{"id":22793,"date":"2016-12-16T08:11:45","date_gmt":"2016-12-16T12:11:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=22793"},"modified":"2016-12-16T08:11:45","modified_gmt":"2016-12-16T12:11:45","slug":"guest-post-remembering-our-elmers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2016\/12\/guest-post-remembering-our-elmers\/","title":{"rendered":"Guest Post: Remembering our Elmers"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>

Photo: Mario Filippi (N2HUN)<\/p><\/div>\n

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Mario Filippi (N2HUN), for the following guest post:<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

\u2018Tis the Season to be Jolly and to Remember Our Elmers<\/h2>\n

by\u00a0Mario Filippi (N2HUN)<\/strong><\/p>\n

At this time of year when we gather with friends, family, coworkers and acquaintances to share the bonhomie and joys of the holidays let us fondly remember those who brought us into this hobby, our dear Elmers, those individuals who\u2019ve given of their time teaching us the basics of ham radio, answered our endless questions, inspired us by their shacks, guided us through the difficulties of radio theory and good operating practices and proctored us through our first examinations. If it weren\u2019t for these selfless individuals, who followed a time-honored tradition of mentoring budding hams, the hobby would not continue on and most of us might have taken other paths and missed out on a life-long, very rewarding hobby.<\/p>\n

To start the ball of reminiscences rolling, take a seat with me in the time machine of memories and go back to the early 1970\u2019s, to the suburbs of White Plains, NY, the home of my Elmer, may he rest in peace, George Buchanan, WB2FVX (SK).<\/p>\n

George held Novice classes once a week in the basement of his home where he tutored a gaggle of ham wannabes consisting of grammar school kids to those of advanced age, some of whom were old railroad telegraphers schooled in the use of sounders. We\u2019d have an hour of lecture, followed by code practice, then the class would end with general socializing amongst the students as to what transpired along with our future plans for our \u201cshacks.\u201d<\/p>\n

You know, George did not quit his day job to train us through our larval stages of the hobby; as a matter of fact he commuted to the city every day and still found the time once a week to start his 7:00 PM class for his eager students, and always had energy after a long day\u2019s work to stand in front of his chalkboard and work out the numerous electronic calculations (OHM\u2019s Law, parallel and series circuits of resistors and capacitors, antenna resonance and impedance ) and list important regulations that would be included in our FCC Novice exams. At the conclusion of the three month course, George sat through our Novice exams and mailed them off to the FCC Office in Gettysburg, PA. Back then it took a few months before you\u2019d get your license and hold in your hand the fruits of your (and your Elmer\u2019s) labors.<\/p>\n

George has been a silent key for decades now, and he frequently comes to mind, especially during the holiday season, when thoughts of Christmases past and all of the pleasant memories of almost forty years in the hobby occupy my mind. Indeed, George and all the other Elmers out there, living and deceased, have bestowed upon us one of the greatest gifts of all \u2013 Amateur Radio.<\/p>\n

Think back on your Elmer and do so with fondness and when the opportunity presents itself, take an inexperienced ham under your wing, guide them, inspire them, show them your shack, answer their questions, help them pick out a rig or accessory, have a QSO with them, help them with troubleshooting, accompany them to a hamfest, share the joys with them when they purchase a piece of equipment, and most of all, be there for them.<\/p>\n

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

Thank you, Mario, for sharing these special memories with us! George was an ideal Elmer indeed–he had the ability to share his enthusiasm and passion with others and helped them obtain their license during a time when study materials were not so readily available (and the test was much more challenging!).<\/em><\/p>\n

