Bath,Pa.

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"Virginia Gini T. Hagerman Giannetta" from our back yard

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My Life: By Charles A. Giannetta "How I Became A Ham Radio Operator" ARS "WA3RSQ"

"Charles A. Giannetta" Meteorologist - Professor - "WA3RSQ" Bath, Pa. USA. Click on the picture and hear my message. "How I Became A Ham Radio Operator" "My Life As A Ham Radio Operator" How I became interested in amateur radio all started when I was in Jr. High School. I built and amateur weather station in my parents back yard in my hometown of Dunmore, Pa. USA. My parents back yard in Dunmore, Pa. USA. When I was in high school. Click on the picture to inlarge. I don't remember who, however, someone gave me a old radio with the short wave bands on it. I don't remember the make of the radio. I would listen to the weather reports for the Rural Radio Network with the weather reports for Western New York and other cities. I strung a long wire in my parents back yard from the house to a good size maple tree. I guess the wire antenna was about 75 feet long. I connected this antenna to the short wave radio to listen to the weather reports and also began listening to some hams. I don't recall the frequency that I was listening to. At that time I didn't know which end of a resister was which Hi Hi. The amateur radio sations at that time were AM. I had an Uncle (Bill) deceased. He was an Electrical Engineer. I believe at that time he worked for PPL in Scranton, Pa. He also did radio and TV repair. I would visit with him quite a lot. He would show and explain some stuff about radio and TV repairing. I remember being impressed by the service equipment he had, especilly the "Oscilloscope". He would show me how he did trouble shooting. At that time everything was tubes, no solid state on ICs. My uncle also installed TV Antennas. I would go with him to install some of these. I remember we installed a TV Antenna on top of a three story building in Moscow, Pa. The system included a rotor, "WOW" was I impressed. After we finished installing the system, he showed me how the antenna would rotate and receive signals from the direction of the TV Station. The combination of helping my uncle and having a shortwave radio turned me onto "Ham Radio". I would dream of being a" Ham Operating" operating form my parents attic and talking to people all over the world. I presently have a "Ham Radio" room I built in my home and now instead of dreaming of talking to people around the world, I'm doing it. I'm living that dream! While in high school I bought some books on Ham Radio and Antennas. The "ARRL Antenna Hand Book" and the "ARRL Handbook: I still have these books in my electronic library. I still read these from time to time. At that time I was more interested in "Meteorology" I constructed an electronic recording raingauge, anemometer, electronic thermometer, weather shelter and other weather instruments from articles in a book my dad (Charles Senior) now passed away bought for me. Choose here to view amateur weather station I built while in high school. In this pictures I am sitting at the "Weather Consol"... On Jan 3, 1957 I received a position with the "National Weather Service" in Washington, DC. I was 20 years old at the time. My thoughts of "Ham Radio" were now on the back burner. I was attending the National Weather Service Schools, so I spent all my time on my studies and learning my new position. On July 4, 1957 I married my high school sweet heart "Virginii (Gini) Hagerman". I met a friend in the National Weather Service who was "Ham Radio Operator". He was a General Class Operator. He would talk with me about his contacts and ham radio. At 22 years old I bought the Amateur Radio License Study Manual. I learned about the different classes of licenses. I studied for the "Novice Class License. I setup two keys in our apartment in Washington where we lived. The keys were connected together by wires and a door bell buzzer. Gini and I would send code to each other from different rooms. Gini would send to me and then I would send back to her. She was a great help in getting my code speed up to 5 wpm to take the Novice Test. Gini probably would have become a ham but our first child (Charles) came along and that took all of Gini's time.

