Brian KJ7OUF has always loved radios. It all started when he was 13 and received a set of walkie-talkies from Monkey Ward (Montgomery Ward.) As a kid he liked to ride his bike and call back to his parents. His first base station was a Johnson Messenger 2 “white face” around 1965 or so. It was crystal-controlled with 4 or 5 channels. To expand to more channels, one had to buy extra crystals. Operators had to “bridge” the resistor, if they wanted to crank up the power from 4 watts to 10 watts.
D.N. Latus and Co., located off the old Main Street in Helena, was the go-to electronics store in those days (1954-1981). Hams who remember it say it was a good place to hang out before Radio Shack opened on 11th Avenue. After that there were two good places for radio buffs to congregate. Brian got his ground plane antenna from Radio Shack.
Radio meant CB to Brian. He was a trucker in the days of “Good Buddy” and “10-4.” What hams call DX the CBers call “shooting skip.” The farthest contact Brian ever made on CB was to Queensland, Australia.
His first CB transceiver was the 23-channel Midlands SSB. However, Brian and others discovered a hidden channel between 21 and 22. There was a 22a that not everyone knew about.
Brian was newly married to his then wife when the two of them drove to Billings to pick up a new radio. They liked to sit close together in the cab of his pickup, but as it happened, the only space he could fit in his radio was in the front seat between them.
“Well,” he told her, “it looks like the only thing to come between us is a radio.” It was supposed to be funny.
Another time Brian had ordered a brand-new radio that was due to arrive before Christmas. Every day he watched for the mailman, and every day there was no package. Finally, on December 24 Brian went to the post office to check on his package and was told that it was out for delivery. However, his carrier had already been by and left no package. Brian got into his car and on icy, slick streets chased down every mail carrier he could find. Finally, he found the right carrier and asked if there was a package for him. The carrier didn’t think so at first. Brian suggested he look again. Oh yes! Here it is! The mailman finally admitted he had overlooked it. Brian got his new radio.
In the Marine Corps Brian was assigned to motor transport, where he and other guys liked to play with the radios in the trucks. They could spin the dial and listen to Art Linkletter and Paul Harvey. One night they were listening to a man’s voice with a New York accent taking orders for pizza. They ordered one! The order-taker was not too pleased, but in the end they all had a good laugh.
Brian was at Camp LeJeune when he bought a base station and antenna. He lived on the second floor of the quarters, so it was easy to run a wire out the window, up onto the roof, and fasten it to a vent. It worked well until the camp commander discovered it.
Brian served four years in the Marine Corps and five years in the Army National Guard. He also worked for the VA for a time.
When Brian came back home for good, he drove trucks for a while, then started his own wrecker service. He also pursued his interest in experimental airplanes, building, rebuilding, and flying them.
Two-way radios were still a big part of his life, not only in his wrecker business, but also in four-wheeling. He joined the local CB club, where he met Vern Paronto N7ZBZ/SK and Bob Solomon K7HLN. Over the years they and his four-wheeler friends talked to him about getting his Technician license. When he realized that CW was no longer required, he took and passed the test. Now he considering preparing for the General.
Brian’s biggest take-away from all these experiences is the realization that there is always more to learn - and that’s the fun!
January 2021
D.N. Latus and Co., located off the old Main Street in Helena, was the go-to electronics store in those days (1954-1981). Hams who remember it say it was a good place to hang out before Radio Shack opened on 11th Avenue. After that there were two good places for radio buffs to congregate. Brian got his ground plane antenna from Radio Shack.
Radio meant CB to Brian. He was a trucker in the days of “Good Buddy” and “10-4.” What hams call DX the CBers call “shooting skip.” The farthest contact Brian ever made on CB was to Queensland, Australia.
His first CB transceiver was the 23-channel Midlands SSB. However, Brian and others discovered a hidden channel between 21 and 22. There was a 22a that not everyone knew about.
Brian was newly married to his then wife when the two of them drove to Billings to pick up a new radio. They liked to sit close together in the cab of his pickup, but as it happened, the only space he could fit in his radio was in the front seat between them.
“Well,” he told her, “it looks like the only thing to come between us is a radio.” It was supposed to be funny.
Another time Brian had ordered a brand-new radio that was due to arrive before Christmas. Every day he watched for the mailman, and every day there was no package. Finally, on December 24 Brian went to the post office to check on his package and was told that it was out for delivery. However, his carrier had already been by and left no package. Brian got into his car and on icy, slick streets chased down every mail carrier he could find. Finally, he found the right carrier and asked if there was a package for him. The carrier didn’t think so at first. Brian suggested he look again. Oh yes! Here it is! The mailman finally admitted he had overlooked it. Brian got his new radio.
In the Marine Corps Brian was assigned to motor transport, where he and other guys liked to play with the radios in the trucks. They could spin the dial and listen to Art Linkletter and Paul Harvey. One night they were listening to a man’s voice with a New York accent taking orders for pizza. They ordered one! The order-taker was not too pleased, but in the end they all had a good laugh.
Brian was at Camp LeJeune when he bought a base station and antenna. He lived on the second floor of the quarters, so it was easy to run a wire out the window, up onto the roof, and fasten it to a vent. It worked well until the camp commander discovered it.
Brian served four years in the Marine Corps and five years in the Army National Guard. He also worked for the VA for a time.
When Brian came back home for good, he drove trucks for a while, then started his own wrecker service. He also pursued his interest in experimental airplanes, building, rebuilding, and flying them.
Two-way radios were still a big part of his life, not only in his wrecker business, but also in four-wheeling. He joined the local CB club, where he met Vern Paronto N7ZBZ/SK and Bob Solomon K7HLN. Over the years they and his four-wheeler friends talked to him about getting his Technician license. When he realized that CW was no longer required, he took and passed the test. Now he considering preparing for the General.
Brian’s biggest take-away from all these experiences is the realization that there is always more to learn - and that’s the fun!
January 2021