WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.640 This episode of HamTalk Live is brought to you 00:00:02.640 --> 00:00:06.019 by Tower Electronics. For connectors, cables, 00:00:06.240 --> 00:00:12.960 and more, call 920 -435 -2973 or visit pl -259 00:00:12.960 --> 00:00:17.640 .com. And by ICOM, heard it, worked it, logged 00:00:17.640 --> 00:00:22.859 it. Visit www .icomamerica .com slash amateur 00:00:22.859 --> 00:00:31.980 for more information about ICOM radios. Here 00:00:31.980 --> 00:00:37.700 we go, welcome to Hamtop Life Call in, let's 00:00:37.700 --> 00:00:42.200 talk, Neil's your guy Hamtop Life, here we go 00:00:42.200 --> 00:00:59.670 on Hamtop Good evening everyone, it's HamTalk 00:00:59.670 --> 00:01:04.730 Live, episode number 245, The Voice of America 00:01:04.730 --> 00:01:09.030 Museum Virtual Tours Stories from Bethany Station, 00:01:09.129 --> 00:01:13.530 recorded live on Thursday, February 4th, 2021. 00:01:13.730 --> 00:01:18.149 I'm your host, Neil Rapp, my call sign. Thanks 00:01:18.149 --> 00:01:22.650 for tuning in to another episode of HamTalk Live. 00:01:22.750 --> 00:01:26.049 Tonight we're joined by Jack Dominick, the executive 00:01:26.049 --> 00:01:29.010 director of the National Voice of America Museum 00:01:29.010 --> 00:01:32.909 of Broadcasting. and we'll take your calls live 00:01:32.909 --> 00:01:36.569 in a little while. Last week, Dr. Scott Wright, 00:01:36.650 --> 00:01:40.150 KZeroMD was here to talk about COVID research 00:01:40.150 --> 00:01:43.590 results for hams. He gave us an update on his 00:01:43.590 --> 00:01:49.420 convalescent plasma study and how hams Helped 00:01:49.420 --> 00:01:51.980 out with that study So if you missed that show 00:01:51.980 --> 00:01:55.260 you can listen anytime at ham talk live comm 00:01:55.260 --> 00:01:59.060 or on your favorite podcast app Or on YouTube 00:01:59.060 --> 00:02:02.379 or you can catch the rebroadcast of ham talk 00:02:02.379 --> 00:02:09.099 live on WTWW that's 5085 a .m. Saturday afternoons 00:02:09.289 --> 00:02:12.569 at about 3 30 p .m eastern time well again uh 00:02:12.569 --> 00:02:15.990 several announcements here uh the am rally is 00:02:15.990 --> 00:02:22.919 this weekend so get on am 160 80 40 20 15 10 00:02:22.919 --> 00:02:28.500 and 6 meters and that starts actually tomorrow 00:02:28.500 --> 00:02:34.159 night 7 p .m. Eastern which is zero hundred UTC 00:02:34.159 --> 00:02:39.240 And then it runs through 2 a .m. On Monday, which 00:02:39.240 --> 00:02:48.800 is 700 UTC on Monday So just get on a am on any 00:02:48.800 --> 00:02:53.060 radio, whether it's vintage or the new fancy 00:02:53.060 --> 00:02:59.139 stuff, and get on and talk on AM. Next weekend, 00:02:59.460 --> 00:03:04.240 Orlando Hamcation's special edition. will be 00:03:04.240 --> 00:03:07.840 taking place from 10 until 4 Eastern Time at 00:03:07.840 --> 00:03:10.659 hamcation .com. You can sign up for the webinars. 00:03:11.319 --> 00:03:16.840 They will also have their QSO party on that day, 00:03:17.080 --> 00:03:21.379 Saturday the 13th, from 10 until 10, from 10 00:03:21.379 --> 00:03:24.750 a .m. to 10 p .m. Eastern Time. on saturday the 00:03:24.750 --> 00:03:26.750 13th and the webinars will take place on the 00:03:26.750 --> 00:03:30.150 13th and the 14th so make sure you check that 00:03:30.150 --> 00:03:33.150 out and then also coming up in the future march 00:03:33.150 --> 00:03:37.530 13th and 14th uh the qso today ham expo will 00:03:37.530 --> 00:03:41.270 return early bird tickets are ten dollars They've 00:03:41.270 --> 00:03:44.969 just added air meet to facilitate some more interaction 00:03:44.969 --> 00:03:48.849 what this does is it? Provides a virtual lounge 00:03:48.849 --> 00:03:52.909 with tables and chairs to do live video a hallway 00:03:52.909 --> 00:03:57.669 meetup so you can visit with people and The exhibitors 00:03:57.669 --> 00:04:01.370 will have some demos and answer questions and 00:04:01.370 --> 00:04:05.669 take orders with the live video and There'll 00:04:05.669 --> 00:04:07.870 be some lounges scattered throughout just to 00:04:07.870 --> 00:04:12.169 go Talk with people so if you're interested in 00:04:12.169 --> 00:04:17.029 the virtual ham expo Early bird tickets are $10 00:04:17.029 --> 00:04:20.509 Alright, well get your questions ready to go 00:04:20.509 --> 00:04:22.810 if you're listening to us live on Thursday night 00:04:22.810 --> 00:04:26.170 You can call us after the interview by telephone. 00:04:26.430 --> 00:04:29.089 I'll give you the number so you can have it handy 00:04:29.089 --> 00:04:31.589 It's not time to call just yet, but we'll give 00:04:31.589 --> 00:04:33.829 you the phone number and we'll do that several 00:04:33.829 --> 00:04:35.970 times throughout the evening It's eight five 00:04:35.970 --> 00:04:48.930 nine 9 8 2 73 73 again 8 5 9 9 8 2 73 73 you 00:04:48.930 --> 00:04:51.829 can also tweet us it's at ham talk live on Twitter 00:04:51.829 --> 00:04:54.410 if you're listening to us on the speaker you 00:04:54.410 --> 00:04:57.029 can type in the comments and I'll be checking 00:04:57.029 --> 00:04:59.569 those throughout the evening as well and I'll 00:04:59.569 --> 00:05:02.269 be back with Jack right after this word from 00:05:02.269 --> 00:05:05.709 tower electronics right here on ham talk live 00:05:07.879 --> 00:05:10.959 Jerry, what's up, man? I haven't seen you at 00:05:10.959 --> 00:05:13.560 Sunbucks in a while. I used to see you every 00:05:13.560 --> 00:05:17.040 morning getting coffee. What's up? Well, I can't 00:05:17.040 --> 00:05:20.139 afford Sunbucks five days a week anymore. I had 00:05:20.139 --> 00:05:23.899 to spend my money on PL -259s. You know, those 00:05:23.899 --> 00:05:26.600 antenna projects I've been meaning to do. I had 00:05:26.600 --> 00:05:29.860 to do them before my HOA finds out I have antennas. 00:05:30.779 --> 00:05:33.259 That's too bad, Jerry. I miss seeing you and 00:05:33.259 --> 00:05:35.649 catching up over coffee. You should get your 00:05:35.649 --> 00:05:39.089 PL -259s from Tower Electronics. They have great 00:05:39.089 --> 00:05:47.589 stuff. Jerry, you're back. Oh, QRM Heterodyne 00:05:47.589 --> 00:05:50.670 Frappuccino. That's a good choice. How's it going? 00:05:51.089 --> 00:05:53.170 Did you get all those antennas up before the 00:05:53.170 --> 00:05:56.910 HOA police showed up? Yeah, I got them all done. 00:05:57.430 --> 00:05:59.490 Thanks for telling me about Tower Electronics. 00:05:59.850 --> 00:06:02.660 Now I can have my coffee. I just saved a bunch 00:06:02.660 --> 00:06:06.740 of money on my PL259s by switching to Tower Electronics. 