Author: THE-Collector

Greetings and welcome to both a new year and a new era for your club. (Current president Dave Perkins)

Presumably if you’re reading this you’re aware that we’ve now transitioned to doing more, including the newsletter, via our improved web site (kudos and thanks to David Fitkin for all of the work done on it). Doug, our long time newsletter editor (many thanks to him for doing that time consuming job too) has been posting notices of the change in the last few newsletters, but I’ve still had some indications that, for whatever reason, a few members do not realize that they no long will get either a direct email or, for those very few still getting one, a mailed hard copy of the newsletter. If you happen to hear from or know of a member that feels he or she has been dropped by the club, please direct them to the website.

2016 was a year that was much discussed for many reasons, For me, even though I’m now retired (and happy be be able to say so), it was a year filled with a lot of work on things other than our mutual hobby. I spent much of it through the fall (and way more money than I like to dwell on) working on my home and property with the objective of freeing up more time to pursue my hobbies. After dealing with some minor health issues and making my way through the holidays, I’m happy to report that a project I set aside a couple years ago, a 1955 Harmon-Kardon D1100 has made it’s way back to the front of my electronics work bench. I have aspirations of making this part of an all analog, hopefully all vacuum tube, audio system. But first I’ve got to get to the bottom of a problem with the FM section. As of this writing everything else works fine, AM & phono input (to be tied to a 78 RPM Zenith Cobra changer in my ‘new’ system), and line input all work fine. but the FM is as quiet as a morgue ….. I’ve exhausted the options I have troubleshooting it with a meter, ‘scope and regular RF signal generator (AM modulation only) that I have. I can tell that the FM local oscillator is tracking, but there I got stopped ……….. darn it! I need an FM signal generator – something I’ve never added to my test bench since 99% of the radios in my collection are AM / Shortwave only. Being a long time hobbyist of many interests (radios, general vintage electronics and cars, plus occasionally trying to avoid drowning while Scuba diving) I invoked one of the universal rules of hobbyists the world over: Never pass up a ‘good’ opportunity to buy a new tool. ……. So as soon as my new FM signal generator gets here, I’ll get back to it and hopefully be able to report back to you all next time.

In the meantime, it’s not too early to begin thinking about our next auction. Here again, we’re ‘thinking different’ this year and are shifting out advertising focus from print media (that, according to the informal poll I took at last year’s auction, isn’t working too well) to on-line promotion including on the various Facebook pages dedicated or related to antique radios. This is another way in which you all can help. If ever and how ever you engage in discussion of your antique radio hobby on line, please put the word and and be sure to mention that, unlike the past several years, the auction will be the last Saturday in April rather than the in early May due to a schedule conflict our auctioneer has.

Thanks to all for your continued participation, keep up the good work and please make use of the expanded capabilities of the club website.

’till next time

Dave Perkins