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The Acton Free Press Wodnosday Aug Jennifer Barr Over the past years Near has talked to people from every part of the world It a not that hes been there he just talked to them via short wave and ham radio WUo christened William often called Bill but mostly has been fascinated by radio since he was a boy and has been a licensed radio broadcaster since Hes a life member with the American Radio Relay League and has been an Advanced Amateur for years The Acton Free Press of April 18 carried a story of a broadcasting station to be established at the by Acton Radio Club and operated by one William Near who had just received his license More recently a couple of Sundays ago arranged a call to Mary New in Perth Australia from her Acton parents Eileen and Fred New The call lasted an hour and ten minutes and was as clear as a bell according to The communication was arranged through a ham radio operator friend of Marys The call had to be carefully arranged for lime taking into account cloud level and earth curvature in order to bounce the signal miles around the earth Other operators Involved in the call were Steve Chamberlain whose call numbers are VK6 for all you ham radio fans and Mike Donahue Australia Mrsi of Equipment Wllo has lived In Acton since when as a young lad brought here by his parents from the States Radio was in lis Infancy although hastens to inform the skeptic that short wave communications radios were much more ad vancedand sophisticated than listening radios He was given his first radio set in a set using two peanut tubes and rechargeable bat He started building his own gear dismantling old sets for parts a fact which now makes him upset because he has so few oldies left He built a In and now has a bedroom full of equipment for all types and amounts of output plus a foot radio antenna anchored in a four cubic foot hole In his back yard Its enough to boggle the mind Hes delighted with his new beam aerial which increased his transmissions from countries to 115 His second greatest radio thrill the first was talking to Mary New in Australia was con acting the chap who had installed the aerial then in New Zealand We must have done something right he commented It t the first time had talked to New Zealand he made his first down under contact in the In he received a letter from a Buenos Aires radio station congratulating him on receiving their transmission When he first heard the Buenos Aires station transmitting in English for the American listeners Wilo says he thought be had Denver Colorado and was thrilled at that The only emergency Wilo has been involved in directly was one involving the Canary Islands A lady residing there was desperately ill in Hospital and t expected to recover Of ficials wanted to contact her daughter and son Inlaw in Toronto but had little information A call was bounced from British Columbia Between him and a Toronto operator the son in law was found to professor at the University of Toronto Wilo handed the information over to other operators and has yet to find out the end of Ihe story During the disaster and evacuation Wilo monitored his set but didnt clutter the air unless actually needed as any good opera tor does Apart from the occasional emergency Wllo uses his set for contacts and rag chewing He just loves to chat with people around the world and has a large shoe box full of cards sent from former contacts The cards read like a travel list Israel Gambia Cuba Germany Spain Liberia Guernsey Switzerland In August Wilo fl record book shows the following countries contacted Uruguay Denmark England New Guinea Japan Poland Russia Italy and Australia Museum pieces Wilo also has a small museum of old radio tubes although quite a few of his antiques have found their way Into newer sets of local kids He now regrets not keeping some of his historical sets intact The earliest set he has Is a 1923 Westinghouse that squeals like mad but Is tremendously sensitive Among the old radio tubes Is a Rogers original some peanut tubes a large copper tubing col from an early radio the first RCA tube and many dif Diced tubes depicting the years from then to the day of radios When he not mucking around with his radio Wllo works with trans form era and cabinets at Hammond in His employer Fred Hammond has an enviable museum of radio tubes according to Hes also In his year as an elder with Knox Presbyterian Church and was Worshipful Master of the Acton Masonic Lodge In Although the longest broadcaster in Acton Wilo Is not the only ham radio operator There are eight In Acton and area and eight more in and area In all there are over licensed radio operators in the world Wllo has call books for all over the S and the rest of Ihe world casually listed under foreign For any ham radio enthusiasts wishing to call Wilo has number Is VE1ACB While were talking a call comes in on the radio in the universal Morse code Wilo starts to read as if the communication Is in straight English Its a west coast station he comments Were minutes to Hood River it says and the transmission fades leaving me wanting to renew contact with that vague voice out there three thousand miles away It would be very easy to get hooked on ham radio SB IP captured first for flot hi the What a parade without marching music The Acton Citizens Hind ltd t play ground finale parade Thursday night Suggest garbage bins for sewage plant Highway 25 info centre The Minstry of Tran- agreement with the plans and Com- f the highway will hold an Engineer Robert Austin Information centre at said the province t Speyside School next decided when the Tuesday afternoon and reconstruction will lake evening to plans for reconstruction of Councillor Marilyn Highway from High- Serjeantson wondered if ne reconstruction of The Information Highway would solve be from to own p and from to problems with gravel m truck routes Austin said Improvements for the province might be road include widening to to answer her feet constructing a question truck climbing lane on for committee The special Hills council committee reviewing market value assessment will have to spend exploring the new form of property assignment Acton Councillor Terry Grubbe wants the region to put garbage bins at the sewage treatment plant so residents can drop off bagged refuse Council passed her motion Monday calling for Ihe region public works committee lo consider putting a bin at the sewage plant or another appropriate location She noted she has heard concerns about where to dump garbage from residents She thought residents could dump garbage at the region run sewage plant during the hours it Is open Mayor Peter suggested if the town paid to put the bin at the sewage plant the region would likely be more receptive to the idea it is vital that the town get a bin for Acton and area Councillor Miller said to the part that is Niagara Escarpment Improving the design of some Intersections widening of Highway to four lanes between Highway and regional road 9 and reconstruction of the Highway and Highway inter change The Improvements are needed because traffic volume is increasing many large trucks use the road there is a higher than normal number of accidents on Highway the pavement feet wide is too narrow and some intersections are poor Hills supports the province recon plans Monday council passed a resolution indicating MAKE PREPARING I INCOME TAXES HALTON HILLS BLUE FINS SWIM CLUB ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Thursday Septembers 1980 at CEDARVALE COMMUNITY CENTRE Please call if planning to attend the garbage strewn on Austin reported the lown rural and urban streets rural roads has spent over on this year to the end of Engineer Robert picking up garbage on July putting it oil together Accessories put the finishing touches on any outfit giving you a total look Bead Necklaces 50 Costume Jewellery 30 Earrings Necklaces Stick Pins Brooches Etc off off Gifts Cards ell 43 Mill St East Acton Claius Sept BACKTO SCHOOL SPECIAL All FallWinter Fashion Fabrics da August 28 29 30 THE Fabric 75 Mill St E Acton 8531781 TuesSat Thurs until 800 OUR LABOUR DAY SALE