00:06:07.100 --> 00:06:10.240 Don't get caught without PL259s. Visit Tower 00:06:10.240 --> 00:06:14.939 Electronics online at pl -259 .com or at a ham 00:06:14.939 --> 00:06:18.980 fest near you. Or give them a call at 920 -435 00:06:18.980 --> 00:06:22.540 -2973 and be sure to pick up some power poles, 00:06:22.779 --> 00:06:27.089 adapters and cables too. Right now, you could 00:06:27.089 --> 00:06:30.290 be taking a de -expedition to North Korea and 00:06:30.290 --> 00:06:33.089 work the pileup of the century. But instead, 00:06:33.430 --> 00:06:36.370 you've decided to listen to HamTalk Live. We 00:06:36.370 --> 00:06:39.389 thank you. And now, here's Neil Rapp with more 00:06:39.389 --> 00:06:55.870 of the show. Welcome back to HamTalk Live, thanks 00:06:55.870 --> 00:06:59.629 to Tower Electronics for sponsoring the show. 00:07:00.329 --> 00:07:04.029 They are planning on being at Dalton, Georgia, 00:07:04.430 --> 00:07:07.029 assuming that that ham fest is still going on 00:07:07.029 --> 00:07:10.790 February 27th, but you can visit them anytime 00:07:10.790 --> 00:07:17.680 online at PL -259 .com. Well, welcome back to 00:07:17.680 --> 00:07:20.139 HamTalk Live. Tonight, Jack Dominick joins us 00:07:20.139 --> 00:07:22.980 on the Orlando Amateur Radio Club and hamcation 00:07:22.980 --> 00:07:27.399 Zoom line. Jack is the executive director. of 00:07:27.399 --> 00:07:30.319 the National Voice of America Museum of Broadcasting 00:07:30.319 --> 00:07:34.120 in Westchester, Ohio. Jack worked for 37 years 00:07:34.120 --> 00:07:39.199 at PBS station WCET TV, doing everything from 00:07:39.199 --> 00:07:41.920 station manager to executive vice president, 00:07:42.139 --> 00:07:45.480 chief operating officer, tech blog writer, and 00:07:45.480 --> 00:07:48.500 marketing director. And now he's working full 00:07:48.500 --> 00:07:51.160 time to keep the stories from the Voice of America 00:07:51.160 --> 00:07:54.769 Bethany station alive and well. for generations 00:07:54.769 --> 00:07:57.370 to come. So Jack, thank you for being on the 00:07:57.370 --> 00:08:01.389 show tonight. Oh, Neil, it is a pleasure. It's 00:08:01.389 --> 00:08:03.870 always great to talk about the voice of America. 00:08:05.209 --> 00:08:08.949 Well, I really enjoy the museum and I enjoy seeing 00:08:08.949 --> 00:08:11.750 you over there when I can. It seems like it's 00:08:11.750 --> 00:08:14.870 been forever with all this COVID stuff going 00:08:14.870 --> 00:08:20.970 on. But I just just fell in love with the place 00:08:20.970 --> 00:08:24.970 and we've been sharing a lot of things about 00:08:24.970 --> 00:08:28.649 it on this show from time to time and and I was 00:08:28.649 --> 00:08:33.070 really You know encouraged to see some emails 00:08:33.070 --> 00:08:36.789 here recently Because you know the doors have 00:08:36.789 --> 00:08:40.450 been closed for a lot of the past year not all 00:08:40.450 --> 00:08:44.580 of it but for a lot of it and There was already 00:08:44.580 --> 00:08:48.019 some talk, I know, of heading in a more virtual 00:08:48.019 --> 00:08:52.519 direction. And being closed just kind of made 00:08:52.519 --> 00:08:56.860 that a little more important. So this new video 00:08:56.860 --> 00:09:00.379 series allows people to visit the museum that, 00:09:00.379 --> 00:09:02.940 you know, can't visit the museum right now because 00:09:02.940 --> 00:09:06.360 it's closed, but may not be able to ever visit 00:09:06.360 --> 00:09:09.460 because of the distance. So tell us a little 00:09:09.460 --> 00:09:14.529 bit about this series and exactly why this video 00:09:14.529 --> 00:09:17.129 series is being done for these virtual tours. 00:09:18.269 --> 00:09:20.750 Well, thanks. We were going to do the tours, 00:09:21.029 --> 00:09:24.629 the video tours anyway, but as you said, with 00:09:24.629 --> 00:09:30.289 the COVID situation, we've had to be closed with 00:09:30.289 --> 00:09:34.149 a majority of, well, all of this year so far 00:09:34.149 --> 00:09:37.600 and a great part of last year, obviously. And 00:09:37.600 --> 00:09:40.220 that's due to a couple things. First of all, 00:09:40.600 --> 00:09:43.360 we're essentially an all -volunteer organization. 00:09:43.519 --> 00:09:46.500 I'm the only guy that gets money to be there. 00:09:47.559 --> 00:09:52.320 Everybody is a volunteer. And, you know, all 00:09:52.320 --> 00:09:55.799 of our tour guides, our docents are volunteers. 00:09:56.259 --> 00:10:00.340 And many of those folks are retired. And it's 00:10:00.340 --> 00:10:04.899 not at all surprising that you know you don't 00:10:04.899 --> 00:10:07.360 want to be out in a crowd of people at a museum 00:10:07.360 --> 00:10:13.279 if you can help it. So the video series is really 00:10:13.279 --> 00:10:16.980 was always on our mind to to to just kind of 00:10:16.980 --> 00:10:20.820 give little we try to keep them as short three 00:10:20.820 --> 00:10:24.600 minutes max maybe three and a half minutes. of 00:10:24.600 --> 00:10:29.720 one element, maybe it's a display or a person 00:10:29.720 --> 00:10:35.500 or something about the museum that may be interesting 00:10:35.500 --> 00:10:39.600 and also can be be told in a very short time. 00:10:40.019 --> 00:10:45.620 So we started off and we've got two that have 00:10:45.620 --> 00:10:48.620 been, we're doing them about twice a month, first 00:10:48.620 --> 00:10:50.440 part of the month and the middle of the month. 00:10:51.120 --> 00:10:55.899 So just last Monday We released one and we will 00:10:55.899 --> 00:10:58.460 release another one toward the middle of February 00:10:58.460 --> 00:11:03.440 and keep going that way to a month. But the videos 00:11:03.440 --> 00:11:08.399 are not meant to replace a visit, although, you 00:11:08.399 --> 00:11:11.139 know, I guess if you watched enough of them, 00:11:11.139 --> 00:11:13.419 eventually we'll get to most of the exhibits. 00:11:14.519 --> 00:11:19.299 But as you said, Neil, the Voice of America Bethany 00:11:19.299 --> 00:11:24.149 Station just north of Cincinnati, is perhaps, 00:11:24.629 --> 00:11:32.070 well, not perhaps, it is perhaps the most important 00:11:32.070 --> 00:11:37.330 historical record of the voice of the voice of 00:11:37.330 --> 00:11:42.750 America, which was and is still very, very important 00:11:42.750 --> 00:11:46.070 to many millions of people around the world. 00:11:47.909 --> 00:11:50.850 And we've got some cool stories we want to talk 00:11:50.850 --> 00:11:54.049 about how important that is to people around 00:11:54.049 --> 00:11:57.049 the world. We'll do that here in a little bit. 00:11:57.590 --> 00:12:01.309 But if people want to tune in and watch these 00:12:01.309 --> 00:12:05.629 videos, how do they do that? How do they go on 00:12:05.629 --> 00:12:08.730 a virtual tour? It's pretty simple. You just 00:12:08.730 --> 00:12:16.129 go to our website, which is easy, voamuseum .org. 00:12:16.809 --> 00:12:20.750 and right up at the top one of the things visit 00:12:20.750 --> 00:12:23.929 the museum and you'll click on that and we're 00:12:23.929 --> 00:12:28.830 going to library them as we as we put them out 00:12:28.830 --> 00:12:32.830 also if you are on our mailing list and many 00:12:32.830 --> 00:12:37.509 of your listeners perhaps are each month you'll 00:12:37.509 --> 00:12:39.730 get a notice that there's a video and actually 00:12:39.730 --> 00:12:42.350 we give you a link so you don't even have to 00:12:42.360 --> 00:12:46.440 go to the website. If you're interested in getting 00:12:46.440 --> 00:12:52.620 on our email list, really simple, just go to 00:12:52.620 --> 00:12:54.820 the website and there's an area where it says 00:12:54.820 --> 00:12:57.480 contact and you just fill in your name and we'll 00:12:57.480 --> 00:13:01.360 add you to the list. Yeah, that's where I saw 00:13:01.360 --> 00:13:06.049 them. I knew they were coming, but I knew they 00:13:06.049 --> 00:13:09.549 were out when the emails arrived. So it's always 00:13:09.549 --> 00:13:13.809 good to sign up for that and be able to get notice 00:13:13.809 --> 00:13:17.289 that, hey, a new one is up and running. So give 00:13:17.289 --> 00:13:20.509 it a little bit of an idea to folks out there 00:13:20.509 --> 00:13:26.269 listening. Why was this important? Why