Welcome to the pages of the Airwaves Radio Club in the past it is the MAPS Radio Section. update 04APR26.

Hello from Rick, It has been awhile since I have updated the page.

Time got away from me. I am hoping to be able to keep you up to date.

Ever since the days of COVID time was messed up with Doctors and disability.

So much has change since the hamfest 2020. 

I  had COVID, so I did not make it.

The room full of items for the hamfest need to be sold.

So at low prices and some give aways. It slowly over the years the floor of the

radio building started to show again.  

Some of Bob Savage's item found new homes and some in the display area in a showcase.

I was aks why couldn't the two rooms of the radio building be switched around so

the ones who wanted to use the radios had more room.

So it started. With out help I moved thing from room to room.

It became a mess of disorganization. Sorry!

After four years it hasn't improved.  Lack of help was the biggest hold up.

Limit time in the radio building and trying to do what I could at home wasn't 

working.  Mean while the Jacks family was trying to find what was dropped off

when I wasn't there. Trying to find where it was still is ln going. Hope to find

it all. This started during COVID shut down. 

2026 Goals still are the Morse Code and Radio.

I am back but at home. Health problems have keep me away from MAPS. So it is what I can do here untill I get a ride up to the radio building and display area. I thankful for those hope keep the area clean. So of my displays needed repairs. I have them here at home till I get them ready for visitors.

I welcome help even someone to take over the section.  The section might seem confusing organization.  Still hold the N8AIR call sign but the Airwaves Radio Club has reduced down to three because of time who took the members ship from 17 because they became SK members. May they RIP.  MAPS Air Museum is a great retirement get away. Many great members to work with and to share stories. If you get a chance to join and find that area that interest you and use your skill, do it.  

There is a note in red down the page.

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For some time now I been looking for a PRC 77 Backpack radio for the military radio display case.  I don't know if the vibes were strong a day ago. One of the Ham fellows is moving and he posted the radio on Facebook through the Massillon Club post.

That made my day, for now I have the complete radio.

I have to thank Ron and Trish Hendershot for the radio.

They sure made my day, Thank You!

Here is the back of the simulator as it is after what I made for them to get them started. It is a fun project so that visitor can sit inside and have their picture taken and get a feel what it is like to be able to crawl in and sit. 

               Need to add Steve Warner K1BYD to the SK list. A very big help but his illness keep him away.

Sorry I have not been active here or at the radio building.

Two new projects I been working on are what follows:

March 8 I had to go to the ER because I could not walk. The doctors

found out my bad knee had a infection in it. The next day they operated on it.

The CDC doctor ran cultures to see what it was. Since then I been home bound.

The knee was not any better on bending. The antibiotics I been on since the 9th

of March. I will be on them till the end of the year.  Unable to make it to MAPS to work on

my displays is a downer. Being alive is an upper.  Still want to get up there is keeping me

going.  Please keep the interest in what I am doing. Keeping radio alive. 

I will be back.

The surgeon told me I do not need the operation. The bacteria count was going down.

The latest is they want to do the two surgeries to remove the total knee, treat the leg, and if all

is good put the total knee back in if all is disinfected. .

x

Radio operation room where the operational equipment is located.

The talk about a two meter repeater being install in the radio building is getting closer.

I think it is on 146.955 N8AIR/R

I had to turn down the repeater. It would be too hard to have none MAPS member

come in to work on it.

It should have good coverage in all directions except to the NW a big hill blocking it.

I asked for two tables at the Massillon Hamfest 31OCT21

Tables 6&7 SW corner of the lay out. Will be selling estate of a friend.

The hamfest will be held at MAPS Air Museum a great place.

Check ins will be 147.180+  PL 110.9

Auction begins at 10:00 AM. 10% Commission charged on all items sold.

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Note:

A problem showed up I did not need. I picked it up at the Military Collector Show a week before the hamfest.  Two days late while in the radio building I could not move felt so tired. That night all kinds of reaction were going on inside the body. This put me down for ten days. With months of after effects. Visits to ER and doctors. So I was unable to make the hamfest with the radio building stack with donation for the hamfest. Still at this time trying to do Spring cleaning in the building.

02AUG23

--------------------------------

Military Collector Show 17OCT21

I will have a table in the MAPS area. Will be selling items to generate money for the radio section.

