February 2024

The Superflex

A Publication of the Alabama Historical Radio Society February 2025

NOTE FROM PRESIDENT WAG

Members,

Apologies for the slight delay of this column, but can I blame it on a short month, ramp-up for BirmingHAMfest, or Mardi Gras…?

Mark your calendars!

This is the date and link for upcoming AHRS Business meeting to be held on Monday, Mar 24^th, 2025, at 7:00 PM. I will turn the meeting over to a deputy to take our annual trip to England, this time near Hadrian’s Wall. Should I ask AI to spin a story about radio during the Roman occupation of Britain AD 43 to AD 410?

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86330579924?pwd=ckZLWEJMb0V2ajhBUzh0S2liQnlmZz09

Meeting ID: 863 3057 9924
Passcode: 631140

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Several members are dealing with either personal or family health issues. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers..

The doctor is in!

Boyd Bailey’selectronics class will be on Saturday, March 8th, at 9:00 AM to avoid conflict with last weekend’s BirmingHamfest:
This Saturday, the subject matter will be the following:
1. Will pick up and finish a couple points on inductor coupling.
2. Will review two projects, with problems encountered and solutions. These will be the Emerson 578A (547A equivalent) - totally dead, and a shop Simpson 260 Series 6 - unable to zero the resistance scales.
I [Boyd B] think some pretty good troubleshooting points will be gleaned from these two cases!

The following link remains in effect:

Topic: AHRS Radio Restoration Class

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web..us/j/88180351990?pwd=N2lucjB3WVhtR05nTSs5S0xGcURadz09

The BirmingHAMfest was held this past Friday afternoon and Saturday. There was a reasonable turnout and we sold many of our items on our five tables. Let me thank the volunteers who helped prepare the items, loaded and transported them to and from the event, and those who manned the tables. Robert Cain brought a table-full of old radios and books, with proceeds being donated to AHRS. He also got restocked from the boneyard, so we will have to check whether, on balance, he added or subtracted from his personal collection…?

John Herndon diagnosing a radio is preparation for the hamfest. This is reminiscent of Dr. McCoy from Star Trek “He’s dead Jim (Wag)!”

Maurice Hill repairing a radio to be sold at the hamfest.

Another thank-you to Dave Cisco and Robert Cain who volunteered to present a forum on the history of BARC (Birmingham Amateur Radio Club), which has a very long legacy here in the city. Many of our members are also in BARC and have overlapping shared interests. By all measures, it was well-received and well-attended. We plan to keep the video presentation (thanks Ken Smith!) as part of our archives and make a copy available to BARC. In the process of preparing the talk, many photos and other documents were scanned that will become part of our collection.

Dave Cisco presenting the forum at the hamfest on the Birmingham Amateur Radio Club.

Early at the ‘Fest with Ray Giles speaking to a visitor and Grady Shook in the background, at Ray’s elbow.

Dave’s complete collection of ‘Fest buttons he’s attended over the decades here in Birmingham.

John Outland in front of the prize ticket barrel at the hamfest. He was in charge of selling admission ticket and extra door prize tickets for the event. Good Job!

Grady Shook selling items at the hamfest

One more “save the date” item – Legends of Broadcast is scheduled for Thursday, April 17^th, 2025, tentatively from mid-morning through lunch. Details to follow.

Another, and final, plug for 2025 dues payments; they remain a bargain at $25 annually. One may pay in person at the shop, by mail (PO Box 131418, Mountain Brook, AL 35213), or via PayPal on the website (alhrs.org). Thanks to all who’ve paid or will soon do so! From a broader perspective, we remain healthy financially.

Our Board is having its meeting (by invitation only) on Tuesday, April 22^nd2025. If any members have any item that should be considered for the agenda, let leadership know.

We hope to have an auctionlater in March or April but have not finalized a date or list of items.

The Signals Museum of Information Explosion opened to the public on Saturday March 1, 2025 in Huntsville, Alabama. https://signals-museum.org/plan-your-visit/ More detail can be found later in this newsletter.

In the way of donations, we received three Zenith TransOceanics which, along with a Silvertone similar model, were sold at the Hamfest. We also received a commemorative WSGN clock which is now hanging on one of our DJ studio walls.

The WSGN clock with the small red arrow at 11 pointing to its place on the wall where installed. We will report on the provenance of this clock is our next newsletter.

I have made real progress restoring the Heathkit VTVM donated by my friend from New Orleans. Changing both tubes, electrolytic cap, and general cleanup (including the battery holder), have gotten the unit closer to being functional.

