George Allison, K1IG on US Navy MARS and Wordsworth CW method

K1IG

3/9/2019

Episode 240 - George Allison - K1IG

Sputnik and an uncle inspired George Allison, K1IG, to become a radio amateur. George had a long and successful US Navy career where radio was always the center of his activity including MARS stations, a visit to the South Pole, and the operation of very high powered VLF and ELF stations around the World. George promotes the Wordsworth method of raising CW speed above 40 words per minute. K1IG is my QSO Today.

Show Notes

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This episode sponsored by: (click on images to get to sponsors)

QRP Labs QCX Transceiver Kit

First License: April 1962, Age 14, General Class, WB2BEF

Elmer: Vince O’Brien (WA2SVG (SK)

Radios:

First Rig:

Current Rig:
Elecraft K3 HF transceiver
Buddie Pole

George’s family of hams:
Wife - KB1LSH
Father - KD5KO (SK)
Step Mother - KA5RXN (SK)

Books:
ARRL Novice Book Package
Tune in the World with Ham Radio

Software:
FLDigi software - practice CW by sending words at high speed
Morse Runner Program to learn call signs
CW Skimmer

Learn Morse code:

Ameco Morse Code Course
“Increase your CW Speed with Wordsworth”, by George Allison, K1IG, QST Magazine, May 2017
Wordsworth CW Method
Farnsworth Morse Code method - letters at high speed with space between
Signal Corps Block Letters
W1AW Code Practice

Sputnik

Popular Electronics magazine

Popular Science magazine

Mike Primus W2OY AM Operator “No Lids, no Kids, no space cadets”

Instructograph

Harrison Radio, Greenwich Street, NYC

Radio Row on Cortlandt Street

TVI - Television interference

Link Trainers aircraft

US Navy Communications Officer

US Navy Officers School, Newport, Rhode Island

San Antonio Radio Club

USS Ingersoll Destroyer

MARS Military Affiliate Radio Station

Henry Radio, Anaheim

Drake TR7 Transceiver

Drake Power Amplifier, L75

US Navy MARS call sign on USS Ingersoll: NNN0CWE

US Navy 3rd Fleet

C130 Aircraft

McMurdo Station, South Pole

KC4AAA Ham Station on the South Pole

Wullenweber antenna - HF direction finding antenna array

Continental 10KW Transmitters

21 Navy Transmitting stations

Eimac ML6696 Tube

Disk Cone wire VLF antenna

VLF frequency bands

ELF frequency bands - below 300 Hz

Magnetic Loop Antenna

Jumbotron

Buddie Pole

Scott Anderson, NE1RD

Favorite operating mode: CW

DXCC Digital

Digital modes discussed:
JT65
JT9

Kenwood TMD700

APRS

Greatest challenge to amateur radio now: “Golden age of ham radio is right now.” Lots of competition for young people’s attention.

Amateur radio fox hunting

ARRL K5CM Connie Marshall Semi annual frequency measuring test -

Most excited by: Innovation that we have - always something changing

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George's first home-brew project

Wullenweber Antenna in Guam

Control console of 2 megawatt transmitter

K1IG on the South Pole

9 Comments

David Cretty

3/9/2019 06:23:16 pm

One of the best podcasts you’ve had. Can relate got my license in 1963

John

3/10/2019 09:24:09 am

Excellent QSO! Very interesting! Interested in the Wordsworth method.

73 de kc5ngx

Kirk R. Benson, NH6PK

3/10/2019 10:18:43 am

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to George Allison. His start into Amateur Radio reminded me of my own, twenty years later.; I earned my Novice ticket at age 13 in 1978. His stories, through the decades, and his time in the Navy, were all fascinating. I can relate to this as well because I served as a Naval Officer and installed and operated MARS Stations on the ships I served. I am especially impressed with his memory of all those names and callsigns. Great podcast. Definitely recommend bringing George back!!! 73, NH6PK

Tom Colwell

3/12/2019 02:24:55 pm

Enjoyed the podcast very much, both the ham side and the Navy side. George has been around the world on both, the ether and with the Navy. Great that the hobby and career intersected. I told George my first contact went similar to his.....SO LID......Good interview. 73

Ed Durrant DD5LP link

3/13/2019 01:18:38 pm

I just listened to this program with George K1IG and thought - yes that makes a lot of sense to learn words in Morse not the letters individually, so I went looking for an App. I know that George said he used FLDigi, but I thought there MUST be an Android App, and there is and in fact it's one that I already bought about 7 years ago. "CW Trainer" from Wolphi. It lets you set it up to send words and vary the gaps between the words - the words can be English dictionary or random call signs. The app can also be configured to run in Farnsworth mode as well. So it seems to cover both approaches.

73 Ed.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.wolphi.morsetrainer

Paul Topolski, W1SEX link

3/13/2019 09:37:39 pm

Great interview George and thanks for adding your story to our rich ham radio history. I have struggled forever to get my CW speed up without much luck. I'll definitely be looking at the Wordsworth methodology to help resolve that issue.

Marvin Moss

3/15/2019 02:47:02 pm

Enjoyed his comments about his getting to this point in his life. I also got my first license WN4UXJ in 1951 at the age of 14, one of the first Novice licenses in the country! Also Sputnik I in 1957 made it possible thru the National Defense Act of 1958 for me to get a PhD in Electrical Engineering. Being a ham for 68 years has treated me well !

Robert Reilly

3/27/2019 11:10:17 pm

Great interview! Really fascinating.

Pam C

12/28/2019 12:32:19 pm

GREAT interview. Brought back great memories when he was my commanding officer in Guam.

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K1IG

Episode 240 - George Allison - K1IG

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