Building need maintenance and a few up dates.  Also make so room to work on projects.

Added 28SEP21

There is a jet engine display I was asked to help with. 

This is the jet engine sound

and motor control.

I have to thank this fellow for his help to clean out the radio build and club logo.

Doug Gerber

This was good donation for it will add to the Amateur Radio Showcase.

They come in not in the best of shape to display but with care they can be cleaned up to be displayed.

Ham Radio was always important for what it did for communications.  Many ham helped in the development for radio before and after WWII.

They designed, taught, and operated radio from the early days and still at it. 

Not all radio stuff comes in complete but the parts help to restore another item needing the parts.

11SEP2020

One of the other showcases will be the hand held radios used in Vietnam.

Was able to attend a sale to pick up a few items for the radio display and for the home collection.

Sales like this come about when a Ham leaves his treasures to the wife to find a way to sell it.

This collection has many item that could be used in the radio displays. Funds just can't get what is needed.

Used the R-392 receiver in the past year while in the USAR (AN/GRC-46)was the reason getting the radio.

The AN/GRC-9 I bought from Fair Radio to use on the Ham Bands.

18SEP2020

The display set up by the lady members of MAPS Curator section.

Features some of the Radio Section equipment.

20FEB20

Been asked to display some of the radio equipment.

      The BD-71 Switchboard, TBY-2 Radio, and the Navajo Code Talker.                                                        Lynn Smart in front of the display. B-29 radioman.

The TBY-2 was donated for display by Mark Smith.

The Navajo Code Talker display was added to the Iwo Jima display.

16FEB20

Saturday I was donated two pieces of Ham equipment 

for the Ham Radio section of the operations bench.

Thanks to Jim AC8PY and Mary KC8TAA

04JAN20

Tonight at the Massillon Amateur Radio Club Awards Banquet.

They gave me the Ham of the Year, 2019.

Perry W8AU Has been a very big help with the radio club.

Massillon radio is a successful radio club many years old.

Thank you!

Radio History Curator

04JAN20

I wa seeing ads for this device.

Antennas being the most important part of the radio station.

I ordered one 02JAN20

NanoVNA 

Used to see what the transmission line and antenna are doing.

Newest two radios to the Radio Display Collection.

Mark AC8CL donated the TBY-2 Code Talker Radio and MBM Coast Watcher radio we made a trade.

06 FEB 20

         Code Talker Radio                                                                                       Coast Watcher Radio

      The Code Talker radio will go in a display                                                                                               The Coast Watcher radio I would like use to demo radio.

Now have project radio to fill in the spare time?

Both are Hallicrafters S-40A and S-40B

These radio need a lot of parts and tubes replaced at my expense. 

  Front view missing the lens and labels.                                     Below the components.                                                       The tube section

 .

Over the years the Capacitors, resistors, tubes and other components change or go bad.

15DEC19

The Generator box is getting the electric.

Things are going slow since my dedicated time is being taken up.  Getting down to do this work is very hard especially getting up.

Still thinking about the pop can heater box for heat.  Military show is this month maybe I can make more room in the radio building.

01OCT19

The radio build outside is almost finished.

Received the sign for the canopy. Generator box has been added to the building.

The TCS-8 Navy receiver and transmitter back in their cases.

Lot of equipment to work on. Time past three months has been limited. Hope to get back to it soon.

Electric to the generator box in and out still needs run.

Solar heater and solar cells still just on paper still.

24SEP19

Bought a BC-314 receiver at the Military Show.

It is in good shape with dynamotor inside. 12VDC.

Problem is it like to listen to the sub station talk.

The R-100/URR receiver has been recaped.

Problem now are the tube sockets. Over time they have become corroded. Does work a little if tube are wiggled.

As of 16JUN19 the TCS radio set almost ready to go on the air.

Receiver is working, transmitter has a few problem. Power supply working.

A member has a ICOM IC-735 he needed looked at.

Problems keep being found in circuits.  Age must have something to do with it. 

30APR19

The Radio Building is still changing some.

Now have the office setup.            Still have item to get rid of.                Posted the net on Saturdays.

Need to paint the paneling to seal it. Flaking making a mess.

15MAR19

Lastest change in the radio building.

