Subj : Newsline Part 2 To : ALL From : Daryl Stout Date : Thu May 19 2016 11:13 pm A VETERAN HAM'S DAYTON DREAMS JIM: Amateur Radio has gone the distance for 76 of his nearly 94 years, and that's partly what's sending Arthur Kunst, W3WM, from his Pennsylvania shack back to Ohio this year for yet another Dayton Hamvention. Shortly before making the trip with his son, Don, W3LNE, he spoke with Amateur Radio Newsline's Paul Braun, WD9GC0. PAUL: Ever wonder what it was like in the old days of Amateur Radio? Arthur Kunst, W3WM, was actually there in those days! Arthur was first licensed in 1939, and has remained active as a ham all through the years. In fact, as he approaches 94 years old, he's getting ready for another trip to Dayton. ARTHUR: I've been interested in Dayton for a long time. So I've had the opportunity to go there, in fact, I've probably been there at least 20 times. I can tell you that on one occasion, my wife, who always went with me, went with a ladies' group to keep herself interested and happy, and she won the Grand Prize for the ladies in that particular year. It was a big outdoor roadshow-type thing. And we had difficulty bringing it back in the automobile. I've been a longtime member of QCWA, and in one of the chapters in Florida, I learned we had we had one of the original founders of the Dayton hamfest. And, he would tell us about how it all got started a long time ago. He said initially it was a very small thing, a small concept, a local type of a thing, and he said they would make all the plans around the kitchen table. And, that was all that was necessary to do in those days. Well, it grew and grew and grew, and the kitchen table did not suffice anymore. PAUL: Amateur radio has always been a family affair for Kunst. ARTHUR: My wife is involved, my grandson is involved, my son, who is W3LNE, which is a call sign I had about 50 years ago before I became a two-letter call, and a brother of mine was a radio amateur. And so, we have had amateur radio disease running through our family for many years. PAUL: And he certainly hasn't let technology pass him by. He was an electrical engineer by profession - and that kept him experimenting with radio! ARTHUR: I'm very interested in the newer technologies, all modes of communication, simple devices compared to the devices we had a long time ago -- or it was impossible to appreciate them a long time ago. PAUL: Arthur Kunst is a ham with a fascinating story to tell, and a lifelong fascination with amateur radio. We can all hope that we're still going strong when we turn 94. For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Paul Braun, WD9GCO. ** BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the WR9ARC repeater of the Riverland Amateur Radio Club in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, on Sundays. ** BACK TO THE FUTURE AT CERATODUS JIM/ANCHOR: The Australian hams who spent part of Easter weekend on the banks of the Burnett River in Queensland weren't there for a day of operating outdoors. They had come in search of something even more adventurous. John Williams, VK4JJW, explains: JOHN: For the radio amateurs in central Queensland, Australia, it was a once-in-a-lifetime gathering. Well actually, for some, it was a TWICE-in-a-lifetime gathering, because most reunions are that, at the very least. And this was a 50-year reunion of hams and friends and family. It took place at Ceratodus, on the banks of the Burnett River near Eidsvold, the meeting point of 5 decades ago. As before, it happened on Easter weekend, and it was a time for eyeball QSOs, camping, and fellowship. Geoff Bonney, VK4GI, who was there at the first gathering, told Amateur Radio Newsline, he was in good company at the reunion weekend: There was Dave Maclean, VK4EE, and Kev Blanch, VK4MKB. And lots of first-timers who perhaps have a 50-year reunion in their own future someday. Bonney declared the gathering to be QUOTE "fantastic." ENDQUOTE Ultimately, the weekend, which marked the enduring bonds people forge from being on the air together, turned out to be more of a terrestrial celebration. Bonney said most of the on-air activity took place at 7.060 MHz and 146.500 MHz for reunion attendees enroute the reserve - and on their way back home. He said QUOTE "when all participants arrived, face-to-face conversation quickly took over." ENDQUOTE But with all the changes in the last 5 decades - from SSB outpacing AM in popularity, to changes in Australia's Foundation License - it left little doubt as to what all the conversation was about. For Amateur Radio Newsline, this is John Williams, VK4JJW. (GEOFF BONNEY, VK4GI) ** PARTNERSHIP IN SEARCH AND RESCUE The exercise held by the Ellis County Amateur Radio Club, WD5DDH, wasn't just a simulated search-and rescue session. It was a real-life question-and-answer session, too. Working with the Ellis County Amateur Radio Emergency Services group, hams deployed microwave, mobile and WinLink modes throughout the Texas county, simulating search and rescue, along with damage assessment. Hams also got answers to their questions about how things are done, and learned the drill. The Dallas-area radio club, and the Ellis County ARES are close partners, working together in emergencies and simulations, such as this one in late April. The amateur radio club is also interested in learning more about the use of search dogs in a crisis. They have been receiving an introduction to this phase of search and rescue work by local businessman Jerry Seevers. The club meets in Waxahatchie at 7:30 p.m. every third Thursday of the month at the Sheriff's office training center. (WAXAHATCHIE, TEXAS, DAILY LIGHT) --- þ Synchronet þ The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, AR - wx1der.dyndns.org .