I recently aquired several old boat anchor radios that used to belong to an older gentleman who lived in the 9th Ward in Nawlins (New Orleans for them yankee folks).
Anyway, I spoke with the guy I bought them from, and he and a friend of his purchased all his old gear, which he had his radio room on the 2nd floor of his home (thankfully due to Katrina). As we were talking he was telling me the history behind this gear and who it belonged to. The mans handle on the radio was "Runaway Slave" he had one hell of a radio room, I bought 6 of at least 8 old radios he owned and likely used. Sadly I was not able to get any of his old Amplifiers apparently someone beat me to those.
The man that sold me the gear said he had a custom built retractable antenna tower, and a set of beams that were so big that it extended past his house and into both neighbors when turned, and even when turned straight in line with his own house it was bigger than his house on both ends. The man said this fella was somewhat of a celebrity in his own neighborhood and when he keyed down he could take out the entire 9th Ward. I imagine he was talking about TV's Radios and anything wireless and likely half the stuff hardwired for that matter.
All of the old boat anchors are collectors items for those into that kind of thing. I'm only 45 but when I was just 14 I got bitten by the RF bug, and once I saw that blue fire in a glass tube I was instantly hooked. I got married at 18, and due to moving and raising a family I got out of the CB world for about 20 years. I still have all my old gear and have got into things again and ran across this gear while down in the Greater Nawlins area. I figured some of the old timers here may recall this fella, and just thought I would ask around and see if anyone knew him or remembered him.
Anyway, I spoke with the guy I bought them from, and he and a friend of his purchased all his old gear, which he had his radio room on the 2nd floor of his home (thankfully due to Katrina). As we were talking he was telling me the history behind this gear and who it belonged to. The mans handle on the radio was "Runaway Slave" he had one hell of a radio room, I bought 6 of at least 8 old radios he owned and likely used. Sadly I was not able to get any of his old Amplifiers apparently someone beat me to those.
The man that sold me the gear said he had a custom built retractable antenna tower, and a set of beams that were so big that it extended past his house and into both neighbors when turned, and even when turned straight in line with his own house it was bigger than his house on both ends. The man said this fella was somewhat of a celebrity in his own neighborhood and when he keyed down he could take out the entire 9th Ward. I imagine he was talking about TV's Radios and anything wireless and likely half the stuff hardwired for that matter.
All of the old boat anchors are collectors items for those into that kind of thing. I'm only 45 but when I was just 14 I got bitten by the RF bug, and once I saw that blue fire in a glass tube I was instantly hooked. I got married at 18, and due to moving and raising a family I got out of the CB world for about 20 years. I still have all my old gear and have got into things again and ran across this gear while down in the Greater Nawlins area. I figured some of the old timers here may recall this fella, and just thought I would ask around and see if anyone knew him or remembered him.