Thank you, Mario!<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Mario Filippi (N2HUN), for the following guest post: \u2018Tis the Season to be Jolly and to Remember Our Elmers by\u00a0Mario Filippi (N2HUN) At this time of year when we gather with friends, family, coworkers and acquaintances to share the bonhomie and joys of the holidays let us fondly remember […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3194,545,3,305,43],"tags":[5718,5717,4342,4311],"class_list":["post-22793","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-guest-posts","category-ham-radio","category-news","category-nostalgia","category-shortwave-radio","tag-elmers","tag-george-buchanan-wb2fvx","tag-guest-posts","tag-mario-filippi-n2hun"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-5VD","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":51464,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2022\/01\/schulman-auctions-posts-new-lots-of-radio-gear-for-january-2022\/","url_meta":{"origin":22793,"position":0},"title":"Schulman Auctions posts new lots of radio gear for January 2022","author":"Thomas","date":"January 8, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to\u00a0SWLing Post\u00a0contributor, Mario Filippi, who writes: There is a lot of gear for auction from Schulman Auctions. There are several shortwave radios and other vintage gear, even crystal radios. Eye candy for radio buffs. 73's, Mario, N2HUN Thank you for the tip, Mario! Click here to check out\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ham Radio"","block_context":{"text":"Ham Radio","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/ham-radio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Schulman-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Schulman-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Schulman-1.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Schulman-1.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Schulman-1.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":54356,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2022\/10\/mario-reminds-us-to-log-10-meter-cw-beacon-activity\/","url_meta":{"origin":22793,"position":1},"title":"Mario reminds us to log 10 meter CW beacon activity!","author":"Thomas","date":"October 17, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to\u00a0SWLing Post\u00a0contributor,\u00a0Mario Filippi (N2HUN), who shares the following guest post: Recent 10 Meter CW Beacon Activity Mario Filippi, N2HUN The 10m band has been coming alive lately and it\u2019s time for all hams and SWLs to take advantage of it.\u00a0 For several years I\u2019ve been listening to 10m\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Beacons"","block_context":{"text":"Beacons","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/beacons\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/10-Meter-Beacon-SDR-Sharp-Mario-Filippi-Spectrum-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/10-Meter-Beacon-SDR-Sharp-Mario-Filippi-Spectrum-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/10-Meter-Beacon-SDR-Sharp-Mario-Filippi-Spectrum-1.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/10-Meter-Beacon-SDR-Sharp-Mario-Filippi-Spectrum-1.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/10-Meter-Beacon-SDR-Sharp-Mario-Filippi-Spectrum-1.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":46550,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2020\/11\/hamestate-com-makes-it-easy-for-families-of-radio-enthusiasts-to-sell-gear\/","url_meta":{"origin":22793,"position":2},"title":"HamEstate.com makes it easy for families of radio enthusiasts to sell gear","author":"Thomas","date":"November 19, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Mario Filippi (N2HUN), who shares a link to HamEstate.com: an online site that simplifies the process of selling radio gear from family estates. I was not familiar with this site, but it appears they have good reviews. Possibly an option for families who've no\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ham Radio"","block_context":{"text":"Ham Radio","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/ham-radio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/HamEstate-no-bg.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/HamEstate-no-bg.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/HamEstate-no-bg.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":50576,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2021\/10\/schulman-auctions-posts-new-batch-of-radio-gear\/","url_meta":{"origin":22793,"position":3},"title":"Schulman Auctions posts new batch of radio gear","author":"Thomas","date":"October 18, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to\u00a0SWLing Post\u00a0contributor, Mario Filippi, who writes: Schulman auctions is now live with the latest batch of ham and other radio equipment. Lots of interesting radios available. https:\/\/schulmanauction.hibid.com\/ Thank you for the tip, Mario! Some amazing variety in this latest auction!","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Screen-Shot-2021-10-18-at-07.48.57-e1634557800824.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Screen-Shot-2021-10-18-at-07.48.57-e1634557800824.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Screen-Shot-2021-10-18-at-07.48.57-e1634557800824.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Screen-Shot-2021-10-18-at-07.48.57-e1634557800824.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":15755,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2015\/11\/guest-post-trip-down-shortwave-memory-lane-via-vintage-radioshack-catalogs\/","url_meta":{"origin":22793,"position":4},"title":"Guest post: Trip Down Shortwave Memory Lane via Vintage RadioShack Catalogs","author":"Thomas","date":"November 23, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Mario\u00a0Filippi (N2HUN), for the\u00a0following guest post: Trip Down Shortwave Memory Lane via Vintage RS Catalogs -Mario Filippi (N2HUN) Attached is a wonderful website containing archived Radio Shack catalogs and sales flyers going back to 1939, surely of interest to SWLs, hams, and other electronics\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"RadioShack-Catalog","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/RadioShack-Catalog.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/RadioShack-Catalog.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/RadioShack-Catalog.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":17965,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2016\/04\/guest-post-using-the-hackrf-one-for-dgps-beacon-reception\/","url_meta":{"origin":22793,"position":5},"title":"Guest Post: Using the HackRF One for DGPS Beacon Reception","author":"Thomas","date":"April 1, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Mario Filippi (N2HUN) for the following guest post: Receiving \u00a0with a HackRF One, SDR#, and MultiPSK by\u00a0Mario Filippi (N2HUN) The HackRF One is a Software Defined Radio manufactured by Great Scott Gadgets (www.greatscottgadgets.com) and has been on the market for a few years. Having\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Accessories"","block_context":{"text":"Accessories","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/accessories\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"h1-preliminary1-445","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/h1-preliminary1-445.jpeg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22793","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22793"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22793\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22793"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22793"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22793"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}