Eric over at QSO Today has posted an interview with Bob Heil, the founder of Heil Sound, whose microphones have transformed both the amateur community and the professional recording industry (Heil Sound is the only technology company featured in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!)
The interview is about an hour and half long, and I was fascinated with every minute. In addition to talking about how Amateur Radio laid the foundation for his incredible career(s), Bob also talks about the need for Elmers in the hobby and the need to get hams building again. Along the way there are tips about audio for both transmitting and receiving, as well as a bit of discussion concerning the science of phasing – these alone are worth the price of admission!
Here is the info from the QSO Today site:
Bob Heil, K9EID, is no stranger to ham radio, as a pioneer in audio systems, not only for the rock and roll stars in the 60’s and 70’s, but for ham radio as well. As the founder of Heil Sound, Bob’s injection of audio experience and know how has raised the bar of what is acceptable for good sounding voice communications on amateur radio. Bob shares his ham radio story with Eric, 4Z1UG, on this episode of QSO Today.
Show Notes: http://www.qsotoday.com/podcasts/k9eid
Podcast Link: http://goo.gl/ymGr6a
iTunes Store: http://goo.gl/CvLNmV
Stitcher: http://goo.gl/uhf1XZ
— 73, Robert
Robert Gulley, AK3Q, is the author of this post and a regular contributor to the SWLing Post. Robert also blogs at All Things Radio.
Yes – I found it fascinating that he was so young when he was playing, but because of excellent mentors (one with whom he made a 6 meter contact with over the air which would really transform his life) he learned so many important things about the science of listening and being able to discern tones and harmonics, as he calls it “voicing” those old theater organs.
All in all a terrific story!
I had some issues of “VHF Horizons” from the early sixties, which included articles by Bob. He was into VHF and building at the time, and these were construction articles.
But each article got a blurb about the author, and Bob’s was about how he played organ at the Holiday Inn. Seemed like a very plain thing, especially compared to his ham radio interest.
But it was decades before I heard about him again, I can’t remember the exact context. Maybe it was in connection with the Grateful Dead. But that point didn’t connect him to the guy writing the magazine articles, so I wasn’t sure if it was the same “Bob Heil”.
Later it became clear. He goes from playing organ at the local Holiday Inn to doing sound for the Grateful Dead, and becoming a big name in concert sound.
I seem to recall Dan Healy, who was also a sound man for the Grateful Dead (after the Wall of Sound), was also a ham. Even Owsley Stanley, responsible for the Wall of Sound, was a ham.
Michael