June 2021

Greetings to All

I am sure all of you are glad to start getting back to normal. The restrictions are still in place until July 6, for the museum per our landlord, Alabama Power Company; however attendance at the shop, with proper PPE has been good. On some days all work stations are being used. We are completing some jobs and returning them to their owners.

We picked up the remaining parts & equipment from the estate of Bill Shepherd. We also received several other donations this month, including one from Ernest Forbes, the son of the owner of Forbes Distributing Company, a well-known, historic electronics supply house here in Birmingham. Work continues every week triaging the donated radios and equipment and sorting through the donated parts.

As the donations have increased, plans are under way for another auction of the antique radio items. We have also received many items of amateur radio equipment & accessories. The plan it to take these items to the Huntsville Hamfest for sell on August 21, 2021. We need volunteers to help with the loading and transportation of this equipment to Huntsville. See Ray Giles or Tom Killian to volunteer. The only fly in the ointment of this plan is we are awaiting confirmation of our table reservation. The demand for space at this Hamfest has been huge, since it is the largest in the state and comes just after things are getting back to normal after the pandemic. We will keep you advised of developments.

We need additional contributors to this newsletter. Please consider writing an article about your favorite radio subject and submit it to us at ahrs2000@gmail.com.

The approximately 4’x7’ transparency of the WSGN Skycastle, we received as a donation, has now been framed and mounted on the wall above the Joe Dentici / WSGN control panel. We also received a decorative panel for Sparton Radio from member Harry Butler, which has also been mounted on the wall.

We are planning to reopen the shop and museum to full operations after the restrictions are lifted on July 6, 2021. To celebrate, we are planning a Grand Reopening on Saturday, July 10; 2021.The reopen will start at 8:30 AM. We hope everyone will come for the fellowship and pitch-in and help get the shop back to normal operation, We are having lunch catered by Full-Moon BBQ at 11:30 AM. I hope to see you there. That’s all for now.

See you at the shop!

Dave

Quote of the Month

Life is tough. It's tougher when you're stupid.

Ton Desaulniers, AHRS Member

More Happenings at AHRS

Additions to the AHRS Shop Museum

The Skycastle transparency mounted on the wall behind the Joe Dentici / WSGN control panel. (Photo bomb courtesy of Mr. Martin of APCO)

Decorative @1930 Sparton Radio shipping crate donated by member Harry Butler mounted on the wall

Regular Saturday meetings, suspended due to the coronavirus, will resume starting Saturday, July 10, 2021.

We meet every Saturday (unless a Holiday weekend) at 9:00 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). Birmingham, AL 35203). Use the rear (Southeast) entrance.

Regular Tuesday workshops, suspended due to the coronavirus, will resume starting Tuesday July 13, 2021.

The Shop is open on Tuesdays at 9:00 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 meetings, suspended due to the coronavirus, will restart soon. Stay tuned for email announcements.

We meet on the fourth Monday night of each month, too, at 7:00 p.m. Please come join us!

The electronics classes have moved to “Zoom”. Check your emails for schedule and How to participate.

One more great benefit from becoming a member of AHRS--free Electronic classes!

Classes are taught the first Saturday of each month (except when something special is taking place, then we agree on what Saturday).

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

Membership dues are $25 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 AL 35213 or paid on-line at https/www.alabamahistoricalradiosociety.org,

Be sure and check out our website at https/www.alabamahistoricalradiosociety.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