                                                                    The Navajo Coder Talker 28FEB19                                                                                      The Navajo Code Talker 01APR19

One of the items I bought at the Military Show last October.

Will be adding this to the show case when I get the key.

04JAN19

B-26 radio compartment gets the BC-375 transmitter.

Thanks to Doug new radio member and friend in Oklahoma Mike. Spotted the transmitter in a picture Mike sent to Doug. It came on Friday and was installed on Saturday by crew chief Dave. Will add pictures today.

Radio room almost done.

The WWII radios wait for power supply  to be wired. Loaned the room my back up radios for now.  When the repair room is finished I can start on the power supply wiring.  

The section of the building the first room is almost done.

Now to start on the radio room on the side.

Repair area is set up.                                                                      Work area coming along.

Radio set up for visitors may use till the WWII radios are operational. 

WWII radio getting closer to come alive.

WWII equipment waiting.                                                                                       Early modern station set for reference frequencies.

I have help now from new and old members.

Radio building is getting closer to open up.

Thanks to Fred, Doug, Perry, Allen, Tim L.and I.

The power supplies now have power.                                                                             Now to make up the cables to match the WWII radios.       

Found out switching power supply on filaments cause lots of QRN in the radio.

25OCT18  Update 24NOV18

This did not work out.

Working on pieces for the power supply to operate the three WWII radios.

Found this case to build the power supplies inside for the WWII radios. GRC-9, No.19, and TCS-12 

                                      Radio Building receives new step. If the original steps are as old as the complex is.         

Then they are 66 years old?

The old old step from the past.                                                   Allen, Terry, Jerry, and Rick adopting the donated step to the building.

Note: The glow of the filaments in the old radios with the electrons flowing inside producing heat as they do functions in the radios.  Turning the knobs and flipping switches to hear a signal to come out of the headset or speaker that back in the 40s and 50s help communicate to win a wars and conflicts. 

Frequency coverage is 1.5 to 12 MHz in three ranges. The receiver may be tuned and operated with either a variable master oscillator or at fixed frequency using one of four switch-selected pluggable crystal units. Each of those crystal units contains two crystals. One crystal is at 455KHz higher than the selected frequency for the superhet oscillator and the other is at the selected frequncy for use in spotting. The receiver has 7 tubes including a 12SK7 for RF amp, two 12SK7 for IF amps, 12SA7 for converter, 12SQ7 for detector and BFO, a 12A6 for master and crystal oscillator and another 12A6 for audio output. The antenna for which the TCS is designed is a 20 foot whip.The Navy type CMX-46159 is better known as the TCS-12 receiver. The TCS was designed by Collins and used, along with its matching transmitter and a power supply, during World War II on LST landing craft, P-T boats, and a variety of other smaller boats as well as on-shore applications. This unit was assembled for Collins by Magnavox

This is the TCS-12  radio set that will be the main radio. The No.19 radio will be the back up. AN/GRC-9 is the portable to show and tell.

As of July 29th:  Now is the work to be done is sorting the stuff along the walls. Thanks to Phil of Fair Radio for taking the extra stuff being stored and not used or use for.  Day by day it slowly is getting organized.  This is in the first room to be used for restoration of the radios. Second room still on hold, has items stored in it. This is the radio operating room.  

Allen's group has the generator so the outside container can be built for when needed. Steps still getting worst from many year in the weather. Still looking for a round picnic table to use beside the building on the pad. If there was room for fabricating equipment for making the enclosures for the equipment like power supplies and such. Antenna system are not up yet. Only can do so much each day.  Tubes for the restoration seem to be a problem. Have many tubes but not the right ones. Some of the radios have the one volt and miniature tubes.  Heat will be the problem in the colder months I have to think about. Solar exchange on the south side of the building still an idea. Solar power and wind generator still in the back of the mind.  Wonder if any Eagle Scout looking for the projects. 

Work bench uncovered.                                                                                                   Tools need to be organized.

