From the Newsletter history archives... Vintage Equipment From the May '87 Newsletter (entitled "Ham Radio News & Views"), it was noted that an announcement was made that the "Classified Section" would no longer be run as a regular feature of the Newsletter owing to lack of participation (a condition that is nearing the same situation today!). If you don't use it...you lose it! Elsewhere in the Newsletter, a recipe for Funnel Cakes was typed and entered. This is the same commercial recipe that Don Robertson, WA4KLT, of Taylors, SC, (now a SK) and I paid $500. for when Don and I, as partners, owned and operated a small bakery in Greenville, SC. Funnel Cakes were a relatively new & novel idea at the time and we sold hundreds of those delicious Funnel Cakes which, today, have become quite prevalent at carnivals, flea markets, etc. If any reader would like a copy of this recipe...with directions on making the Funnel Cakes just like we did back then, just let me know. -Ed
(Each month, a brief spotlight will appear here on equipment you may have seen at hamfest swap tables. This month the spotlight is on the Yaesu FT-7 MobileTransceiver ). Now I have never owned a Yaesu FT-7...nor have I been around anyone that has. So I don't know diddley-squat anything about these nice-looking vintage HF mobile all-band transceivers. What I do know is this: They are very well designed from an esthetic viewpoint and make a nice-looking mobile installation. Being somewhat larger than the mobile transceivers of today, they require just a tad bit more room to install (a problem with some of the present-day cars/trucks that compel their designers/engineers to put something everywhere possible...or designing compound curves in the dashboards and immediately below). Back a few years ago, I literally drooled over owning one of these (50 watt??) mobile transceivers. But it seemed I never had the loot (about $300-$350) on-hand when I ran across one of them for sale at hamfests. With the advent of buying vintage rigs over eBay, one pops up there occasionally...but my interest in the FT-7 has waned (after acquiring an FT-857D recently). I still think the FT-7 is a nice rig and, if you can find one in immaculate shape and at a decent price, they would make an excellent (and economic) spare stand-by rig and for use in emergencies, etc. (Note: I had similar feelings toward the Atlas 210X, a five-band mobile transceiver [featured in this section of the December 2004 Newsletter], and I DID buy one of those on eBay, complete with a base docking station w/speaker). I haven't regretted that purchse...and it sure looks nice sitting on the bookshelf with my other vintage equipment! Hmmm. Maybe an FT-7 too?? -Ed Pg 3 Yaesu FT-7 Home Previous Next Now, try your hand at this month's offering: Many automakers had FWD (Forward Drive) lightweight trucks in their lineup during this pickup's era. Not many are on the road today...owing to the fact that they were so lightweight, they didn't stand up to very harsh road conditions or rough handling. The pickups were a delight to drive (If you could put up with their puny, underpowered engines [6 cyl.] OHV), as they simulated the Volkswagen Vans of the day. Some avante garde collectors are restoring these pickups....so you may spot one at auto shows & cruise-ins. (Email me if you know! ??? ??? ??? ??? Auto Trivia - [Last Month] Hardtops were the rage in the auto industry in the years following post-WW II when the discharged serviceman, after a few years of achieving financial security, wanted something a litle less staid and much more spiffier in their passion to enhance their own self-identity. A hardtop did the trick! If you guessed this 1953 Ford Crestliner Hardtop Convertible , you were right!

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