Lastly, a bonus photo below. It is a newspaper article about the Birmingham Hamfest in 1971 and its officers. It should be legible below the photo, but the legend names two current AHRS long-term members and current Directors. The left arrow points to John Outland and the right, Dave Cisco (the arrows have nothing to do with hair). They appear largely unchanged today. I, on the other hand, was almost finished my USAR basic training at this time in May 1971 and currently look “age-appropriate”. By the way, Dave assembled all of the Heathkit equipment in the photograph, which was used as the Grand Prize for the hamfest

Thank you, gentlemen, for all you have done, and continue to do, for amateur radio and radio history, in general, in Alabama!

Respectfully submitted,

Wag

President, AHRS.com

Signals

Museum of Information Explosion

About the Museum

For several years the Society has maintained contact with Dr. Marcus Bendickson , the former CEO of a Huntsville, Alabama research and development company. His dream was to build a world class communications museum in the scientific Mecca, that is Huntsville, Alabama We were introduced to Dr. Bendirkson by Kyle Owen, a longtime member of AHRS, a graduate of the engineering school at Auburn University and an employee of Dr. Bendickson’s company. Through the efforts of all concerned, the Society donated my items of signicance in the field of communication to the museum. In the near future we hope to arrange a field trip to the museum with the possibility of a “behind the scenes” look at their operation.

According to their website :

SIGNALS is a communication technology museum located in Huntsville, Alabama. It provides a hands-on, immersive experience where guests can explore, interact, and learn about communication technologies throughout history. Visitors will leave the museum with more appreciation for the business leaders and inventors alike that have paved the way for the digital technologies we rely on today.

A Visionary Behind the Museum: Dr. Marcus Bendickson

SIGNALS Museum is the brainchild of Dr. Marcus Bendickson, a visionary leader and innovator in the field of engineering and technology. Dr. Bendickson’s impressive career includes working at Bell Laboratories and Teledyne Brown before joining Dynetics, Inc., where he played a pivotal role in transforming the company into the second-largest employee-owned firm in Alabama. His contributions to engineering and business have earned him numerous accolades, including being named Professional of the Year by IEEE (2002), his induction into the Alabama Engineering Hall of Fame (2007), and recognition in the Alabama Business Hall of Fame (2020).

Beyond his professional success, Dr. Bendickson is deeply involved in community service, serving on the boards of organizations such as the Alabama Policy Institute Advisory Board, the Huntsville Enrichment Center, and the Hudson Alpha Foundation. As vice-chair of the UAH Foundation Board of Trustees, he continues to shape the future of innovation in Huntsville. Now, his passion for technology and education is at the heart of his latest endeavor—bringing SIGNALS Museum to life.

SIGNALS – Museum of Information Explosion
1806 University Drive NW
Huntsville, AL 35801
256.857.1294

Home - SIGNALS - Museum of Information Explosion

Biography of Dave Johnson, Society Founding Member

David L. “Dave” Johnson, a long-time AHRS member, past president, and current Director, was born January 8, 1939, in Fairfield and grew up in Wylam, Alabama with some of his earliest memories being of World War II. Early on, he learned how important radio was to the adults around him, especially news and current events. He was interested, even then, in what was inside, especially since all his parents’ friends had large, impressive consoles. He tried to get behind them to enjoy the glow of tubes and smell, so that by age 7 or 8, people would give him old radios. Obtaining a small soldering iron, Dave took them apart and began to recognize their component parts. Someone gave him a radio with a minor problem ,which he was able to fix. So by 10 or 11, he was repairing small radios for other friends. A neighbor owned a radio shop from which he obtained more experience. After an uncle took an NRI course, he gave Dave the test instruments that came as part of the training. After his uncle’s sharing and listening to shortwave radio broadcast Dave’s interest in radio grew. His uncle also gave him him his first radio related publication, the March 1948 issue of Radio News, which Dave still has!

Dave then attended Ensley High School and took radio shop all four years, the last working at the local Sears & Roebuck Radio/TV shop. He also repaired car radios, stereo and audio equipment, wire & tape recorders, and early transistor radios.

The next chapter involves attending the University of Alabama to study electrical engineering, but he soon recognized that most engineers did not do what he wanted as a career. In Dave’s words, “I made an appointment with the Dean of the EE school and asked him a question about a transformer, which he could not answer. When I kept asking, he got angry and told me he did not have time for me! I never went back again and returned to radio/TV servicing, sometimes full-time, but part-time in my shop for years to follow.”

