Subj : Amateur Radio Newsline (B) To : All From : Daryl Stout Date : Thu May 26 2022 19:45:42 SILENT KEY: NOTED SELLER OF ELECTRONICS SURPLUS GOODS JOHN BIRKETT, G8OPP STEPHEN/ANCHOR: A name well-known for decades to radio enthusiasts in Great Britain has become a Silent Key. We hear about his remarkable life and career from Jeremy Boot, G4NJH. JEREMY: Radio components of every kind imaginable were a speciality for John Birkett, G8OPP, who opened his first shop, J Birkett, in Lincoln in 1960. With that small business, John served subsequent generations of radio enthusiasts, supplying hard-to-find components and surplus equipment, everything from military and test devices to wire and cables. John was also a friendly, familiar face at radio rallies where he became a much-sought-out attendee. John became a Silent Key at the age of 93 on 30th April. His death was recently reported on a number of ham radio news sites. His obituary on the website of the Radio Society of Great Britain recalled how his shop evolved into more than a collection of components and equipment; it was a gathering spot for those who shared the bond of radio and the spirit of experimentation and creativity. His motto was "not a piece of junk in sight." A post dated 20th May on the website Hackaday paid tribute to what was ultimately the worldwide presence of this very local shop: [quote] "Though many of you from beyond where this is being written may never have heard of him, the chances are that if you follow electronics enthusiasts from the UK, you will have unwittingly seen items which passed through his hands." [endquote] For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jeremy Boot, G4NJH. (RSGB, HACKADAY, SOUTHGATE) ** SILENT KEY: RICHARD MACKAY VK2HRM, HAM CLUB FOUNDING PRESIDENT STEPHEN/ANCHOR: One of the architects of the Snowy Mountains Amateur Radio Club in New South Wales, Australia, has become a Silent Key. With that report, here's Jason Daniels, VK2LAW. JASON: Richard MacKay, VK2HRM, didn't just help bring the Snowy Mountains Amateur Radio Club into being in the early 2000s; he served as its president to shepherd it through its earliest days. The New South Wales amateur, whose love of radio was ignited by his earliest adventures on citizens band, became a Silent Key on the 4th of May. An appreciation of his life, penned by Bill Steptoe, VK2ZZF, and posted on the club's website, said that Richard, an automotive engineer by profession, was also the guiding force behind the club's VK2RSM repeater systems. The systems operated on 70 cms, 2m and 6 m and had links to repeaters in Jindabyne and Nimmitabel. According to Bill's post about Richard, his health had been failing in recent years and that curtailed his active involvement with the club. Bill wrote: [quote[ "Richard will be greatly missed as a friend and great mate." [endquote] Richard was 61. For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jason Daniels VK2LAW. (SNOWY MOUNTAINS ARC WEBSITE, MONARO POST) ** BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline heard on bulletin stations around the world including the KV3B repeater in Rockville, Maryland on Sundays after the net at 7:30 p.m. local time. ** HEIL REBRANDS AMATEUR RADIO DIVISION STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Heil Sound Communications, well-known in the amateur community and in the world of professional audio, has announced a rebranding of its Ham Radio division. The division website has been redesigned and its product packaging will also have a new look. The company said that after having given a new look to its pro division last year, it realized it was time to overhaul the ham radio side. Heil Sound said in a statement that the changes achieve the goal customers had requested, creating an entity separate from the pro side of the market. The company was established by Bob Heil, K9EID, decades ago. A change in ownership within the company was announced in February of this year, with Bob staying as CEO emeritus and continuing his involvement in amateur radio product design. (HEIL SOUND, ICQ PODCAST) ** LAST CHANCE TO NOMINATE YOUNG HAM OF THE YEAR STEPHEN/ANCHOR: If you are hearing this report before May 31st, you still have time to nominate a talented young radio amateur for Newsline's Bill Pasternak Memorial Young Ham of the Year Award. Consider sending us the name and qualifications of a licensed radio operator 18 years of age or younger who lives in the continental United States. Find details and application forms on our website arnewsline.org under the "YHOTY" tab. Remember our deadline is May 31st. --- SBBSecho 3.15-Win32 * Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (618:250/33) .