Update: The radio building is getting closer to becoming active. The new members of the radio club are helping me to get it ready to organize the different area in the first room. Straight back is the repair bench. To the left through the door is the work bench.  Under the white board is the planing fold up table.  By the middle of next week there will be a lot of room that the building never had since it was remodeled. The radio operating room off to the right will have military radio to operate. WWII and Korea types just need to build power supplies. It might have one or two civilian type radio.  Building and putting up antennas will also be other needed projects.  The goal is to have the old radios that glow and hand built accessories.  Main mode of communications will be CW.  Asked about a round picnic table if some one had one to donate.  A TV camera to show the station when in operation and the monitor in the radio section in the hangar.  Since the build is not handicap accessible and too small for more than a few in the building.  There will be live special events where the radio set will be set up in the hangar or in a tent. 

   AN/GRC-9 2-12 MHz.                              No.19 tank Radio                                               Room ready for Tuesday                                      Yellow post for End Feed

This Thursday April 5 we start to make room in the buildings. The over flow of electronic parts and stuff will be organized to get rid of.  It has been some time that the crib in restoration had to cleaned out of the radio stuff or get thrown out. Since them it has been moved here and there. The new member to MAPS will be helping me. Was going to have a table on April 8 at the Military Show but it would be hard to be at the table very long. It isn't that the donations are not wanted it is there is no room for it till everything is organized. What I am looking for is radio equipment to display. The cost for restoration is very high. But for museum display with cleaning up is worth it. 

When the areas are cleaned out they can be used install of storage. The radio building can be used and demonstrate radio and some restoration. Hope to have a on air station to talk to other museum like the USS Cod, USS LST-325, ship museums, and others.  Maybe the radio club (Airwaves Radio Club) can grow again for members.  Need to ask for more power to the building. 

I have started a new phase to my many skills. 02Feb18

The begging of the year I purchased a 3D printer kit. I thought the price was right to do so.  I enjoy build electronic kit so this begging more mechanical I feel conformable with it.  It took me into the early morning hours to complete and make my first 3D project.  I must of did everything right not reading the instructions.  It is great to be able to make something I needed. I had circuit boards that need to be inside an enclosure. Made antenna dipole mounts. My sister wanted bears so I made her four. Designed a high wing plane. Made a boat for the grandson.  Made a bolt and nut for my friend Allen.  One of the projects is on the table at MAPS CW display to hold the charts for Morse code. Yes it take time for the printer to make items, but just sit and watch it do it's printing is time consuming but enjoyable. For a price of 139 dollars it was worth getting my needs built.  So I bought another which is smaller for the small item or parts the bigger makes. Did not stop there for a laser printer was for sale that I purchased. My budget is small so what I buy has to be in range or just go on my wish list. Other printer kit was 129 and laser was 59. Money I would of use to buy military radio devices.  The laser take a computer to run it. The other two I use a CAD program to draw up the project and then a program to convert it to a langue that the printer understands. There are programs that I can take a picture of and item or picture to print. But I enjoy drawing or going to the internet to sites that other have made and share with others. The cell phone have stands. A little code transceiver I built has a enclosure and stand. Made tools for special needs.  The spools of filament are not bad for they make many projects. I even have some that glow in the dark. I wore out parts on the big printer like the cooling blower. The bearings went out but was able to make an arm to press against the impeller to keep it running till new one came. Parts are cheap to have spare parts. Most of problems at times the table get unlevel when pulling a part off.  Had two wrecks on the big printer. One was caused my cat hair and the other the project was at max for the printer. Right now the big printer is working on a cone to put the phone inside to amplifier my voice when I talk to Mom. This new adventure is like when I got my first computer and the internet. It opened up a big world which helped to learn from.  I did not do good in school but if I had the computer it would had made a difference.  You Tube with all the information it has where other have done it and share the videos.  Keeping up with technology is explained by these people.  You break or try to fix a device. The information is there.  

Small 3D printer                                             Making the vent for a radio                                          The kit for the small Printer.

Message from Rick:

I have not been to the museum as much as I want to be there. Mom who is 100 has taken up much of my time. Needed to clean her home out and sell it. Find a place for her where she will have help with meals and medical issues. When I was up there I did not get many to help with radio section. I had a few who keep me going.  Health problems are not helping either. Getting to old to do it myself so I had not choice. It was a dream to have a radio section ever since my first visit to MAPS and the Wings over the Rockies.  After these many years things just went down hill. Times change and those interested in aircraft have their hands full restoring the aircraft. I guess those interest in radio just were not in the membership. So I try to come to MAPS on Wednesdays to see what is happening and to take what pictures I can. Please forgive me but one can only do so much then things happen to deflate the dream.

