WHAT HAPPENED TO fasttrack*09 ON EBAY ??

[unit_399]

A few years ago, I bought several freq counters from this guy (I can't remember his name) on Ebay. Called himself fasttrack*09. Good products, high quality, great guy to work with. His site is still on Ebay, but no sales or products listed. Looks like he's out of biz. Anybody know what happened?? Or if he's still in business somewhere??

- 399

 

[Smokinone]

I have a Cobra 148GTL with one of his units in it. I had talked to him on the land line at one time, but I don't have any of that information any more...sadly.
He did make quality products.

 

[Klondike Mike]

Ralph lived in Ronan, Montana. I think this might be his obituary;

https://lakefuneralhomeandcremation.frontrunnerpro.com/book-of-memories/4758541/VanDyke-Ralph/#wall

I found this on his father (which mentions his son Ralph);

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/seattletimes/name/ralph-van-dyke-obituary?id=13168612

 

[nomadradio]

Seems to me his chosen name for his enterprise was "Backwoods RF".

Ralph was every helpful if you had trouble with one of his gadgets. Had one design idea I have never seen duplicated. Had a 5-digit frequency display for the 1978 Uniden SSB CB radios with the uPD858 chip. He got around the frequency shift problem by counting the input to the PLL chip. Translated that to a 5-digit frequency on the 7-segment digits. Just one problem. Turning the clarifier had no effect on the displayed frequency. His workaround for the mode/transmit shift also eliminated the ability to display what the clarifier does.

Not sure who it would appeal to, but to my knowledge Ralph was the only soul on the planet to apply this trick.

RIP Ralph.
73

 

[unit_399]

I'm glad you guys refreshed my memory . Ralph. I have a box full of items I bought from him, along with bags of parts that he sent because he thought I might need them. He was a great friend, and was always ready to help if I needed it. I hope he hasn't passed .

-399

 

[Smokinone]

Seems to me his chosen name for his enterprise was "Backwoods RF".

Ralph was every helpful if you had trouble with one of his gadgets. Had one design idea I have never seen duplicated. Had a 5-digit frequency display for the 1978 Uniden SSB CB radios with the uPD858 chip. He got around the frequency shift problem by counting the input to the PLL chip. Translated that to a 5-digit frequency on the 7-segment digits. Just one problem. Turning the clarifier had no effect on the displayed frequency. His workaround for the mode/transmit shift also eliminated the ability to display what the clarifier does.

Not sure who it would appeal to, but to my knowledge Ralph was the only soul on the planet to apply this trick.

RIP Ralph.
73

I did some searches for "backwoods rf", and came up with this site:

twins.html

I don't know if Ralph was associated but k3jls doesn't recall making anything for a CB.
I have a 148GTL with what I'm pretty sure now was one of fasttrack*09 expansion units (VFO). The dial is VERY touchy and hard to get to the desired frequency, but the 10 turn pot on the clarifier helps to get it settled in. It also does not compensate for the SSB offsets. If fasttrack*09 has passed, RIP. He was one of the good ones. God Bless

 

[Smokinone]

I found this going through some of my books. It was sandwiched in between some pages. This is evidently the install of the unit attached to my 148GTL.
Outdated contact information, but the page might have some value to anyone who might have had this on their radio(s).

 

[nomadradio]

Ralph had it going on, I'll give him that.

73

 

[lonestarbandit]

Thats fantastic..... I dig the TRON look.