"My Life" "Charles A. Giannetta" Meteorologist - Professor - "WA3RSQ" Bath, Pa. USA. "How I Became A Ham Radio Operator" And "My Life As A Ham Radio Operator" "Page II" I met another ham in Washington, DC. who gave me the Novice Exm. That was in the summer of 1959. We sent to forms to the FCC. Months went by and I did not hear from them, so I deceided to go to the FCC office in DC. Would you believe the person on duty found my application & issued my license to me right on the spot. I was now an official "Ham Operator" with a call letter of "KN3JEU". At that time the Novice license was good for one year and CW operation only. In the fall of 1959 I joined the Army . I never got to use my amateur radio license. The Novice License ran out while I was in the Army. I was no longer a "Ham Operator". Click on the picture to inlarge. Above picture of me and my company in the army at Fort Knox, KY. After the Army, I went back to my position with the National Weather Service in Washington, DC. I began studing for the "General License" My friend I worked with me mentioned to me about taking the Tech. License first than working my way upto the General License. At that time we had our first harmonic (Son) Charles. Gini was busy with our baby so I was on my own with studing for the code. I was doing 5 wpm very good so I deceided to give the Tech Class test a shot. Well, as you guess I passed. I was once again a Ham Operator with the call letters of "K3JEU". I purchased a Lafyatte HE35, some of you may remember that rig. It was a 5 watt crystal control AM transeiver. We were living in a small apartment and I did not have much space for a ham radio setup nor did I have much money to spend on any expensive geer. I made a 6 meter folded dipole antenna out of 300 ohm TV line. I taped it to the wall in our living room and connected it to the transiever. The rig was crystal controled with a crystal for 50.250 mhz. When I made my first CQ I was shaking like a "Kid" with a new toy. CQ CQ CQ DE K3JEU. I lisitened, nothing at first, than a call from someome. I do not recall his call letters. We spoke for sometime. I found out he lived across town about 10 miles. We later met and became good friends. As of that time I was sold on 6 meters. I installed the HE35 in my car with an army surplus dynomo converter and a "Six Meter Saturn 3 Ring Halo". At that time there wasn't any CB Radio so amateur radio was the nuts. I had a lot of fun and met some nice hams with the rig in the car. When Gini & I would drive up to Dunmore, Pa. where we are from to visit with our folks we would make contacts with other hams that were running six meter rigs in their cars and other fixed stations. That 3 ring halo on the back of the car attracted a lot of attention. That was the craze at the time. I also installed a long whip and now the car looked like a police car. Hi Hi.

"My Life" "Charles A. Giannetta" Meteorologist - Professor "WA3RSQ" Bath, Pa. USA. "How I Became A Ham Radio Operator" And "My Life As A Ham Radio Operator" Page III In the fall of 1961 I transfered to the "National Weather Service Office" located at the "Buffalo Internationl Airport", Buffalo, NY. I applied for a new ham call as it was the required thing to do at that time. I received my new call letters of: "W A 2 W S E" We did not have a home at that time and we were renting an apartment in Lancaster, NY., so I did a lot of haming from my car on 6 meter AM. We later moved to another apartment in Depew, NY. The landlord was partial to ham radio and allowed me to install a 5 element beam with a rotor on top of his home. While living in this apartment I bought an "Ameco TX-86" transimitter in kit form. The final was a 6146 with 90 watts output on am. This was my first kit which that I put together. It worked great. I had a lot if fun with this rig. For the receiver I bought an amy surplus BC-312 which was AM receiver. I install an S Meter and a few other circuts into it. The combination worked well together. I had many contacts in a lot of different call areas on AM. That is me in the picture in Depew, NY. You can see the BC-312 in the picture with the speaker ontop. Thats me sitting on the floor working on my ham gear. The BC-312 is ontop of the cabinet on the left. The "Ameco-TX86" is shown in the picture above my left shoulder with the copper color front with the meter. In 1964 we bought our first home in Dewpew, NY. I installed the 5 element beam on top of the roof along with a rotor. I don't remember what year it was but I