should 00:13:26.269 --> 00:13:29.309 they go out and watch these videos if you had 00:13:29.309 --> 00:13:36.789 to twist somebody's arm? Well, I think to understand 00:13:36.789 --> 00:13:41.649 the the impact of the voice of America You know 00:13:41.649 --> 00:13:44.970 a lot of people Don't know anything about the 00:13:44.970 --> 00:13:47.750 voice of America. You know that that shouldn't 00:13:47.750 --> 00:13:52.629 be surprising Because it wasn't for us It wasn't 00:13:52.629 --> 00:13:56.669 aimed at us. And as you know, and your listeners 00:13:56.669 --> 00:14:00.789 know, perhaps better than most, shortwave radio 00:14:00.789 --> 00:14:03.610 in the United States, unlike the rest of the 00:14:03.610 --> 00:14:09.970 world, really never took off except for the hobbyist 00:14:09.970 --> 00:14:16.230 area. But the voice of America's impact around 00:14:16.230 --> 00:14:21.200 the world can't be understated. And some of the 00:14:21.200 --> 00:14:24.220 stories we're talking about, for instance, the 00:14:24.220 --> 00:14:29.019 first video that we put out was on the Wolfson 00:14:29.019 --> 00:14:32.000 Fonger. How do you like that? My German isn't 00:14:32.000 --> 00:14:37.059 all that very good. But the Wolfson Fonger was 00:14:37.059 --> 00:14:41.299 a radio. Now, your listeners will all remember 00:14:41.299 --> 00:14:46.340 from their study of history that Hitler and Goebbels 00:14:46.340 --> 00:14:50.549 and all of those folks had a keen understanding 00:14:50.549 --> 00:14:55.049 of the importance of propaganda. And Goebbels 00:14:55.049 --> 00:14:59.750 is quoted as saying the radio is going to be 00:14:59.750 --> 00:15:04.129 extremely and the dominant source of information. 00:15:04.629 --> 00:15:10.830 He was well ahead of the curve. So they embraced 00:15:10.830 --> 00:15:15.960 radio, but they were also afraid of radio. Radio, 00:15:15.980 --> 00:15:19.519 as you know, doesn't have fences, or at least 00:15:19.519 --> 00:15:23.379 not easily fenced in or fenced out. But what 00:15:23.379 --> 00:15:25.980 they did is they developed a radio called the 00:15:25.980 --> 00:15:28.700 Bolzenfanker, and they did a couple things. First 00:15:28.700 --> 00:15:31.899 of all, they made sure that it was affordable. 00:15:33.100 --> 00:15:36.440 Now radios back then, now we're in the late 30s, 00:15:36.620 --> 00:15:41.580 early 40s, they were expensive. So they made 00:15:41.580 --> 00:15:44.590 them inexpensive. And one of the ways they did 00:15:44.590 --> 00:15:49.610 that is they made them not very sensitive so 00:15:49.610 --> 00:15:54.549 that they were unable to pick up BBC or later 00:15:54.549 --> 00:15:58.710 on the Voice of America or almost any other Western 00:15:58.710 --> 00:16:04.990 radio station. Now, during this period, the Nazis 00:16:04.990 --> 00:16:16.049 had 68, 68 radio stations in Germany, constantly 00:16:16.049 --> 00:16:22.649 beaming out Hitler's fake news. And into the 00:16:22.649 --> 00:16:30.669 Bolzenfanger. So the Bolzenfanger, perhaps, but 00:16:30.669 --> 00:16:33.570 not perhaps, is the reason that Voice of America 00:16:33.570 --> 00:16:37.330 was created. Because President Roosevelt says, 00:16:37.909 --> 00:16:42.019 you know, they're doing one heck of a job. getting 00:16:42.019 --> 00:16:45.100 their message out. Not a good message, but they're 00:16:45.100 --> 00:16:47.840 doing a darn good job of getting it out. What 00:16:47.840 --> 00:16:51.840 can we do? And that's what prompted his idea 00:16:51.840 --> 00:16:56.080 of building out high -power radio transmitters 00:16:56.080 --> 00:16:59.879 here in the United States capable of putting 00:16:59.879 --> 00:17:04.400 signals into Europe, North Africa, and South 00:17:04.400 --> 00:17:07.140 America. South America was extremely important, 00:17:07.380 --> 00:17:11.279 if you remember your history. Hitler kept saying, 00:17:11.279 --> 00:17:14.519 you know, if we we rile people up in the South 00:17:14.519 --> 00:17:17.079 America, maybe the Americans will pay more attention 00:17:17.079 --> 00:17:19.140 down there and pay no attention to what's going 00:17:19.140 --> 00:17:21.920 on in Europe. That was that was one of the things 00:17:21.920 --> 00:17:25.700 he was trying to do. But anyway, so that the 00:17:25.700 --> 00:17:30.660 Bolsenfanger that radio spawned the whole concept 00:17:30.660 --> 00:17:33.940 of the voice of America and ultimately Bethany 00:17:33.940 --> 00:17:37.690 Station, because Bethany Station. where the museum 00:17:37.690 --> 00:17:41.630 is, was the first transmission facility for the 00:17:41.630 --> 00:17:44.789 Voice of America. Now, a lot of people will say, 00:17:44.869 --> 00:17:46.670 they study their history, and they say, wait 00:17:46.670 --> 00:17:48.670 a minute, didn't the Voice of America start in 00:17:48.670 --> 00:17:52.630 1942, but you didn't build the building and get 00:17:52.630 --> 00:17:56.569 on the air until 4044. Well, the answer to that 00:17:56.569 --> 00:18:01.089 is yes. But if you've been to the Bethany Station, 00:18:01.650 --> 00:18:03.829 and Neil, you know what is down the street, don't 00:18:03.829 --> 00:18:09.029 you? Oh, I do. Yes, that's beautiful beautiful 00:18:09.029 --> 00:18:15.470 tower. That's right. And that tower was WLW Now 00:18:15.470 --> 00:18:19.509 across the street from that tower that was not 00:18:19.509 --> 00:18:24.109 that's not there any longer was some other towers 00:18:24.109 --> 00:18:28.900 some Rhombics and We all, or many of your listeners, 00:18:29.079 --> 00:18:33.240 will recognize WLW as the AM powerhouse that 00:18:33.240 --> 00:18:36.140 Crosley, Powell Crosley, built in Cincinnati, 00:18:36.779 --> 00:18:41.140 and at one time operated at 500 ,000 watts, making 00:18:41.140 --> 00:18:46.319 it the most powerful AM station legally operating. 00:18:48.119 --> 00:18:52.279 I must say. And by the way, let me interject 00:18:52.279 --> 00:18:56.849 this real quick too. Don't get any ideas, folks, 00:18:56.930 --> 00:19:02.569 about the AM rally this weekend. 1 ,500 watts 00:19:02.569 --> 00:19:05.410 is the max. Sorry. Had to throw that in there. 00:19:06.069 --> 00:19:08.450 I do have this transmitter down in the basement. 00:19:11.450 --> 00:19:14.670 I could be bought. I'm not sure I want to pay 00:19:14.670 --> 00:19:17.809 the electric bill, though. But anyway, across 00:19:17.809 --> 00:19:26.619 the street was WLWO. Roosevelt decided he wanted 00:19:26.619 --> 00:19:30.920 to build transmitters that could reach those 00:19:30.920 --> 00:19:34.259 Europe, especially. A lot of folks said it couldn't 00:19:34.259 --> 00:19:38.619 be done except this guy in Cincinnati said, well, 00:19:39.059 --> 00:19:43.059 we're already doing it. Crosley was already operating 00:19:43.059 --> 00:19:52.380 WLWO shortwave and sending a programming to Europe. 