Rick WIllaman

Bought a used surplus radio for events at MAPS.

The radio was expensive but normal for ham equipment. It is an AN/GRC-9 Korean radio transceiver. 

The AN/GRC-9 (often called the "Angry Nine") was a 2-12 MHz, AM/CW, low power transportable radio set which can be vehicular mounted (as the AN/VRC-34). It was fielded in the late 1940s and used through the Korean War and later in the 1950s.

BC-1306 was the for runner to GRC-9 during WWII. It had less coverage 3.8 - 6 MHz.

Hope to have it running this year. 

Will be looking for equipment that went with the radio set.

Bought a power supply to run the radio off 12VDC 7A.

Right now waiting on me to build the bias battery that is not made any more. 

Need to thank Fair Radio for having the radio and spare units. Ebay had them but they sold fast if less than 500 dollars and other are twice as much. So it was a big investment in a radio from the 1950s. Maybe it will survive a electromagnets pulse. Hope it never happens. 

12VDC  input GRC-9 power Supply from Italy provides 1.5 VDC, 500 VDC,6,3 VDC, 108 VDC, and the bias battery -4.5 VDC using coin batteries.

Looking for tubes for the set. 1l4, 1R5, 3Q4,  1S5, 3A4, and 2E22

It is an expensive project, but worth it to have technology from back then that to me was a very good design. Still waiting to make the first CW contact.

The An/GRC-9 is together in it's case.  12 VDC from my 40A power supply feeding the power unit. The builder from Italy did a fine job on the small box to produce the voltaged need for the transceiver. Pulls about 12 A.  It is a simple radio to operate 5 and 15 watts CW so it is my 5 watt QRP radio. Antenna tuner seems to work great. Like I said before they did a great job in a small heavy case to communicate with in the field. I will try it next field day in June. That is if the N8AIR and the Airwaves Radio Club are still supported by members. 

                                                New area for the Radio Section. NE corner of museum.                               

New displays are being added as they are donated. Want to thank those who donate equipment to keep the past 

communication equipment for display. This is a way to keep the radio section growing. Right now the case are full and more are needed.

Thanking Ken Ramsay for the pictures and all those making MAPS Air Museum a great place to volunteer at.

Now I need help to clear out the Radio Building

But with no heat or enough power

it is cold. Solar heat never built.

After I had to move everything out of the Restoration Building into the Radio Building it filled up fast. Did not have help to clean out the Radio Building so it can become the operations building for the Airwaves Radio Club. Now that I have help it slowly is coming along.  It will be used by Ham Radio operators to get on the air to promote Ham Radio and the museum. (ARC N8AIR) 

20OCT15

Thanks to Allen I have a place to repair and play.

It was a nice warm area to work but I was in his road and store item.

Now and in the beginning.

In September Allen gave me a half of his office to make a play room.

This is in the MAPS Building

27OCT15

Sorry to say this did not work out. Allen ia a great friend but the noise and metal dust was the same as the restoration building.

So I move what I could to the radio building and the Pump Building. Still want to make a go of this.

13DEC15

A new area for the radio section to display the radios.

11NOV15

Thanks to Reed for the interest in the radio section for this area.

18FEB16

Teletype was used during the war.                                                                                                   The Gibson Girl was used to rescue many downed crews.

Comparing the 40's receiver and a modern radio.                                  Kilroy is missing now?                                Kilroy is back watching over the show cases.

North East corner of the hangar.                          Slowly coming together.                      It is a long walk from the MAPS building to here.

Repair room is still changing.

As I said earlier that I had to move out of Allen's building.

13DEC15

In the new MAPS building Allen gave me room to set up a repair shop.

Still getting the building finished for operating.

Mixture of my and donated equipment.

27SEP15

So I left what I could for Allen and moved the rest to the radio building.

13DEC15

Working on getting the ground level to install the fence so the generator can be installed.

Working with a stiff leg till some day it may start to work right.

Grass is coming in slowly. Guess the fence is on hold. 

Need a welder to do the work.

Gave up this idea on the fence and a box for the generator. Mary has done a lot to improve the looks of the building.

