemetery. He was born Jan. 24, 1916, in the Wall community and had been a lifetime resident. An Army veteran, he had been a farmer and a member of Belmore Baptist Church. Survivors include several cousins. Bob Kosick, a Mars member who lived east of San Angelo was very active on two meters. Bob Feller,K5OAQ, a ham who was particularly interested in receiver design and general amateur activity was active in the ham club. Mike Pettyjohn,AD5K, who also pioneered in two meter repeater installation in the area. Lawrence Wright,W5IFJ, and wife, Nancy, N5MMQ, are also hams of distinction. Lawrence was very active in ten meter AM DX work when I met him in the 60's. He is an expert antenna man and an aviation enthuiast. Vernon Jones,WA5MWA, a friend and co-worker with Carl Brinegar, was one of the first hams I met. He likes to Modulate with Amplitude" (WA5MWA), and is another cubical quad expert. A couple of hams in Snyder were active on SSB in the 1960's in our nightly 3.930 rag chew. Earl Horton, K5RKN and Ed Phy, W5SWZ, both of whom had been fellow teachers in Snyder. In Eldorado, there was Joe M. Christian,WA5IYI, and his son Joe Charles,K5HMD,Joe Christian was an outstanding citizen of Eldorado with the Eldorado Woolen Mill. His son served as an officer in the Air Force and entered oil field electronics for a number of years. He had an electronic engineering career. His friends, Joe Milam, WA5HSC, and Keith Roberts,K5LSM, enjoyed radio together as teenagers. Keith had a career in the U.S. Navy and returned to San Angelo where he has an excellent antenna array near Lake O.C. Fisher. Joe resides in Midland, Texas. He had an interest in the local repeater for awhile with Phil White, of Brady. Another outstanding seasoned ham in Eldorado was Ray Boyer, WB5BBH. His son, Danny, was to become the owner of a communications company in the Metroplex. One of K.C.'s friends at GTE was Bill Emsoff, K5PXI, he was mainly active on Mars and the VHF bands when I knew him. Curtis Sockwell, WB5BDQ, lived in Robert Lee for a time and was active in the local ham community. WB5AEF, Marvin Fraser, a retired Air Force ham was active with the club. He was a CW enthuiast and worked VHF and UHF. He helped me get on 440 with a kit transmitter. Marvin suffered a fatal heart attack in Dallas where he had gone to take the Amateur Extra Exam. A famous ham with San Angelo connections as Gil Braxson, WA5FDK, "Gildersleeve," was a colorful operator on forty meters, both mobile...using his famous "Giltenna" and from his station in Midland where he had a forty meter beam. Gil remarked that whenever his antenna rotated it caused TVI throughout the neighborhood. WA5RCX, Red Foley, was in the service here when I met him. He eventually retired here to run a Radio Shack store until he moved to Florida. Neal Dittlinger, another airman was active in the club. He helped me tune up on Heathkit 2'er on two meters. Frank Coker,WD5FTO, from Paint Rock. Frank was active only on VHF and UHF. A large man who had played professional football in the early days when they paid them for each game played. An officer with the 36th Division who was wounded in action in Italy, and a multi-careered person, he was intereting to talk with. Bob and Danny White,WB5JAQ, and their Dad were active hams and I was glad to help them get their Novice licenses. Other young hams included Stan Musick, who went on to receive his M.D. degree; Eric Paul, who went on to become an electrical engineer, and Craig ...a Doctor's son who also passed the Novice exam that I administered.Richard Bruce, a blind person, got his license with the aid of Jim Parsons and myself. Ernie Penfield,W5HUL, a serviceman at Goodfellow became an acquaintence through the Mars program and later in the Ham Club. He learned the automotive electrical business
