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Dream station of the 1950's: CE 100V, CE 600L, MM-2 and Collins 75A-4

W9DYV Boatanchor Field Day Builds Momentum at Dayton – Gains Nice Article in QST!

Once again we staked out our usual 3553/3754 flea market spot and met up with many old Central Electronics and Collins friends: Bob, WØYVA; George, W1LSB; Jerry, N4JL; Bob K9EID; Ted KN5O and many others. Although the print issue for June QST has not hit the mail boxes, many apparently are reading the digital version and were pleasantly surprised to find on page 70 the nice write up about Wes and the planned W9DYV Boatanchor Field Day and Swap Meet. Likewise Ray Osterwald was kind enough to mention this year’s event in the May issue of Electric Radio. Please stay tuned to next month’s Electric Radio issue as it will contain a great article about Wes, authored W1LSB.

Many people stopped by our flea market spot just for an eyeball QSO and to confirm plans for coming to operate Field Day with us at W9DYV’s QTH in June! We even received some telephone calls while dealing away at Dayton to say the same. This is shaping up to be a great event and we hope rekindles some of the adventure the OMs of the 1950s experienced with their tube-type rigs. Fortunately, the weather in eastern Tennessee is generally favorable in June (I can promise you it is hugely better than for hams operating Field Day anywhere in south Louisiana -- when the humidity is 90% and the highest wind gust is that felt from the wings of a hovering mosquito).

Please make plans soon to attend and call or email to reserve a spot. We want to accommodate all and are anticipating a spirited adventure!

73 Nick, K5EF

Photo of the 5th Annual SSB dinner, March, 1956. Can you spot Wes Schum?

Wes Schum (W9DYV) Boatanchor Field Day and Swap Meet

Attention Boatanchor aficionados: Your ship has come in!

Please join us for the first annual W9DYV Boatanchor Field Day. This June 22-23rd you have a rare opportunity and invitation to meet one of Ham Radio's single sideband pioneers, Wes Schum W9DYV. Wes was the founder of Central Electronics and introduced a complete system for hams to experiment with single sideband technology. In 1951, his Model 10A exciter helped this new technology take root in amateur circles and spawned downstream products such as the 10B, 20A and of course the incomparable Central Electronics 100V and 200V transmitters and the groundbreaking 600L Broadband Linear Amplifier.

Many of us enjoy restoring old gear and now we have the ideal event to operate our old vintage rigs. Get the soldering irons hot and get those old rigs purring and ready for some real action! The 23-acre meet site can accommodate 100+ cars for tailgating and we have ample room for tents and antennas or all sorts. Of course, all radio gear from the 1950s and 60s is welcome…if you can lift or haul it, bring it! Contact Nick Tusa, K5EF for more information. Please call (504-400-8873)to reserve your space ($5 per car or $20 per Field Day tent/antenna space).Food and soft drinks will be available, and BBQ pits are acceptable.

If you are looking for more civilized accommodations, stay on-site at the Storybrook Farm B&B. This is an event you don't want to miss. There will be discussions on how to properly restore and repair Central Electronics and other period radios from OMs such as George Maier (W1LSB); Nick K5EF and Bob Sullivan (WØYVA). The Chief OM himself, Wes Schum will be on hand to discuss his adventures building and marketing single sideband…of which there are many!

Get that old gear out of the shack, pack some flea market duds and gas up the jalopy. The Schum Family and Friends are looking forward to seeing you on the ARRL Field Day, June 22nd-23rd.

Place:

Storybrook Farm B&B (W9DYV)
693 N. Cherokee St.
Jonesborough, TN
Telephone: (423) 262-7995

This is what a SSB meet looked like circa 1950!