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by Ted VE3DXG Mid Playing is "I left my Heart in San Francisco" This story was told to me by Phil Lebreton, Radio Inspector in North Bay back in the 60's. Apparently the department had received some complaints of interference to radio and TV sets, also the mysterious flashing of florescent lights that were turned off in homes along Main St. west near the BEER STORE. He and his partner made their way into the area a couple of nights later at the times that these things were supposed to be happening. Sure enough, their monitor receiver went absolutely quiet, and no matter how much attenuation they cranked in, the s-meter was at full scale. They heard the station identify itself and they headed to the address they had in their records. They parked across the street and marveled at the florescent lights in an adjacent home that were flashing in unison with the cw that was coming through their monitor receiver. Upon knocking at the door, they were invited down to the basement to the hamshack. They explained why they were there and wanted to see the rig and amplifier keyed up so they could check to see what power he was running. With no hesitation, the exciter was keyed, as was the amp. Phil told me that the plate voltage was showing 7500 volts DC and the plate current was reading 100 mils. Hmmm ..... 750 watts according to the meters... He also mentioned that the tube that was being used in the amplifier was capable of running 5,000 watts ( don't recall the number of it but apparently it came from the local radio station, CFCH, that was running 5 Kw on am) and wondered why it was used to to only put out 750 watts.....? To make a long story short, while Phil's partner was checking the logs with the ham operator, Phil noticed that the milliameter which was jury-rigged to the side of an enclosure did not have a glass over the face and the cover was also partly missing. Upon closer inspection he noted something attached to the needle of the meter. He gently flicked it off and then asked the operator to key up his exciter again, which he did. Ah ha... this time the meter went to 600 mils... 4500 watts !!! Amazing what a little piece of lead will do in the right place ! The operator was suspended from operating for a period of time but spent many years on the airwaves after that episode keeping North Bay on the map. I have spoken to people all over the world who have asked if I knew the guy "near the Beer store" when I mention that I had lived in North Bay.
Of course by now, many of you will have recognized Newt Bryer, VE3HF or "Haywire Fone" as he used to ID "near the Beer Store" as the owner of that station. He was a true amateur, never missing a field day, or helping new hams along the way and always there if someone had problems with equipment. .... May he rest in peace....
Here is a photo of Newt taken in 1959 or 1960 at a
North Bay Hamfest
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