under Arnold Weathersbee and bought the business with a partner. Frank Meeks, W5BCD, lived in the San Angelo area for a period of time. He was a good friend of Arnold and when the club was built on Locust Street, he arranged for the construction of the cinder block buiding in one day with his crew and volunteers. R.V. Allison, W5WLC, of Wall,Texas, just east of San Angelo has been an outstanding contributor to amateur radio operations in San Angelo. I first heard R.V. on the ten meter net while visiting in Carl's shack while studying to get my ticket. He has the best antenna farm in the area. It is something to behold. R.V. has been very active in VHF and UHF operations in recent years. The Roarks, of Arden, Texas were active in early club life. Carrie "Ma" Roark,K5HRX, had a two meter rig and at one time was known as "The Mayor of Arden" (a ghost town at that time). She had a parking meter in front of her house! My XYL and I visited her one Sunday afternoon and she showed us her hobby of Ostrich and Emu egg artwork. KE5NO, Noel Johnson, was one of the great leaders of ham radio in San Angelo. We had an organized two meter weather watcher organization under way with a communications van. Swap fests were organized and held for a number of years. Ron Wilson, WB5NBQ,his wife Kathy,KB5WUQ, and son, David, KB5NNA have been active and helpful members of the community. W5RJS, Chuck Kuespert,W5RJS, and Clare, W5RJT,were neighbors in San Angelo and they were active on HF and VHF and in the club for some time. Bill Richards,WB5ZAM, of the medical community and the Naval Reserve contributed a lot to the DX and VHF communities, locally.Willie Robinson, WU5S has mastered CW and does an outstanding job on all bands. He is very active on field day activities. Carl Smith,K5HMU, is another ham of achievement. W5ULP Charles Gillmann, another retired military ham has done a lot with ham radio on many levels. K5IRL, George Herridge, was a good HF operator. K5SQA, John Herridge, was very active on forty meters for years. Down the street from me is another seasoned ham, Ivy Young, W5PNL. Floyd Gravitt, W5ERT, was a radioman for American Forces on Battan and Correigdor in WWII and survived the death march and years of imprisonment in prison camps. He was very active in traffic handling during his ham career. Don Larsen, W5HTJ, was mobile two meters when I knew him. E.A.(Al) Williams,W5OWX, was a really gifted electronic engineer and also built airplanes. He built and maintained two repeaters locally until moving away in retirement. I have recently received information files from the estate of Arnold Weathersbee which includes the Club Roster in 1951 and the Club Roster in 1981. I will update this as time permits.
Celebrating the 80th birthday of the San Angelo Ham Club on May 13th, 2004...Some of the hams I have known include: On the first row left: Bob Feller; Alex; Joe Christian. Back row left: Jim Stroman; Don Elliott; Tom Earnest;
In recent correspondence with a former club member, Rick Herndon, he said:
"Bob Kosik (really of Miles and Mereta QTH) was married to my dad's first cousin, Ruby Goetz Kosik, so I know how to spell his name (you have a "c" in there). His nephew, Al, was my supervisor at TxDOT in Austin for several years before I retired. Bob tried while we were both going to U.T. to get us together, since we were both in EE. Unfortunately, we didn't meet until after he died. Bob was the first ham I ever knew, since he and his wife were frequently at my Grosshans grandparents for family get-togethers.
Joe Milam is now W5UA. Keith Roberts is still K5LSM and lives in his folks' old place on the end of Mercedes. That used to be the house next to a dentists' which was the furthest one down Mercedes, where I threw papers in high school on my paper route.
Along about the same time I got my ticket, there were a bunch of Jr. high and high school kids getting active. They included:
Mike McKinney, K5YQV
Bobby Bullock, (he and dad, Leonard, got their tickets at the same time I did)
Harrell Kleinman, (now KG5FT)
Stan Szczepanik, WA5CEQ (now WA6ABA)
Robert Malloy, Novice, lapsed
David Kieras, Novice, lapsed
Mary Kieras, Novice, lapsed
Ronald Gipson, Novice, lapsed
and let's not forget that rascal
Ervin Grosshans, K5FNI (now Rick Herndon)