Great ham road trip. Visited the ARRL HQ.

[W1GUH]

Finally got there during tour hours. It was great! I'll add detail and pix later, but, in a nutshell, they're a great bunch of people. "Devoted Entirely to Amateur Radio" isn't just a slogan. It's of, by, and for hams and everyone exhibited the great ham spirit. Best part, of course, was W1AW. Again more detail later; but quickly, they've got three great studios for visitor operating and they LOVE for visitors to operate there and they pretty much leave you alone. I had a couple of contacts on 10. AND...there a vintage AM rig in the foyer -- Valiant and NC-303.

If you haven't yet...it's well worth the trip, regardless of membership or agreement or not with what they do. Even worth a vacation day or playing hooky. And it'd be a great part of a NE vacation if you're out of the area.

Spent last night in the Catskills, and driving there from Newington had a great QSO on 10 with a guy in Denver. We shared a lot of common interests and we yakked and yakked for over an hour.

73!

[W1GUH]

Link to a pic of the tour I was on. (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150350331527408&set=a.423090217407.201211.20069212407&type=3&theater)

[W1GUH]

The Viking II is for you, John! Being worked on in the ARRL Lab.


4790478747884791

[W1GUH]

Can only do 5/post.

4792

[ad4mg]

Finally got there during tour hours. It was great! I'll add detail and pix later, but, in a nutshell, they're a great bunch of people. "Devoted Entirely to Amateur Radio" isn't just a slogan. It's of, by, and for hams and everyone exhibited the great ham spirit. Best part, of course, was W1AW. Again more detail later; but quickly, they've got three great studios for visitor operating and they LOVE for visitors to operate there and they pretty much leave you alone. I had a couple of contacts on 10. AND...there a vintage AM rig in the foyer -- Valiant and NC-303.

If you haven't yet...it's well worth the trip, regardless of membership or agreement or not with what they do. Even worth a vacation day or playing hooky. And it'd be a great part of a NE vacation if you're out of the area.

Spent last night in the Catskills, and driving there from Newington had a great QSO on 10 with a guy in Denver. We shared a lot of common interests and we yakked and yakked for over an hour.

73!

Excellent! I'd love to sit at W1AW and operate one day. I'm sure what happens on the public side of ARRL HQ is vastly different from their politics that I so detest. Maybe one day ... :)

[W1GUH]

Excellent! I'd love to sit at W1AW and operate one day. I'm sure what happens on the public side of ARRL HQ is vastly different from their politics that I so detest. Maybe one day ... :)


"I'm sure what happens on the public side of ARRL HQ is vastly different from their politics that I so detest. "

The most important thing I learned up there! Exactly right.

[NQ6U]

Hey, you look like one o' them LSD-smoking hippies!

[W1GUH]

Moi?

[n2ize]

The Viking II is for you, John! Being worked on in the ARRL Lab.


4790478747884791

Yeah, my favorite "workhorse" transmitter. I was up a ARRL headquarters way back in the 1980's. We were heading down from Massachusetts. I met WA1MBK ,the "Mighty Belch King" (aka Master Jeff), (aka Mighty Big Kielbasa) while I was there. He was a well known AM'er that frequented 75 mietros. He did some of the antenna work for ARRL. He told us a shitload of funny stories about Timtron, Deerfield, and the great day's of AM exploits. He was a character, known for some of his Hi Fi belches. I remember one night some guy came on frequency, broke in and said that the belches are not appropriate for ham radio. Jeff broke in and said, "may I have the floor ?". We turned it over to him (as if he had to ask.). he turns on his transmitter, say's, "well I have just one response to that".... then gives the most awesome belch that ever graced 75 mietros AM. It was a classic moment.

[n2ize]

Can only do 5/post.

4792

For some reason I pictured you looking more like a beatnik.

[WØTKX]

Edgar Winter? ;)

[W1GUH]

That's about the third time I've heard that in the last month. Guess so?

BTW...the smiles are genuine. I really enjoyed the day. Guess it shows.

[NQ6U]

Moi?

Oui, vous. But it's okay—you merely look like one. I really was one back in the day.

[W1GUH]

For some reason I pictured you looking more like a beatnik.


Crazy, man.

[kc7jty]

Did you have to prove Morse proficiency to get in?

[W1GUH]

30 wpm, five minutes total, one minute solid copy. In front of a mean looking guy!

[W1GUH]

Should given this credit with the pix of moi...

Photo Credit: W1AW station manager Joe Carcia, NJ1Q.

Mil pardon.

[K7SGJ]

30 wpm, five minutes total, one minute solid copy. In front of a mean looking guy!

And walk up 5 flights of stairs barefoot to get to the studio, and up 5 flights of stairs barfoot to get back down to the lobby?

Thanks for the pix. I'd love to go there some day, but it's a long walk from the desert.

BTW Get a haircut.

[kc7jty]

My luck I'd go there and they'd be a great bunch of folks, softening all the evils I've heard about them.

[W1GUH]

And walk up 5 flights of stairs barefoot to get to the studio, and up 5 flights of stairs barfoot to get back down to the lobby?

Thanks for the pix. I'd love to go there some day, but it's a long walk from the desert.

BTW Get a haircut.

I did!

[K7SGJ]

I did!

Which one?

[WØTKX]

The short thin ones in front. :snicker:

[K7SGJ]

Who wants fat hair.

[W1GUH]

Damn, I KNEW I should taken a picture of it to prove I cut it. Ah, well, next time.

[W1GUH]

I forgot to add this warning....take heed.

Early in the tour you will be offered the opportunity to see the (shield your eyes if you're easily traumatized) Original Wouff Hong. [shiver] I may have been traumatized for life by that. But, as if THAT wasn't bad enough, it was right next to the original Rettysnitch!!!!!!!

Not for the faint of heart. I think I was prostrate on the floor a few minutes. I may sue!

[NQ6U]

NSFW!

http://www.arrl.org/images/view/TIS/History/Wouff_Hong.jpg

[W1GUH]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIE EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!