Gilbert Allyn Frederick -
Senior Citizen, Father & Grandfather - 'Old-Timer' Radio
Amateur (Ham)
This homepage I have named AD ASTRA, meaning 'to the
stars', because that has been the direction of my life - always upward looking
and going. It is also the name of a publication I edited for almost 9 years, for
the Atari Microcomputer Network. At its height, this publication went to 16
countries, and was mentioned or reviewed in major Ham Radio publications, and
newsletters of Users' Groups in many of these countries copied the
articles.
Presently, I am an Advanced Radio Amateur, with Canadian
station callsign VE4AG; and also hold a valid U.K. station callsign, G4NZO,
which I obtained in 1982.
I was originally licensed as VE3EAA, in November
of 1948, while living in Kirkland Lake, Northern Ontario. After moving to
Winnipeg in the summer of 1954, I obtained the callsign VE4GA. I was unlicensed
for many years in the late 60's & early 70's, and had the callsign VE4AG
assigned when I re-licensed my station.
For the
history of VE4AG as we know it, click on this line.
Amateur
Radio has played a large part in my life - it has given me friends around the
world, a number whom I have contacted by radio and then met in countries other
than Canada (such as the U.S., the U.K. and Cuba). It has also directed my
vocation, which has been Electronics through my entire working
life.
There have been some adventures because of Amateur Radio - like
operating the station GB2RN on board the H.M.S.
'Belfast' anchored on the Thames in the Pool of London; having
a guided tour of the Radioaficionados de Cuba headquarters in La
Habana, Cuba; and, while living in Peterborough, ON, having a ex-WWII pilot fly
to Toronto in his 4-seater Stinson to pick me up and take me to North Bay,
Northern Ontario for a Hamfest and flying me again back to Toronto. I'll never
forget this Ham from Michigan, USA, whose last name was Forrest (I believe his
first name was Paul) -- we were talking on Morse code back in the early 50's,
and he asked if the fishing was any good in our area. I told him the fishing was
the best in Lake Nipissing, and that North Bay was holding a Hamfest in a couple
of weeks - and that did it! He set the date for me to meet him in Toronto (80
miles west of my QTH) - we took off from a field which is now part of the 401
Highway in north Toronto- and we were away to North Bay, 200 miles due
north!
We have had the pleasure of staying with Ham friends in the U.K. - one
couple even gave up their home (complete with ham station) to my wife Beryl and
me for a few days! With them, I had the pleasure of visiting the first British
pub that had me laughing uproarishly, even to playing piano for the patrons (I
play be ear, pretty well I might add, but it was the very large glass of bitters
that made it possible to me to actually sit down at that piano and pound out
some oldies). I played one piece, 'Up the Lazy River', which set one lady to
tears. She told me it brought back memories of her time dancing in the 40's with
a Canadian soldier. She gave me her picture as a keepsake.
Everyone has a
story to tell about how he or she first became interested in radio - which most
times led to becoming a Ham. Each one is unique - mine being no exception. I was
about 9 or 10 when we visited an uncle in Port McNichol, ON. I was fascinated by
his 'home broadcaster', a chassis with parts & radio tubes connected to a
microphone and a record player. Uncle Milton was able to broadcast his own
voice, or music, to radios in the neighbourhood. That fired my imagination! I'd
like to do that too. When back home in Orillia, ON, I went to the public library
and got my first book that had pictures and words that smacked of electricity -
it was the Audels New Electric Library, Vol. IX, by Frank D. Graham,
B.S., M.S., M.E., E.E., Copyrighted 1931, 1938, 1940, 1942. (Years ago I was
able to locate a reprint dated 1947, which is now in my library - and I do refer
to it still.)
to be continued ..........
And if you want to learn about Gil's latest Ham happenings, we invite you to
look at the following:
Winner of the W.A.R.C.
PIONEER AWARD
Election as a TRUSTEE to the RAC "Hall of
Fame"
Special Commendation Award called "President's Key Person Award"
presented by Ed Henderson, VE4YU, President of WSCRC in 2000.