00:19:54.079 --> 00:20:01.019 So the first broadcasts of Voice of America were 00:20:01.019 --> 00:20:04.140 not from Bethany Station, but they were from 00:20:04.140 --> 00:20:08.339 a tower about half a mile away. Bethany Station, 00:20:08.359 --> 00:20:13.579 of course, wasn't finished yet. So these are 00:20:13.579 --> 00:20:19.660 the... Go ahead. And I remember... Oh, okay. 00:20:19.819 --> 00:20:24.859 We're doubling here. I remember, you know, the 00:20:24.859 --> 00:20:28.640 Bethany station being That place that we drove 00:20:28.640 --> 00:20:32.539 by going to the Dayton Hamvention on 75 that 00:20:32.539 --> 00:20:37.039 had miles and miles of wires strung out and your 00:20:37.039 --> 00:20:43.160 AM radio would like just go nuts. It would just 00:20:43.160 --> 00:20:45.799 desense the radio so bad that you couldn't hear 00:20:45.799 --> 00:20:50.579 anything on any frequency and that was it. But 00:20:50.579 --> 00:20:53.779 you know, there are these stories like this that 00:20:54.839 --> 00:20:58.559 You know still have some some meaning and and 00:20:58.559 --> 00:21:02.799 you can come in and see all of these things and 00:21:02.799 --> 00:21:07.259 learn about them at the museum What is what is 00:21:07.259 --> 00:21:13.299 I think really? It's very emotional we get people 00:21:13.299 --> 00:21:15.700 At the museum when we're open and we'll be hopefully 00:21:15.700 --> 00:21:18.799 they'd be back open in the spring People come 00:21:18.799 --> 00:21:20.920 to Cincinnati and then they find out wait a minute 00:21:21.200 --> 00:21:23.619 Isn't that where Bethany station, you know, these 00:21:23.619 --> 00:21:26.759 people coming from other countries We'll have 00:21:26.759 --> 00:21:29.220 people walking in the front door with tears in 00:21:29.220 --> 00:21:32.799 their eyes And they'll each of them relates a 00:21:32.799 --> 00:21:35.839 different story, you know, I listened You know 00:21:35.839 --> 00:21:39.500 in my grandfather's attic because we weren't 00:21:39.500 --> 00:21:42.579 allowed to listen The government wouldn't allow 00:21:42.579 --> 00:21:45.440 us to listen where that's where I learned English 00:21:45.440 --> 00:21:48.859 or that's why I learned that I wanted to move 00:21:48.859 --> 00:21:52.660 to the United States The stories are amazing. 00:21:52.960 --> 00:21:55.140 There's some really emotional ones and there's 00:21:55.140 --> 00:22:00.099 some funny ones as well. Let's talk about one 00:22:00.099 --> 00:22:03.119 of those because you've got the blanket radio 00:22:03.119 --> 00:22:08.660 video and some of the stories that I know that 00:22:08.660 --> 00:22:13.180 I've heard from docents of people coming in and 00:22:13.180 --> 00:22:15.940 saying, you know, I had one of those blanket 00:22:15.940 --> 00:22:21.420 radios. That was the only way that we had any 00:22:21.420 --> 00:22:26.039 kind of news. So talk about some of those stories 00:22:26.039 --> 00:22:29.920 of people coming in. That's exactly like the 00:22:29.920 --> 00:22:33.099 video that we just released. It's called the 00:22:33.099 --> 00:22:36.799 under the blanket radio. And what that means, 00:22:37.539 --> 00:22:39.920 I guess it's been about four years. You know, 00:22:39.920 --> 00:22:42.980 I was sitting in the office And a gentleman and 00:22:42.980 --> 00:22:45.940 his wife came to the front door and knocked on 00:22:45.940 --> 00:22:48.180 the door during the week. We weren't open during 00:22:48.180 --> 00:22:50.240 that time, but I went down and I greeted him 00:22:50.240 --> 00:22:52.200 and I said, I'm sorry, we're not open right now. 00:22:52.200 --> 00:22:54.079 We'll be open this weekend. He said, no, no, 00:22:54.079 --> 00:22:56.339 no, no, no. I don't want to see the museum. I 00:22:56.339 --> 00:22:58.700 want to give you something. And he presented 00:22:58.700 --> 00:23:06.700 me with a plastic radio, transistor radio that 00:23:06.700 --> 00:23:10.140 he purchased when he lived in Ukraine. He and 00:23:10.140 --> 00:23:13.339 his wife. were Ukrainian, they had since moved 00:23:13.339 --> 00:23:17.819 to the United States. And it was a pretty standard 00:23:17.819 --> 00:23:19.940 radio. I mean, you probably have one in your 00:23:19.940 --> 00:23:22.740 garage you listen to the baseball game on. Nothing 00:23:22.740 --> 00:23:27.599 special. In fact, it was kind of beat up. And 00:23:27.599 --> 00:23:30.859 he could tell from my expression that, Neil, 00:23:30.859 --> 00:23:33.019 you've been to our facility, we don't need another 00:23:33.019 --> 00:23:39.240 radio. Yeah. We have a few. Yeah, we have a few. 00:23:39.960 --> 00:23:43.579 Then he said, you don't understand. And then 00:23:43.579 --> 00:23:45.880 he relates this story. He said, I bought this 00:23:45.880 --> 00:23:49.779 radio when we lived in Ukraine. It was manufactured 00:23:49.779 --> 00:23:54.539 in the Soviet Union during the cold war. And 00:23:54.539 --> 00:23:58.480 it was designed such that it didn't have the 00:23:58.480 --> 00:24:03.200 capacity to listen. Remember the, uh, the, uh, 00:24:03.319 --> 00:24:07.799 Wolfson Fonger. It didn't have the capacity to, 00:24:07.799 --> 00:24:11.140 to pick up. easily the Voice of America or any 00:24:11.140 --> 00:24:15.579 Western station. He said, uh, then he had this 00:24:15.579 --> 00:24:18.720 gleam in his eye and he said, but I knew a guy 00:24:18.720 --> 00:24:22.700 and his wife relates that there was a gentleman 00:24:22.700 --> 00:24:25.240 in their village who rewired all these radios 00:24:25.240 --> 00:24:29.599 for people so they could listen. And she said, 00:24:29.619 --> 00:24:31.900 we called them the under the blanket radio because 00:24:31.900 --> 00:24:35.160 you weren't allowed to listen to Western broadcast, 00:24:35.420 --> 00:24:38.769 especially the Voice of America. But Felix says 00:24:38.769 --> 00:24:41.230 that's the only place we would ever find what 00:24:41.230 --> 00:24:45.730 was really going on. And another guy came in 00:24:45.730 --> 00:24:47.990 one time and he said, yeah, in the Soviet Union, 00:24:48.269 --> 00:24:50.650 airplanes never crash. Crops are always good. 00:24:51.589 --> 00:24:59.589 Yeah. But I mean, there are just tons of emotional 00:24:59.589 --> 00:25:02.609 stories. And then your story about driving to 00:25:02.609 --> 00:25:05.089 Dayton and losing, you know, your radio and all 00:25:05.089 --> 00:25:08.279 of that. I mean, There are so many funny stories. 00:25:08.339 --> 00:25:14.119 We had a gentleman come in the museum probably 00:25:14.119 --> 00:25:17.940 in September, I guess we were open. He was from 00:25:17.940 --> 00:25:21.000 across the street from Bethany Station. He went 00:25:21.000 --> 00:25:24.400 to the church over there. That church was built 00:25:24.400 --> 00:25:26.819 when Bethany Station was still in operation. 00:25:28.420 --> 00:25:31.220 When they were building the church, the engineers 00:25:31.220 --> 00:25:35.220 from Bethany Station went across the street and 00:25:35.220 --> 00:25:40.559 met with the construction people and said, would 00:25:40.559 --> 00:25:43.480 you like us to help you with your PA system? 