W6WN

Episode 369 - Alan Thompson - W6WN

Alan Thompson, W6WN, was a paid Subcontractor, assigned to help restore cell service during the disaster-recovery efforts after the Camp Fire in Northern California a few years ago.  This experience made Alan an evangelist for the deployment and  use of conventional radio communications and the training that saves lives and property, as a backup to the costly but fragile smartphone systems that suddenly do not work in a natural disaster.  Alan tells his ham radio story in this QSO Today.

Show Notes

Sponsor Transcription

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W6WN QRZ Page

Hometown: Whittier, California

First License:  Novice, Age 11, WV6ZHL, 1962
Technician License Upgrade:  1962 WA6ZHL
Second Youngest Ham Radio Operator in the USA

Mentor:  Harry Debiddle,  W6MPD

Novice Rig: 
Hallicrafters HT40 Transmitter
Hallicrafters SX71 Receiver
Dipole - random length wire

Current Rig: 
Icom IC-7300 HF Transceiver
Icom 2730A in the Car
AnyTone 868 Dual Band DMR
Xiegu G90 HF Transceiver
TYT9800 Quad Band Mobile
Motorola 1220 Mobile
Kenwood TK380 HT

QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo, August 2021, Presentations: 
“Phones, Fire, and Failures” 
“Radio For The Rest Of Us  

Links to printable PDF Tri-fold brochures created to promote and support our Neighborhood Radio Watch Program:

1. Neighborhood Radio Watch 1 - 2 - 3 Step-By Step 
2. What is Neighborhood Radio Watch?
3. How to Get Your General Mobile Radio Service License
4. Using Your Two-way Radio
5. Radio "Safety Nets"

Terms
TV Repair Man 
Eldorado County, California
Shortwave Radio Listener
Hallicrafters S38 Receiver
Push-Pull Triode Modulator
Ameco Code Practice 78 RPM
Chaparral Communications
LNA - Low Noise Amplifier
LNB - Low Noise Block
Hughesnet Corporation
Speedcast Satellite
Intelsat
Starlink
Butte County Camp Fire
Vicki and Christina Taft, Butte County Camp Fire
Single Sideband
Beat Frequency Oscillator
“WIIFM” - What’s in it for ME? 
“WIIFU” - What’s in it for our us? (What's in it for our club)

Greatest challenge facing amateur radio now: relevance. “Amateur radio is not a hobby, it is a service”. 

Advice to new or returning hams: find a club, in fact, find more than one club. 

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Young Alan tuning the Novice Rig

W6WN Ham Shack

Icom IC-2730 Dual Band Mobile Transceiver

Xiegu G90 HF Transceiver