From the Newsletter history archives...
Vintage Equipment
From the January '87 Newsletter (entitled "Ham Radio News & Views", it was noted that the newsletter, beginning this month, was being prepared with a brand new equipment setup. The old Atari 800 and AtariWriter word processor was replaced by a new IBM-compatibe Tandy 1200 and WordPerfect software (vastly superior) along with a change to dBase III for database applications for address labels, membership roster, and other club data. The new 1200 afforded a memory capacity increase of nearly 13 times (640K compared to 48K) and a processor speed that was doubled. The printer, a Star Gemini 10X dot-matrix, was not changed...nor was the graphics processor (Print Shop).
[It is interesting to note that while Print Shop was used back then in a non-columnar format, it was used for graphics only...compared with using Print Shop Ver. 21 today to print the entire newsletter in columnar format, create & maintain the 2 websites, and handle all photo tasks! -Ed]
(Each month, a brief spotlight will appear here on equipment you may have seen at hamfest swap tables. This month it is the
National SW-54 Receiver
).
Now here is one that will take you back. Back to the mid 50's that is! This little receiver, at $49.95, was a head-to-head competitor with the Hallicrafters S-38C receiver for the Novice licensee's dollars. The SW-54 was slightly smaller than the S-38C, but the operation and performance was about the same. The main difference between the two was that the SW-54 had a slide-rule main tuning dial with a circular bandspread and the S-38C had circular dials for both main tuning and bandspread. Operationally, and performance-wise, there was hardly any difference other than brand name....both suffered from a lack of selectivity and as time wore on, sensitivity. Many Novices got their start in ham radio pairing this receiver to a 30-75 watt transmitter...and they worked the world! If you locate one of these jewels on a hamfest table, expect to pay more than their original price, somewhere in the neighborhood of $65. for one in splendid condition.
[I take mine down and twirl its knobs just for old times sake every-once-in-awhile. - Ed]
Pg 3
Each month, one of our regular LARC members (alphabetical order) is profiled in this section. Several member and club-officer profiles have appeared in past issues.
Station photo not available
Spotlight on Bobby Roark, W4BLR
Bobby is a native of Caldwell County, having been born in the city of Lenoir in November of 1960. He attended Happy Valley Elementary (grades 1-8) beginning in 1966 and started High School (Hibriten High) in 1976. Bobby entered the workforce with the Lenoir Pad & Paper Co. in 1979 as a bailing machine operator. In 1989 he became a shipper/packer with Bernhardt Furniture, where he remains today. Married to the former Kathy Bown of Caldwell County, the couple have two grown children (Allan, 24 and Tiffany, 30). A former CB'er, Bobby learned of ham radio through a friend (Tim Honeycutt, KD4YJN) and the pair studied together until they both received their Technician tickets in 1993. Bobby states his primary interest in ham radio is meeting other people, a task easily accomplished through his efforts in the public-service arena. He currently does not operate a base station due to antenna restrictions at his place of residence, a situation which he states will change soon.
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