00:25:44.859 --> 00:25:48.039 You know where this is. Oh, I know. You know 00:25:48.039 --> 00:25:49.440 where this is going. I know exactly where this 00:25:49.440 --> 00:25:53.000 is going. So anyway, it's, oh, no, no, we know 00:25:53.000 --> 00:25:55.779 exactly what we're doing. Well, thank you very 00:25:55.779 --> 00:25:59.519 much. Okay. So see you later. Well, of course, 00:25:59.539 --> 00:26:03.420 the first time the church opened, they were right 00:26:03.420 --> 00:26:09.190 smack dab in the Path of our South American transmitter 00:26:09.190 --> 00:26:12.670 which fires up at noon or fired up at noon. Okay. 00:26:13.369 --> 00:26:17.670 Well The pastor was still preaching but he was 00:26:17.670 --> 00:26:24.410 speaking Spanish But the funny the funny part 00:26:24.410 --> 00:26:27.309 of that is is of course they fixed it eventually 00:26:27.309 --> 00:26:30.549 but the gentleman who still goes to that church 00:26:30.549 --> 00:26:33.930 and remembered this okay said We love the voice 00:26:33.930 --> 00:26:36.609 of America because we knew that the pastor could 00:26:36.609 --> 00:26:43.750 never speak after New York. So he said the service 00:26:43.750 --> 00:26:46.309 was always over and we were always at the restaurants 00:26:46.309 --> 00:26:54.660 before all the other churches. Yeah, and that's 00:26:54.660 --> 00:26:58.700 not the only story I know, kind of similar to 00:26:58.700 --> 00:27:03.220 that. There was a church next door to an AM station 00:27:03.220 --> 00:27:05.339 and they're getting ready to do their Christmas 00:27:05.339 --> 00:27:08.000 program and they bring up the lights and bring 00:27:08.000 --> 00:27:10.440 up the audio and all of a sudden they hear... 00:27:10.460 --> 00:27:17.180 and this bud for you oh yeah oh yeah and yeah 00:27:17.180 --> 00:27:20.079 and if you if you visit the ham shack if you 00:27:20.079 --> 00:27:23.140 visit the ham shack at the museum you'll notice 00:27:23.140 --> 00:27:26.980 that there's an extra tuner on every radio that's 00:27:26.980 --> 00:27:34.319 because wlw is a half mile away but seriously 00:27:34.319 --> 00:27:37.720 though that We are making great strides. We're 00:27:37.720 --> 00:27:40.140 in construction right now. We're building a new 00:27:40.140 --> 00:27:43.779 exhibit hall, new meeting facilities, et cetera. 00:27:44.740 --> 00:27:47.279 And it is, I apologize. I should have turned 00:27:47.279 --> 00:27:55.480 that down. The building is just a marvelous facility. 00:27:55.779 --> 00:27:59.579 And to see what the engineers were able to do, 00:27:59.980 --> 00:28:04.720 you have to remember that in 1942, when you were 00:28:04.720 --> 00:28:07.500 building a transmitter, especially a quarter 00:28:07.500 --> 00:28:10.259 million watt transmitter, you didn't go down 00:28:10.259 --> 00:28:16.319 to Radio Shack and pick up parts. These early 00:28:16.319 --> 00:28:21.019 transmitters were built screw by screw, wire 00:28:21.019 --> 00:28:26.539 by wire, coil by coil for this facility designed 00:28:26.539 --> 00:28:30.779 and built right there. The only pieces that were 00:28:30.779 --> 00:28:35.980 not built in Cincinnati were the tubes. And they 00:28:35.980 --> 00:28:40.200 were manufactured by federal on the East Coast. 00:28:40.880 --> 00:28:45.960 But everything else was put together in Cincinnati. 00:28:46.180 --> 00:28:50.900 And when I say put together, I mean that. And 00:28:50.900 --> 00:28:53.460 then, of course, the design of the antenna field 00:28:53.460 --> 00:28:56.380 that you talk about, which was when we were in 00:28:56.380 --> 00:29:02.049 operation, was one square mile, 20 plus rhombic 00:29:02.049 --> 00:29:07.390 antennas plus a curtain antenna for Europe. And 00:29:07.390 --> 00:29:10.809 just all of those antennas, that design of those 00:29:10.809 --> 00:29:13.509 antennas, they were called reentrant rhombics. 00:29:13.890 --> 00:29:18.950 And your more adroit transmitter people will 00:29:18.950 --> 00:29:23.769 understand that. And interestingly enough, the 00:29:23.769 --> 00:29:27.190 specifications for those antennas were considered 00:29:27.190 --> 00:29:34.480 a top secret well into after the Cold War Now 00:29:34.480 --> 00:29:38.299 it was a sight to see and you can still see the 00:29:38.299 --> 00:29:40.559 tower legs You can't see that the whole antenna 00:29:40.559 --> 00:29:44.700 and it would have made a great great right 160 00:29:44.700 --> 00:29:49.839 meter antenna, but But we do have that, you know, 00:29:49.880 --> 00:29:54.119 we have the We have the diorama as you know that 00:29:54.119 --> 00:29:57.900 we built this to show how that how that looked 00:29:57.900 --> 00:30:01.039 Yeah Absolutely. All right, well we're going 00:30:01.039 --> 00:30:02.559 to take a break right now. We're going to come 00:30:02.559 --> 00:30:04.420 back and we're going to take some questions and 00:30:04.420 --> 00:30:07.900 we're going to talk more about Some of the renovations 00:30:07.900 --> 00:30:10.720 and things that are going on and a little more 00:30:10.720 --> 00:30:14.700 about the virtual tours at the Voice of America 00:30:14.700 --> 00:30:17.759 Museum of Broadcasting when we come back after 00:30:17.759 --> 00:30:21.359 this word from ICOM America right here on HamTalk 00:30:21.359 --> 00:30:26.480 Live. Love is on the air at ICOM with this sweetheart 00:30:26.480 --> 00:30:31.579 of a package. It's the IC -705. The perfect sidekick 00:30:31.579 --> 00:30:35.240 for hams that like to enjoy. what both the great 00:30:35.240 --> 00:30:37.640 indoors and outdoors have to offer. It's the 00:30:37.640 --> 00:30:40.440 perfect QRP companion, base station features 00:30:40.440 --> 00:30:43.200 and functionality at the tip of your fingers 00:30:43.200 --> 00:30:46.579 in a portable package covering HF 6 meters, 2 00:30:46.579 --> 00:30:49.380 meters and 70 centimeters. This compact rig weighs 00:30:49.380 --> 00:30:52.400 in at just over two pounds with RF direct sampling 00:30:52.400 --> 00:30:56.099 for most of the HF band and IF sampling for frequencies 00:30:56.099 --> 00:31:00.220 above 25 megahertz. It has a 4 .3 inch color 00:31:00.220 --> 00:31:02.480 touchscreen with live band scope and waterfall, 00:31:02.640 --> 00:31:05.440 runs five with a battery, 10 watts with a power 00:31:05.440 --> 00:31:09.779 supply, CW AM -FM sideband, full D -star functions, 00:31:10.099 --> 00:31:12.900 a micro USB connector, Bluetooth, wireless LAN, 00:31:13.200 --> 00:31:16.819 integrated GPS, a micro SD card slot, and a speaker 00:31:16.819 --> 00:31:20.519 mic. comes standard and it supports QRP and QRP 00:31:20.519 --> 00:31:23.880 portable operations. And the perfect accessory 00:31:23.880 --> 00:31:28.160 for the 705 is the now available optional backpack 00:31:28.160 --> 00:31:33.019 LC192 with a special compartment for your IC705 00:31:33.019 --> 00:31:36.140 and room for accessories for soda activations 00:31:36.140 --> 00:31:39.480 or just a day in the park. Some other accessories 00:31:39.480 --> 00:31:42.920 include a QRP portable magnetic antenna, a standard 00:31:42.920 --> 00:31:46.099 battery, a lithium -ion battery pack, micro USB 00:31:46.099 --> 00:31:50.269 cable, USB -C to micro USB cable, a DC power 00:31:50.269 --> 00:31:53.210 cable, a compact lapel push -to -talk Bluetooth 00:31:53.210 --> 00:31:56.349 with earphone, a desktop tray, and the antenna 00:31:56.349 --> 00:31:59.089 tuner is coming soon. And there's free software 00:31:59.089 --> 00:32:01.450 available to download, the programming software, 00:32:01.670 --> 00:32:04.089 the Android app, the terminal mode access point 00:32:04.089 --> 00:32:06.490 mode application, and the smartphone picture 00:32:06.490 --> 00:32:10.470 utility for Android, iOS, and Windows. And the 00:32:10.470 --> 00:32:14.210 RSBA1 IP remote control software is sold separately. 00:32:14.460 --> 00:32:18.619 Visit iconamerica .com slash amateur for more 00:32:18.619 --> 00:32:22.880 information on ICOM radios. Join the conversation. 00:32:23.259 --> 00:32:29.460 Give us a call at 859 -982 -7373. Again, the 00:32:29.460 --> 00:32:35.700 number to call is 859 -982 -7373. Or if you'd 00:32:35.700 --> 00:32:38.960 rather type than talk, tweet us at HamTalk Live. 00:32:39.319 --> 00:32:42.759 Now, here's Neil Rapp with more HamTalk Live. 00:32:43.990 --> 00:32:47.089 Here's the snap. Rapp takes the rig. He breaks 00:32:47.089 --> 00:32:50.650 through the pile -up! He's on 80! Now 40! Now 00:32:50.650 --> 00:32:56.609 20! 