We start with the news that Friday last week Bob Elms VK6BE became a silent key, aged 94. Bob was a VK6 legend, a WIA Broadcast Officer from his home in Central Street, Kalamunda for many years, before he moved to Albany in 1971 His interest in amateur radio goes back to 1953 when he helped Kevin Westbrook VK6KO convert a Bendix TA12 to the amateur bands. With a background as a signals man in the army during WW2 with an interest in radio. He tells the story of hearing Mal Urquhart VK6MU in 1948 the first signals after the enforced silence during the war. Bob used to broadcast the news on 40m with a 400 watt AM transmitter. During the news the family couldn't use any electric appliances, toasters, electric kettle etc. because the main fuse to the house would blow. At that time the news was broadcast on 80m SSB, 40m AM. There were retransmissions on 160m, 20m, 6m and 2m, so the spectrum was well covered, more than 50 years ago. If you'd like to read more about some of Bob's adventures, including fox-hunts with prams and pocket foxes in trains, I've added a link to the vk6.net homepage. It's well worth a read. Bob Elms, VK6BE, silent key |