bought a Swan-250. A 250 SSB transiver with a pair of 6146s in the final. I had a lot of fun with that rig, and buy the way I still have it and use it from time to time. I also purchased a second one in case I need parts. As time went by I go more involved in 6 meters. I erected a 30 foot telephone pole in my back yard. I mounted a 4 inch I beam on the pole and mounted a mount which looked like a small elevator attached to 4 Inch I beam. Mounted on this was my rotor to turn antenna. In the above picture that is me lowering the 6 meter beam by hand. I installed a hand crank at the base of the pole. This picture was taken when we lived in Depew, NY. a suburb of Buffalo, NY. My call letters at that time were: WA2WSE At the base of the pole I mounted a gear box with winch which I could raise and lower the antenna to work on it or bring it down in any high winds. I constructed a 28 element six meter beam which was in an "H" Array. The antenna consisted of four 7 element beams double stacked 1/2 wavelength high and a full wavelength wide. The booms of all 4 antennas were 27 feet long. To make the matching harness: I used No. 12 copper wire with plastic spacers to form 1 inch open line. I used good quality "300 ohm line" for the transmission line, To rotate the antenna I put a call out on the ham radio that I was looking for a "Prop Pitch Motor". A ham in Erie, Pa. called me on the air and said he had one. I installed my Swan-250 in my car and drove from Depew, NY. to Erie, Pa. to get the motor. Picture of my large "Prop Pitch Motor" to rotate the 6 meter antenna. I constructed a "Home Brew" 28 Volt DC power supply to power the "Prop Pitch Motor". It worked very well. I did not need and indicator as I had a basement window that I would look out and see see the antenna. I did a lot of 6 meter mobil in those days. I installed a 6 meter whip on the back of my car and I had a great time. My best 6 meter mobil contact from the car was with a station in California, USA. Picture of my "Homebrew" 28 element 6 Meter Beam Doubled Stacked In an "H" Array 30 feet up on my utility pole located in my back yard in Depew, NY. I had a great time with this hugh antenna. I would have a constant range of some 400 miles in all directions. From Depew NY. which is a suburb of Buffalo, NY., USA. I had a schedule most every day with a station in New Hampshire. I will try to locate his QSL card in my collection and his call letters, however, he is now a "Silent Key". Also had scheduled contacts to Albany, NY. with WB2RBG" Howard Sherer whose current call is "AE3T". Today Howard and I both live in the Lehigh Valley, Pa. USA. area and talk on 6 meters and sometimes see each other at different ham functions. Also, had contacts with stations in Cleveland, Ohio, Philadelphia, Pa., & Washington, DC. Another 6 meter ham moved in about 2 blocks away from me. Since he was so close to me his signal would cause my Swan-250 receiver to become overloaded. At first it was hard for me to operate when we were both on the air, well, I solved that prolem. I purchased an Ameco 6 meter converter along with a "Collins R390-A" receiver. The combination of the Collins and converter took care of the over loaded receiver. I could work within 3 kc of his signal and not be bothered, that is about the width of the 6 meter USB signal. In the above picture you can see the Swan-250 transiver and the "Collins R390-A" Receiver mounted in the rack on the right. You can see the the 28 Volt DC homebrew power supply for the Prop Pitch Motor above the Collins R390-A in the same rack. Above picture is a picture of my "Swan-250 I bought back in the 60s which I currently have and use occasionally. The only thingI did to it was to add an outboard "S-Meter". I also built a homebrew power for it. Above picture is the "Homebrew Power Supply" I built for the "Swan-250" which is rack mounted. I did get on 2 meters while living in Depew, however, 6 meters was and still is my favorite band. I don't recall the rigs I had for 2 meters. I remember that it was a 10 to 20 watt SSB Transeiver. Even after construvting the 2 meter antenna I never did into 2 meters the way others have. Above picture is of my 2 meter "Homebrew Double stacked "H" Array. The antennas are all 10 elements. Stacked 1 wavelength high and 1 wavelength wide. This antenna was mounted on my garage. In 1971 I transfered to the National Weather Service Office, located at the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton (ABE) Airport in Allentown, Pa. USA., currently