15! 10! 2 meters! Touchdown Hamtok Live! 00:33:19.869 --> 00:33:23.509 Welcome back to ham talk live. Thanks to icon 00:33:23.509 --> 00:33:26.690 America for sponsoring the show Check them out 00:33:26.690 --> 00:33:29.990 at icon America comm slash amateur and check 00:33:29.990 --> 00:33:33.369 out ham talk live every Thursday night 9 p .m 00:33:33.369 --> 00:33:36.150 Eastern time right here at ham talk live comm 00:33:36.150 --> 00:33:40.250 and also check us out on Facebook Twitter and 00:33:40.250 --> 00:33:44.309 Instagram and Before we go back to Jack and take 00:33:44.309 --> 00:33:48.309 some of your questions. It's time. Yes once again 00:33:48.309 --> 00:33:52.650 for the HamTalk Live Ham Radio Joke of the Week 00:33:52.650 --> 00:33:56.670 with N9GSU. Now it's time for the HamTalk Live 00:33:56.670 --> 00:33:59.569 Ham Radio Joke of the Week, the part of the show 00:33:59.569 --> 00:34:02.890 where Rick tells us a ham radio joke. The HamTalk 00:34:02.890 --> 00:34:05.430 Live Ham Radio Joke of the Week is brought to 00:34:05.430 --> 00:34:10.409 you by QRM Labs. Now here's Rick Garrett in 9GSU 00:34:10.409 --> 00:34:18.980 with today's HamTalk Live Joke of the Week. Talking 00:34:18.980 --> 00:34:21.639 to a fella on the local repeater yesterday and 00:34:21.639 --> 00:34:24.539 I said you sound just like Bill Withers and he 00:34:24.539 --> 00:34:28.800 said I know I know I know I know I know I know 00:34:28.800 --> 00:34:33.119 I know This has been the ham talk live ham radio 00:34:33.119 --> 00:34:36.699 joke of the week with Rick Garrett in nine GSU 00:34:36.699 --> 00:34:39.500 Tune in again next week for another joke from 00:34:39.500 --> 00:34:49.989 Rick Yeah And look out next week. I just, I just 00:34:49.989 --> 00:34:53.449 got the one for next week earlier today and oh 00:34:53.449 --> 00:34:56.989 my goodness. So thank you, Rick. Appreciate it. 00:34:57.269 --> 00:35:01.889 859 -982 -7373 is the phone number. We're here 00:35:01.889 --> 00:35:04.650 with Jack Dominic, the executive director of 00:35:04.650 --> 00:35:08.929 the. National Voice of America Museum of Broadcasting. 00:35:09.369 --> 00:35:11.889 So if you have a question now is the time to 00:35:11.889 --> 00:35:18.289 call. It's 859 -982 -7373 or you can tweet us 00:35:18.289 --> 00:35:21.829 at HamTalk Live. or you can type in the comments 00:35:21.829 --> 00:35:23.929 on Spreaker and if you're listening to us on 00:35:23.929 --> 00:35:29.090 WTWW shortwave or on the podcast edition you 00:35:29.090 --> 00:35:31.469 won't be able to reach us live since we're doing 00:35:31.469 --> 00:35:34.590 this on Thursday. We do have a couple of questions 00:35:34.590 --> 00:35:40.849 that came in on Twitter here so first off let's 00:35:40.920 --> 00:35:47.539 Talk about Jacob KG 7 EQ in who would like to 00:35:47.539 --> 00:35:51.039 know do you have any? recommendations on books 00:35:51.039 --> 00:36:00.300 to read about the VOA Perhaps the most Academic 00:36:00.300 --> 00:36:03.940 if you were really into the history and the and 00:36:03.940 --> 00:36:08.739 the geopolitical Impact etc is a book by a gentleman 00:36:08.739 --> 00:36:15.070 by the name of Alan And it's called Voice of 00:36:15.070 --> 00:36:20.690 America, a VOA history. You can get that on, 00:36:20.750 --> 00:36:24.809 it's H -E -I -L by the way. And I noticed it 00:36:24.809 --> 00:36:27.690 is available on Amazon, which by the way, I was 00:36:27.690 --> 00:36:31.449 surprised because I thought it was out of print, 00:36:31.750 --> 00:36:35.820 but apparently it is available. If you want something 00:36:35.820 --> 00:36:39.619 a little bit lighter reading, there is a section 00:36:39.619 --> 00:36:43.880 in Rusty McClure's book about Powell Crosley 00:36:43.880 --> 00:36:49.280 Jr., and that's Crosley, the Two Brothers. Again, 00:36:49.300 --> 00:36:54.679 that's available on Amazon as well. Crosley and 00:36:54.679 --> 00:36:58.139 the Voice of America are really joined at the 00:36:58.139 --> 00:37:02.920 hip, as we discussed before. Bethany Station 00:37:03.230 --> 00:37:07.289 is in northern Cincinnati for one reason and 00:37:07.289 --> 00:37:10.289 one reason only, and that is that's where the 00:37:10.289 --> 00:37:14.570 expertise for building high -power antennas resided 00:37:14.570 --> 00:37:18.849 back in the early 1940s, and they resided at 00:37:18.849 --> 00:37:22.070 the Crosley Corporation headed by Powell Crosley. 00:37:24.010 --> 00:37:28.869 All right. And then Lloyd, KC5FM, wants to know 00:37:28.869 --> 00:37:32.849 when did VOA start and why? And I know we've 00:37:32.849 --> 00:37:37.010 got some of that we touch it already but very 00:37:37.010 --> 00:37:42.769 simply sure very simply 1942 president roosevelt 00:37:42.769 --> 00:37:48.070 wanted to combat the nazi propaganda lies fake 00:37:48.070 --> 00:37:51.230 news he called some people together in washington 00:37:51.230 --> 00:37:56.289 dc from nbc mutual cbs all the big radio folks 00:37:56.289 --> 00:37:59.170 and then a small radio guy in Cincinnati by the 00:37:59.170 --> 00:38:02.230 name of Paul Crosley called them all to Washington 00:38:02.230 --> 00:38:06.110 DC and said what would it take to build out a 00:38:06.110 --> 00:38:11.349 system of transmitting into Europe especially 00:38:11.349 --> 00:38:14.690 and then North Africa and South America so we 00:38:14.690 --> 00:38:17.809 can get our messages out. Now it's really interesting 00:38:17.809 --> 00:38:19.789 if you read the literature and I believe it's 00:38:19.789 --> 00:38:24.869 in Alan's book there are many engineers uh... 00:38:24.869 --> 00:38:28.570 in washington dc uh... with the federal government 00:38:28.570 --> 00:38:32.269 it said this thing had to be in greenland uh... 00:38:32.269 --> 00:38:35.690 in order to do it uh... well apparently they 00:38:35.690 --> 00:38:39.630 discussed that uh... at this meeting and gentlemen 00:38:39.630 --> 00:38:41.969 uh... in the in the back of the room kind of 00:38:41.969 --> 00:38:45.110 raised his hand and said uh... excuse me but 00:38:45.110 --> 00:38:48.690 we're already doing it and that of course was 00:38:48.690 --> 00:38:53.139 uh... was the Crosley uh... tie in. But that's 00:38:53.139 --> 00:38:57.239 1942. Interestingly enough, Voice of America 00:38:57.239 --> 00:39:02.579 was very, very important during World War II. 00:39:02.639 --> 00:39:06.599 There's no doubt about that. But it was more 00:39:06.599 --> 00:39:11.860 important during the Cold War and probably had 00:39:11.860 --> 00:39:15.940 more of an impact during the Cold War for a variety 00:39:15.940 --> 00:39:20.650 of reasons. First of all, the number of radios, 00:39:21.789 --> 00:39:24.289 you know, for a normal person to have a radio, 00:39:24.289 --> 00:39:28.829 etc. And then, of course, the fact that getting 00:39:28.829 --> 00:39:31.769 reliable information if you happen to live in 00:39:31.769 --> 00:39:36.769 one of the Soviet states was hard to come by. 00:39:39.469 --> 00:39:42.690 Yeah. Okay. Well, there's a little more about 00:39:42.690 --> 00:39:44.789 that Lloyd. So thank you, Lloyd. And thank you, 00:39:44.809 --> 00:39:47.269 Jacob, for your questions. And we have a caller 00:39:47.269 --> 00:39:51.530 on the line. So let's see who we have on the 00:39:51.530 --> 00:39:53.849 phones. Good evening. Welcome to HamTalk Live. 00:39:56.869 --> 00:39:59.190 Good evening, gentlemen. Hello, Neil. Great. 