I joined the Army National Guard in 1957 at age 18. The unit was the 31^st signal company. It was part of the 31^st infantry (Dixie) division . I was in that unit until mid 1966 when the weekend drills interfered with my job. My M O S was electronic repairman. Our unit was responsible for all the electronic equipment in the division. I had the opportunity work on many different types equipment from the P R C 6 (walkie-talkie) to the B C _610 transmitter We also worked on radio teletype equipment.Telephone equipment was also our job. We had much better conditions than most infantrymen. We had a nice shop to work in and a truck to ride in instead of marching like the other soldiers did. We also avoided marching on parade day because we were in charge the sound system for the commanding general. The Commander wanted us nearby in case something went wrong. He did not like problems, fortunately nothing ever did. It was a good experience getting to work with all that equipment that most never see. I started collecting military radios soon after learning how to convert them to ham use. I would buy WW II surplus radios from Rogers Army / Navy store. Sometime ordering them from Fair Radio in Ohio. I now have a large collection of mostly WWII radios and some from my time in the military. The army offers many courses in radio / electronics. I took several.

In the mid-1960’s, Dave went into industrial electrical and electronic work at industrial plants in the area. In ‘69 he went to Continental Can Company as chief of electronics in the electrical department. The plant closed in 1979, and he started his business full-time, which did industrial and some commercial electrical and electronics work. His company did very little new construction, primarily serving on-demand installations of new equipment. It quickly became known as the one to call for the printing industry (from experience learned at Continental Can). Dave continues to do some electrical and electronic work and has the luxury of picking the jobs he wants.

To again quote Dave, “As I have known all along, the way that with very little formal training in radio and electronics, there is no doubt that my abilities are a gift from Almighty God! It has been a really great and long experience!”

Dave continues to work in the field, including (and especially!) volunteering with AHRS where he serves as one of our “grand masters” of radio and related electronics repair and expertise. His volunteerism in the Society spans roles in leadership, the history of radio in Alabama writ large, and the repair and restoration of legacy radios themselves. As a matter of personal observation let me (Wag) say that Dave embodies an unselfish willingness to help anyone who enters the Shop as a member or guest with a problem, question, or just curiosity. I also have observed his embrace of life-long learning and professionalism, especially when many of our vintage have become a bit fossilized. On behalf of the AHRS, I wish him many more years and the hope he’ll continue to share them with us.

Principal material from Dave Johnson, with minor editing and personal comments by Wag.

Alabama’s Original and Best Record & CD Show
The Alabama Record Collectors Association’s 44^th Annual Record & CD Show will be held on Friday, March 7^th and Saturday, March 8^th, 2025 at the Gardendale Civic Center at 857 Main Street in Gardendale, Alabama.

Quotes of the Month

“The chief function of the body is to carry the brain around” - Thomas Edison

“ The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits.” - Unknown

We meet every Saturday (unless a Holiday weekend) at 8:30 A.M. until around 11:30 A.M., at the one-story AHRS Shop at the corner of 8th Avenue North and 18th Street, (1801 8th Avenue North, Birmingham, AL 35203). Please use the rear (Southeast) entrance.

The Shop is open on Tuesdays at 8:30 A.M. until around 11:30 A.M. Note that parking can be a problem on Tuesdays, so you may have to find street parking occasionally.

Regular monthly members meetings are on the fourth Monday night starting at 7:00 PM with the Executive Meeting starting at 6:30 PM

Please come join us!

The electronics classes are generally on “Zoom” and “in-person” at the AHRS Shop, typically the first Saturday of each month (except when something special is taking place, then we agree on an alternative Saturday)

Check your emails for the schedule and how to participate.

We start from the beginning Ohms Law, inductors, resistor and Capacitors color codes, as well as what each component does within the radio circuits. We also teach how to use test equipment used in the repairing of radios. We teach troubleshooting radio troubles, as well as how to read a radio diagram.

Currently the class is studying advance topics relating to troubleshooting and project radio repair. We are retooling our website in hopes of archiving prior classes for those who may have missed a prior class. Email will provide timely details on date, topics & links.

There are coil winding classes, and one-on-one repair help. Come join these classes!

Membership dues are $25.00 a year, payable beginning in January. If you have questions about your dues, you can contact Treasurer Mike Woodruff at 205-823-7204. Dues can be mailed to AHRS at P.O. Box 131418, Birmingham, Alabama 35213 or paid on-line at https://alhrs.org

Be sure and check out our website at https://alhrs.org, which has copies of all newsletters from 2006 to the present (click on News), videos, photo galleries, museum, Old Time Radio columns, Projects, Reading Rooms, Archives, and Contact Information. Within the next few months we hope to update our website and add additional content and new capabilities

President – Richard “Wag” Waguespack

(205) 531-9528

drminims@aol.com

Vice President – Steven Westbrook

(205) 305-0679

spwestbro@bellsouth.net

Recording Secretary – Grady Shook

(205) 281-3007

gshook@bellsouth.net

Treasurer – Mike Woodruff

(205) 823-7204

woodruff_michael@hotmail.com