the "Lehigh Valley International Airport". Choose here to see more pictures working at the ABE Airport. I applied for new call letters and Received:"W A 3 R S Q" We purchased a home in Bethlehem, Pa. USA. I installed another pole and rebuilt my 27 element 6 meter homebrew antenna. I also played around with a homebrew 11 element 6 meter beam on a 54 foot boom which also did a great job. One of these days I am going to rebuild that antenna. In 1978 we bought this lot and built a new home on it in Bath, Pa. USA. The elevetion of this location is just about 1,000 ft. With a view of about 0 miles in most directons except north. As you guessed it, I installed another utility pole in our back yard and rebuilt the 6 meter "H" Array, but this time since I had more room, I made it "Larger". But one day, while I was on the air (6 Meters) we had a severe thunderstorm come through the area with plenty of wind and knocked my large 6 meter array down. Above 2 pictures are of my 6 meter "H" Array blown down by high winds from a "Severe Thunderstorm". The pole snaped at the base from the high winds. The saying is: "If the antenna does not come down in the wind, it is too small: Hi Hi So Now: I had to rebuild the whole antenna system all over again, but this time stronger. In the above 2 pictures, thats me holding rope and my friend with the tractor erecting the pole. I dug a 6 foot hole and after installing the pole poured in a lot of concrete. Click on the picture to inlarge. Picture of my Six Meter 40 element home brew "H Array Beam". The booms are 40 feet long. Stacking is 1/2 wavelength high, (vertical), 1 wavelength apart, (horizontal). They are feed with "RG17" transmission line. All electrical lines are underground. Matching harness is all "Homebrew". - Click on either picture to inlarge. "RG-17" transmission cable I use to feed the 6 meter beam. Forward gain is about 20 to 25 db. Front to back ratio is 25 to 1. The beam width is about 14 deges at the widest point. The antenna raises and lowers on a 4 inch I beam mounted on the pole with a 110 volt ac reverserable motor attached to an 80 to 1 gear box located at the base of the pole. The antenna rotates through 360 degrees. - Click on either picture to inlarge. Left Pic. 80 to 1 gear box. - Right Pic. 4" "I" Beam. The elevation here is slightly short of 1,000 ft. Visibility is about 30 miles. In the mid 80s I got my "General Class" license. I bought some new "HF" ham gear and erected a "Tri-Bander" antenna. I also erected a "Homebrew" 10 meter vertical. I began contacting other hams throughout the world. Click on the picture to inlarge. Click on the picture to inlarge. The 2 pictures above are of my "Triband Antenna" which I erected in my back yard. You can see the "10 meter" vertical antenna next to the car in the first picture and just slightly behind the "Tribander" to the right in the lower picture. I operate 160 through 2 meters all (SSB) single sideband. Operate 2 mobile FM and 6 Meter mobile SSB. I have been a licensed amateur radio operator since 1959. 1959 - 1961. My first call was: K3JEU when I lived in Maryland, USA. I then moved to Buffalo, NY. USA, & changed my call to: WA2WSE, 1961 - 1971. In 1971, I moved to Pennsylvania, USA. and changed my call to: WA3RSQ. "WAS" Worked all states. I have all the confirmed contacts (QSL Cards) for the WAS Award, however, I will not send them in. 49 of the states I worked and confirmed on 6 meter SSB. I worked and confirmed Hawaii on 10 meters SSB. I am cautious about sending my cards because I worry about them becoming lost. Some of the hams I have contacted and sent and received a QSL card are now "Silent Keys" I cherish all the cards which I have. Awards & Certificates" I received over the years. Over the years many others have been misplaced. 1. "We The People" WAS. ARRL. - View "We The People Award" 2. 50 Mhz CQ Century Club, 6 Meters. - View 50Mhz CQ. Century Club Award 6 Meter" Award 3. "SMIRK" Six Meter International Radio Klub, No. 4690 View 6 Meter Smirk Award 4. Old Timer's Club. ARRL - View Old Timers Club Certificate 5. Rag Chewer's Club. ARRL - View Rag Chewer's Certificate 6. Breakfast Club. No. 1790 - View Breakfast Club Certificate 7. GraveYard Net - View GraveYard Net Certificate 8. 