00:39:59.289 --> 00:40:01.650 This is my first time listening to you guys. 00:40:01.849 --> 00:40:05.230 But I appreciate it. I'm a long time short wave 00:40:05.230 --> 00:40:08.139 listener. I also wound up with a great career 00:40:08.139 --> 00:40:12.099 since retired as a transmitter engineer, both 00:40:12.099 --> 00:40:15.900 with the NBC networks, I got shipped all around 00:40:15.900 --> 00:40:18.920 the country to help the affiliates, as well as 00:40:18.920 --> 00:40:24.340 full time with the old RKO General WOR and work 00:40:24.340 --> 00:40:28.280 with a bunch of guys who are Armstrong engineers 00:40:28.280 --> 00:40:31.860 just towards the end of their careers. Quick 00:40:31.860 --> 00:40:37.250 question. So, over the years, did VOA do any 00:40:37.250 --> 00:40:42.050 frequency shifting regarding the signals into 00:40:42.050 --> 00:40:45.449 Russia, Soviet Union, as they began their jamming 00:40:45.449 --> 00:40:51.909 techniques? Absolutely. Absolutely. And how quick 00:40:51.909 --> 00:40:55.690 did you guys do that? Well, it's pretty interesting. 00:40:56.570 --> 00:41:00.210 The early Crosley transmitters, okay, the first 00:41:00.210 --> 00:41:04.360 ones put in, took forever to switch frequencies, 00:41:04.739 --> 00:41:08.519 I mean like 15 or 20 minutes. But the new Collins 00:41:08.519 --> 00:41:12.539 transmitters that were put in were very agile 00:41:12.539 --> 00:41:15.980 and within a few seconds. Now, of course, you 00:41:15.980 --> 00:41:19.320 also had antenna issues that had to be addressed. 00:41:21.559 --> 00:41:26.860 But no, the jamming was a big deal. And there 00:41:26.860 --> 00:41:29.460 were many, many different ways of going about 00:41:29.460 --> 00:41:32.909 that. a very interesting one if you come to the 00:41:32.909 --> 00:41:38.849 museum. We have a display of the United States 00:41:38.849 --> 00:41:41.610 Coast Guard Cutter Courier. Does that ring a 00:41:41.610 --> 00:41:46.570 bell to you of anything? It does, yes sir. When 00:41:46.570 --> 00:41:50.250 I got out of school, I worked with an organization 00:41:50.250 --> 00:41:53.429 at Fort Meade in Maryland, so I have an idea. 00:41:54.349 --> 00:41:59.190 Well, what the Courier was, the Courier was a 00:41:59.190 --> 00:42:03.289 Coast Guard cutter, not a cutter, a Coast Guard 00:42:03.289 --> 00:42:08.489 ship that was anchored in the harbor off the 00:42:08.489 --> 00:42:12.869 coast of Greece. And it received signals from 00:42:12.869 --> 00:42:17.429 Bethany Station, received them, and then retransmitted 00:42:17.429 --> 00:42:21.710 them with a high -power AM transmitter on board 00:42:21.710 --> 00:42:25.690 right into the heart of the Soviet Union. No 00:42:25.690 --> 00:42:29.400 kidding, we had a repeater on board a ship. We 00:42:29.400 --> 00:42:33.539 had a repeater, and early on, the way they received 00:42:33.539 --> 00:42:38.559 it was by taking a barrage balloon from the World 00:42:38.559 --> 00:42:45.440 War II barrage balloons. That was the antenna. 00:42:50.409 --> 00:42:55.530 They did build a receiving station on land. But 00:42:55.530 --> 00:42:58.010 there was a lot of politics. You might say, why 00:42:58.010 --> 00:43:02.389 on the heck did they do this in a ship? Well, 00:43:04.010 --> 00:43:06.170 the Greeks didn't want it on their land because 00:43:06.170 --> 00:43:10.730 they didn't want to get the Soviets upset. Originally, 00:43:10.849 --> 00:43:12.809 the United States said, well, we'll send a Navy 00:43:12.809 --> 00:43:14.630 ship. But they said, no, no, no, no. The Navy 00:43:14.630 --> 00:43:19.000 ship is a ship of war. A Coast Guard ship is 00:43:19.000 --> 00:43:22.860 not a ship of war. So, I mean, there's all kinds 00:43:22.860 --> 00:43:27.340 of political intrigue that went into that, but 00:43:27.340 --> 00:43:33.380 the courier is a great example. Yes, but the 00:43:33.380 --> 00:43:38.579 whole business of shifting, the courier actually 00:43:38.579 --> 00:43:43.320 just, I forget the strength of the transmitters, 00:43:43.460 --> 00:43:48.150 but it was an AAM transmitter directional right 00:43:48.150 --> 00:43:52.030 up into the belly of the Soviet Union. In fact, 00:43:52.590 --> 00:43:55.170 I'm often wondered whether or not Felix's radio 00:43:55.170 --> 00:44:00.230 is the one that picked it up. Interesting. Well, 00:44:00.230 --> 00:44:04.190 gentlemen, everybody stay healthy. You guys all 00:44:04.190 --> 00:44:06.530 stay healthy and we'll see you on the radio. 00:44:07.590 --> 00:44:09.730 All right. Come visit the museum sometime. Yeah, 00:44:09.809 --> 00:44:17.429 if you ever come visit the museum, this may be 00:44:17.429 --> 00:44:20.150 something that's a little more technical on this, 00:44:20.530 --> 00:44:23.969 but there's some really cool technical stuff 00:44:23.969 --> 00:44:29.730 in that control room about how they change frequencies 00:44:29.730 --> 00:44:33.829 and what they did to change frequencies so fast. 00:44:34.449 --> 00:44:36.610 So if you get a chance, you need to come check 00:44:36.610 --> 00:44:42.900 that out. It's very cool. Yeah, I'm glad that 00:44:42.900 --> 00:44:45.159 that you know there that you guys are still keeping 00:44:45.159 --> 00:44:48.380 the history and I'm also thrilled that we finally 00:44:48.380 --> 00:44:51.380 have voice of America news back in where it should 00:44:51.380 --> 00:44:59.380 be You know And I hope that you guys again like 00:44:59.380 --> 00:45:02.139 I said stay healthy We're up here in the high 00:45:02.139 --> 00:45:04.480 country in Arizona on the desert. You want to 00:45:04.480 --> 00:45:09.119 talk about great reception? Nothing in my way. 00:45:09.699 --> 00:45:12.280 Gentlemen, enjoy. Have a great one. All right. 00:45:12.280 --> 00:45:14.420 Thank you so much for calling in. We appreciate 00:45:14.420 --> 00:45:16.679 it. And if you go to Hamvention, that's always 00:45:16.679 --> 00:45:20.579 a good time to visit. It's always a good little 00:45:20.579 --> 00:45:24.059 side trip if you go to Hamvention. All right. 00:45:24.940 --> 00:45:27.639 Yep. Go ahead, Jack. Neil, one of the things 00:45:27.639 --> 00:45:30.039 I wanted to say while I was thinking of it is 00:45:30.039 --> 00:45:36.710 that the museum is is really an important part 00:45:36.710 --> 00:45:42.829 of history. And the ham club that actually is 00:45:42.829 --> 00:45:46.449 at the museum, the Westchester Amateur Radio 00:45:46.449 --> 00:45:51.530 Association, and of course, the members of that 00:45:51.530 --> 00:45:58.530 ham club have really been critical to the development 00:45:58.530 --> 00:46:03.269 of the museum, not only from the ham side of 00:46:03.269 --> 00:46:07.710 the business, but just overall the support that 00:46:07.710 --> 00:46:12.550 they give on a daily basis to the museum is outstanding. 