04MAY2016

 This was the caged in area in the cold dirty restoration building.

Had to move out of there.

12MAR08

Was given this building. Cleaned it out and remodeled the inside for the radio club.

13APR10

Took on the job wiring the GZ-22 Blimp Control Car.

Built up the CW Morse Code display for the Boy Scout and Aviation Class.

04SEP12

Built Big Brother and wired the video cameras

Install the wiring and alarm system in the hangar and restoration building.                                                                                            Built the B-26 radio display.

02JAN13                                                                                                                                                                                           21NOV07

Made up the Fox Hole Radio dispaly for the Boy Scouts.                                                                                     Wired up the computer phone lines and equipment.

New project I was asked to help with.

Help install LED lights in and on the B-26

The power panel was built to power the LED light system.  The panel was install where the main power came into the B-26 wheel well. It has two charging systems. The solar for the good Ohio sunny days and an AC charging system for the not so sunny days. Have to thank Allen and Ron for asking me to work with Denny and Bill on this project.  Denny and Bill did most of the work with wiring, making the marker light with the help of the lens make Carl. The landing and cabin light I made up and the panel. Need to train members how to operate the system. Tried to make it simple but it got confusing for some.  The leg keep me from doing to much inside the plane. It looks some what roomy inside but inside it isn't. Have to respect the crews that flew and did their duty during the war.

28DEC17

N8AIR Airwaves Radio Club Field Day

Field Day is a once a year emergency set up for Ham Radio Operators around the world. Using back up power of all kinds. Runs 24 hours trying to make as many contacts as one can make. This was the third try at the event. Weather twice did them in. This time it was set up to show MAPS member how it worked but there was no interest.

Working around the building. Plan was to make a picnic area. Also the use parts of the lift to make a generator box for the north side of the building. But plans just did not come about.

 Installed four speaker in the library ceiling for the audio system.

12AUG14

16-24AUG15

New job mowing the grass,

23AUG14

Taking a break from MAPS, back in the ground again. My leg and new knee replacement did not work.

So I could not enjoy getting back down in the meters.

27AUG14

While trying to redo the GZ-22 cabin lighting "I messed up my bad knee". Wanted new fixtures so LED light strips could be installed 

to take the load off the power supplies.

Spent two week in the bedroom instead. Still waiting on the fixtures Dan gave the project to Connor. 

Sorry to say I found out the fixtures were in the scrap and Larry got rid of it.

Thanks to Don, Bill and Jerry new fixtures and lens have been installed.

They did a great job on replacing the older fixtures. Some reason  a visitor would knock and break the old lens? 

27SEP14

Dennis Gugliotta bought MAPS two horn speakers to be mounted on the corner of the

 dog house each side outside so that the visitor outside can hear what is being said on the PA system inside.

This all has changed. Bruce who works with sound equipment has done a great job in the hanger sound.

It was once a dream to make and leave displays for the kids to learn from and help them to spark an interest in electronic is flaming out.

Times change and people change.

Dreams need to be done before time washes them away.

Working at home on my own projects. This is my QRP suit case portable station. All mode / All bands. 

14AUG14

Here it is the end of 2017 and I am still at home working on Projects.

Lately there has been more interest in the radio building. It has help getting it operational.

The old unsafe steps replaced, Help to clear out the unneeded stuff, members joining the club.

An area in the museum to display equipment and set up Morse Code stations to help plant the seed of the code. Help keep radio alive in History.

2018

Some reason I just could not get everything to come together.

If some group can come along and help me get this going sure would be a blessing.

Now I don't have the strengthen to carry on.

17JUL17

I am hoping someone can step in and get thing rolling even better

for I feel communication between museums would be a goal.

Showing radio equipment of the ages and using them to to demonstrate to visitors radio.

Technology is changing so fast that radio will be forgotten, these radios of the past will end up in the shredders.

This was the reason for the radio building and the room on the second floor.

So MAPS member could had their area to work on radio and a club to share their knowledge to others.

The day of old electronics has faded away. As long as it can be keep a part of the modern ages it can to taught.

There is talk that some day the new technology will fail and the old tube and direct wired radios will be in demand.

This is my update to pass on.

Underground WX Station for QTH

Do a search to bring it up.

Salimbeni Allotment KOHCANTO32