10-X. International Net. Ten Meters. No. 41040 - View Ten-Ten Certificate 9. The Meadowlands Amateur Radio Assn. SS 297 Ling Submarine - 6 meters. - View SS Ling Syubmarine Certificate 10. Ten American Districts. No. 3935. - View Ten American Districts Certificate 11. Collins Collector Association No. 02-11402. In the mid 1980s, I formed: "The Six Meter Severe Weather Net" which covered 7 states and 150 members. This net would meet on Sunday mornings at 9am on 50.150 mhz SSB. I would act as net control & operate the net from my home. We would usually have between 25 and 30 six meter stations checking in from, Pa. NJ. NY. MD. DE. CT. & MA. The net ran in support to The National Weather Service, which at that time was located at the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, now Lehigh Valley International Airport Allentown, Pa. USA. The National Weather Service is no longer located at the LVIA, Allentown. Pa. USA. I installed a 6 Meter SSB station at the National Weather Service Office in Allentown, Pa. The station consisted of: A 10 watt SSB transceiver, a homebrew 6 element 6 meter beam on a 20 ft. boom which I built and mounted on the roof of the weather office at the ABE Airport. During times of inclement weather, the net would be activated. If I was not on duty at the Weather Office, a member of the "Six Meter Weather Severe Weather Net" would come in to the office and operate the 6 meter station which I installed. This "Six Meter Severe Weather Net" would relay weather messages directy to the National Wearther Service at the Allentown-Bethlehem-Airport, via 6 Meter SSB. "The Six Meter Severe Weather Net" ran for about 5 years. I issued some 150 "Six Meter Severe Weather Net" certicifates, letters of appreciation and raingauges from the National Weather Service Office which was then located at the ABE Airport to all of its members. - Click on the certicificates to inlarge. Every three months I would write a "Six Meter Severe Weather Net" Newsletter and send it to each member. The "Newsletter" would include information about the net and its members. During a severe winter storm, I was on duty at the weather office and one of the net members activated the "Six Meter Severe Weather Net". He acted as new control and operated the net from his home for many hours relaying information to the weather office from other net members. He later received an award & a letter of appreciatiion from me and the National Weather Service Office, at Allentown, Pa. for a job well done. Every so often I talk to a station that belonged to this severe weather net, and they tell me they still have their certificate. Read an article that appeared in "The Morning Call" newspaper April 17, 1983 about the "6 Meter Severe Weather Net" I don't remember which newspaper this article appeared in about the: "6 Meter Severe Weather Net" July 5, 1983. Amateur radio operators from a five-state area who are part of the National Weather Service "Severe Weather Service Network" will hold their first annual meet at Beltzville State Park this Sunday. Meteorologist Charles Giannetta founder of the early-warning newtork said is is the first time most of the operators will meet each other personally, although they have worked together numerous times on the six-meter band. Giannetta a veteran weather forecasted and radio operator, resides in Bath and is assigned to the weather station at the ABE Airport in Allentown. Operators interested in joining the network can visit with the group in the picnic area at the park, from early Sunday morning until dusk. The network is comprised of about 100 operators and is activated when severe weather strikes. Operators feed vital information to the weather service enabling warnings and other developments to be swiftly dispacted to stations other than Allentown.

**Clubs Which I am A Member** "DLARC" The Delaware-Lehigh Amateur Radio Club, Bethlehem, Pa. "LVCG" Lehigh Valley Computer Club, Allentown, Pa. ""SMIRK" Six Meter International Radio Klub. "GraveYard Net" "Breakfast Club" "LVARC" Lehigh Valley Amateur Radio Club" Allentown, Pa. USA. **Places I Have Contacted** Have 85 countries worked on 6 meters, and shouted at many more! Have 49 states worked and confirmed on 6 meters SSB, which includes Alaska. I Never heard Hawaii. Some Day!! Have over 200 countries worked on High Fq. Called many more. Worked on 6 meters SSB: North America: South America: Europe: Africa: Central America: Worked and confirmed "All New Jersery Counties" on 6 meter SSB. **Some Locations I Have Contacted** On 10 meters: "Tasmania" On 15 meters: "Jakarta Indonesia" "E N D " Read More about my life as a amateur radio operator Read about the author. © 1998 - 2004 Charles A. Giannetta
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