00:46:12.829 --> 00:46:15.309 So the ham community around the United States 00:46:15.309 --> 00:46:19.929 should be extremely proud of what their folks 00:46:19.929 --> 00:46:24.909 are doing here in Cincinnati. It's a great group 00:46:24.909 --> 00:46:29.150 of people. proud to be a part of them. Well, 00:46:29.269 --> 00:46:31.670 let's talk a little bit. We're already over time, 00:46:31.670 --> 00:46:35.070 but I want to talk a little bit about the renovations 00:46:35.070 --> 00:46:37.190 that are going on because, you know, things are 00:46:37.190 --> 00:46:40.050 closed down, but you've got a lot of things going 00:46:40.050 --> 00:46:42.730 on right now. So let's talk a little bit about 00:46:42.730 --> 00:46:45.250 the the renovations that are going on before 00:46:45.250 --> 00:46:49.730 we sign off here. Very, very quickly. We have 00:46:49.730 --> 00:46:55.639 a 1944 building that was built to withstand a 00:46:55.639 --> 00:47:01.059 direct hit. In other words, you don't do a lot 00:47:01.059 --> 00:47:03.039 of... It's pretty solid. It's pretty solid. I 00:47:03.039 --> 00:47:07.940 mean, when you have 18 -inch concrete walls between 00:47:07.940 --> 00:47:14.659 offices... But anyway, the building was never 00:47:14.659 --> 00:47:19.239 ever built to have people in it. I mean, other 00:47:19.239 --> 00:47:22.579 than the other operators. And as a museum, where 00:47:22.579 --> 00:47:25.550 you need to have people who can you know accessibility 00:47:25.550 --> 00:47:30.150 etc just you know it was a disaster uh there's 00:47:30.150 --> 00:47:34.289 steps there's curbs there's you know there are 00:47:34.289 --> 00:47:38.230 more floors you would think it's only like a 00:47:38.230 --> 00:47:41.230 three story building but you know when you get 00:47:41.230 --> 00:47:44.010 to the levels it's probably a 10 story building 00:47:44.010 --> 00:47:47.309 anyway the bottom line is is that in order to 00:47:47.309 --> 00:47:51.650 to make it accessible for people, people who 00:47:51.650 --> 00:47:55.250 may have mobility issues. You can't have all 00:47:55.250 --> 00:47:59.550 these steps and curbs, et cetera. So we're in 00:47:59.550 --> 00:48:03.949 the process of building out a new entrance, a 00:48:03.949 --> 00:48:08.250 secondary entrance. Pardon me, excuse me. I don't 00:48:08.250 --> 00:48:14.070 have a cough button on my mic. We're building 00:48:14.070 --> 00:48:17.670 a new entrance new restrooms when the building 00:48:17.670 --> 00:48:19.989 was built Well, first of all when the building 00:48:19.989 --> 00:48:22.269 was built, you know, I don't want to sound sexist, 00:48:22.269 --> 00:48:24.769 but they didn't worry about women's bathrooms 00:48:24.769 --> 00:48:27.230 I mean what women's we didn't have any women 00:48:27.230 --> 00:48:31.710 there, you know and it Obviously you didn't have 00:48:31.710 --> 00:48:34.210 to have a bathroom that a wheelchair a walker 00:48:34.210 --> 00:48:36.550 could come in because people who were in wheelchairs 00:48:36.550 --> 00:48:40.050 and walkers didn't go to work All of those things 00:48:40.050 --> 00:48:42.230 have to be addressed. So we're in the process 00:48:42.230 --> 00:48:46.150 of putting in new ADA compliant restrooms. We're 00:48:46.150 --> 00:48:50.369 leveling all the floors, getting away from all 00:48:50.369 --> 00:48:55.750 of the barriers. We're building a brand new meeting 00:48:55.750 --> 00:49:00.030 room that can be used for exhibits, for community 00:49:00.030 --> 00:49:05.230 organizations to meet, receptions, our own lecture 00:49:05.230 --> 00:49:09.610 series, et cetera. And, uh, all of this is going 00:49:09.610 --> 00:49:12.409 on right now, which, uh, right now the building 00:49:12.409 --> 00:49:15.429 has got more plaster and concrete dust. I'm kind 00:49:15.429 --> 00:49:18.710 of glad we're not open, but that's, that's all 00:49:18.710 --> 00:49:21.829 going on. And with a little luck, uh, we'll be 00:49:21.829 --> 00:49:24.489 done with that. Uh, when we really, you know, 00:49:24.510 --> 00:49:30.590 get back to being normal. Yeah. Whatever, whatever 00:49:30.590 --> 00:49:35.570 that's going to look like. That's right. Well, 00:49:35.730 --> 00:49:39.690 Jack, you, you've, uh, been a wealth of information 00:49:39.690 --> 00:49:42.750 here tonight and we appreciate you taking the 00:49:42.750 --> 00:49:46.730 time to come on the show and talk about some 00:49:46.730 --> 00:49:49.030 of these things that are going on while things 00:49:49.030 --> 00:49:52.630 are shut down and and these videos so that you 00:49:52.630 --> 00:49:55.559 know if you are out in Arizona and you can't 00:49:55.559 --> 00:49:57.460 make it to the museum you know you can check 00:49:57.460 --> 00:50:00.659 out what's going on and if you want a little 00:50:00.659 --> 00:50:03.900 preview and see if you know that's a you know 00:50:03.900 --> 00:50:06.599 a trip you want to take or again you know for 00:50:06.599 --> 00:50:09.019 for the ham radio operators you know always mention 00:50:09.019 --> 00:50:11.380 Hamvention Weekend because if you know you can 00:50:11.380 --> 00:50:15.260 do right two things in one trip you know you 00:50:15.260 --> 00:50:18.219 can kind of see what to expect and see if that's 00:50:18.719 --> 00:50:22.019 you know, something that you would want to visit. 00:50:22.780 --> 00:50:25.900 So I think this virtual tour is a really cool 00:50:25.900 --> 00:50:29.079 thing and I'm glad that you were able to come 00:50:29.079 --> 00:50:31.780 on and share that with us tonight. Well, thank 00:50:31.780 --> 00:50:37.070 you for letting us get the message out. We're 00:50:37.070 --> 00:50:41.429 always open online, so feel free to go to voamuseum 00:50:41.429 --> 00:50:44.030 .org. And if you want to be on our mailing list, 00:50:44.190 --> 00:50:46.730 and we promise not to bombard you with a lot 00:50:46.730 --> 00:50:52.090 of junk mail, so feel free to sign up and we'll 00:50:52.090 --> 00:50:55.190 get you on our mailing list. All right. Thanks 00:50:55.190 --> 00:50:58.769 so much, Jack. All right. You have a good day. 00:50:59.340 --> 00:51:03.480 You too. And that is a wrap for this week's edition 00:51:03.480 --> 00:51:06.719 of HamTalk Live. Thanks to my guest, Jack Dominick 00:51:06.719 --> 00:51:09.840 from the National Voice of America Museum of 00:51:09.840 --> 00:51:13.440 Broadcasting in Westchester, Ohio. That's voamuseum 00:51:13.440 --> 00:51:17.760 .org. And everybody out there in cyberspace for 00:51:17.760 --> 00:51:20.659 listening and calling in and typing in. And I 00:51:20.659 --> 00:51:22.880 invite you back next Thursday night at 9 p .m. 00:51:23.019 --> 00:51:28.260 Eastern Time when Tim Helming, WT1IM, will be 00:51:28.260 --> 00:51:32.800 here to talk about the COM Academy. It's a communications 00:51:32.800 --> 00:51:37.300 academy for emergency communications, but it's 00:51:37.300 --> 00:51:40.659 gonna be virtual this year. So we'll take a look 00:51:40.659 --> 00:51:43.900 at that next week. And for a list of all of our 00:51:43.900 --> 00:51:47.530 upcoming guests, visit HamTalkLive .com. And 00:51:47.530 --> 00:51:51.909 before we go, we want to announce again the t 00:51:51.909 --> 00:51:53.769 -shirt giveaway. We're giving away some free 00:51:53.769 --> 00:51:58.110 t -shirts out of the reviews that are left on 00:51:58.110 --> 00:52:02.650 iTunes throughout February. So sometime in February, 00:52:03.369 --> 00:52:06.250 get on iTunes, search HamTalk Live, click on 00:52:06.250 --> 00:52:08.909 the logo, scroll down and hit write a review. 00:52:09.340 --> 00:52:11.320 Leave a review, make sure you leave your call 00:52:11.320 --> 00:52:13.519 sign there so I can get a hold of you if you 00:52:13.519 --> 00:52:16.099 win. And we're going to give away some t -shirts 00:52:16.099 --> 00:52:19.159 this month, so that's your chance to win some 00:52:19.159 --> 00:52:23.300 free stuff. For now, this is Neil Rapp, WB9VPG, 00:52:23.400 --> 00:52:27.940 saying 7 -3, 7 -5, and may the good DX be yours.