73's

Jose

From: John Tyler (WA2ODJ) Date: Sat, 8 Aug 2004

I was Keesler Aug 1965 -July 1966. I'm John Tyler WA2ODJ. Going thru AFCS 30533A Digital Electronic Computer Repairman. WOW 39 years ago that was! Probably not much was changed. There was a radar station on Dauphin Island off Keesler. I remember those unlucky few who got picked for instructor.

We were in hurricane Betsy in 1965. http://www.wunderground.com/hurricane/at1965.asp look at storm track. It went right over Miss. & Lousiana. After hitting South Florida, Betsy drew increased strength from the warm waters of the Gulf. It packed winds of 135 mph by the time it slammed into the Louisiana coast several days later. We were NOT permitted to run the ham sets during the hurricane. We slept on tables inside the instruction buildings. Cold ,wet and dark after base power was lost. I remember the instruction buildings, they were made from cinder-block and concrete. held up pretty well. Every pine tree lost every pine cone onto our parade grounds and the barracks were pretty bad afterwards. No planes, nor troops were lost! Most damage was on right side of storm, Tupelo Ms. was almost destroyed, but Louisana got the headlines. No one knew where Tupelo & Jackson Ms were then!
Betsy's reign of terror was Sept. 6 to 10, 1965, and 75 people died, primarily in Louisiana.

I'm at montyw4700 at yahoo dot com. (8/8/04)

Regards from Princeton, NJ
J Tyler

From: Bob Green (KE3AW) Date: Fri, 23 Jul 2004

I just had a nice visit to your K5TYP website.

I was stationed at Keesler AFB, 1958-1959 (well before Hurricane Camille rearranged Biloxi) for training in "airborne navigational equipment repair" (radar). I wasn't a ham then, but was interested in radio.

Unfortunately I never came upon the K5TYP station or any members back then, else I might have become a ham sooner than 1990! Since '90 I've had numerous pleasant Qs with K5TYP. Keep up the good work down there!

Bob/KE3AW

FROM: JD Delancy (W1JD) DATE: 4 Jan 2004

Heck of a site. I was at K5TYP and Keesler Sep-Nov 74 for 296X0 school in McClellan Hall. Don't know if I have some K5TYP related pictures or not, I'll look around. I was K1ZAT then, now W1JD.

Add me to the email list.

jd
w1jd at drix dot net

FROM: Harry Hyter (K7THB) DATE: 4 Jan 2004

After leaving Keesler, I finished the rest of my 22 years in the Air Force. I spent most of the time between the states and the far east. I hit several commands (PACAF, ADC, USAFSS/ESC and AFCC). There were a lot of assignments open for ground radio. I tried to avoid the ones with parachutes attached and AFCC. I made Msgt without any sucking, just didn't have the lips for senior or chief.

I reitred from the Air Force in 1988. I worked at the Nevada test site as an electronic tech for over eight years until management got flakey. I found an opening with the local police department in communications and jumped on it. The shop works on everything electronic the PD has. Hopefully I won't have to interview for any more jobs, this should take me to the big retirement.

I'm still active in ham radio with 160 thru 70cm capabilities. I dabble packet, aprs, psk31, computer controlled radios and anything else that has a computer port on it. I assist different groups with their repeater projects thru installing, tunning or repairing. It keeps me moving.

You mentioned the rare K5TYP membership certificate, I have one (in good condition) that was on the shack wall of WA7BLC & K7THB at home and is now in my shack. It's to Harry F. Hyter K7THB elected (railroaded) as an active member. It's signed by Frank McJunkins and Joe "Z" , 5 Nov 66. Oh yea, Thanks for picking up the K5TYP site. I don't think that I have any pictures here, but I'll check at my mothers house when I visit there in the spring.

Harry Hyter
k7thb at Wizard dot com

FROM: Tony King (W4ZT, ex WA4UPE) Date: 19 Dec 2003

I had the pleasure this week of talking with Jim, AD4XX, who started this archive. He has been inactive for quite a while and after discovering that his web site had gone down I made an effort to find out what he was going to do. He was delighted that someone else was interested in the K5TYP archive and offered it to me. I accepted and this is the result. I went ahead and purchased K5TYP.org so there would be a good home for all this great info.

I'm looking for more pictures and memories so PLEASE send them along and I'll add them to the great collection that Jim had going. Note the email address seems cryptic but really just say it as you read it and it'll make sense: w4zt at w4zt dot com

73,
Tony King
W4ZT (ex WA4UPE)
at K5TYP June 1966 to January 1969
Union City, Georgia

Wow!   Someone just sent me the URL for the K5TYP site and it just blew me away.   I was stationed at Keesler and used the club station for the year I was there, from October 1962 through August or so, 1963, while in Aircraft Nav/Aids training.   I was in the triangle area and during that time, did some photography of the base from the ground and the air and if I can find any of my old pictures, will forward them on.   When I was there, we were playing with some of the old Collins stuff but one of the members brought in some Heathkit equipment and someone else brought in some other radios that were starting to blow the Collins into the background with receiver performance.   Used to have a wonderful time playing on 15 from the club, and often talked back home to California on weekends.

Thanks for the great web site and the old wonderful memories.   I will check back in often.

Dave Bermann
W6PS (ex WA6GUO)
Modesto, CA

I ran across the K5TYP web site recently and it brought back many fond memories.   I was there in 1972 and even found a photo of me on your PHOTO ARCHIVE page from the 70s (WB2JID.jpg).   Yes, it’s true--I did design and build the repeater controller (but not the repeater) during my stay at Keesler.   And like John Gersbacher (K6JJ) I also have a copy of the original manual that we wrote for the repeater.

Thanks to your site, I will be able to contact a few old ham buddies, including John Gersbacher (K6JJ), Sam Cox (WA3IUH), Phil Vinokur (WA6HVI) and others that I haven’t heard from in almost 30 years.

On your photo archives from the 60s you have a K5TYP certificate and mention that they’re very rare.   Attached is a copy of my certificate so you can add one more to your collection.   Also attached is a photo of Sam Cox, WA3IUH, that I found in my archives.   I don’t think that I even owned a camera back then, so I’ll bet that it was Sam or John who gave me this photo.

Thank you again for the memories.

Mark J. Wharton, K0LO
Assistant Professor, Electrical Engineering
Penn State University
209J EE West
University Park, PA 16802
MarkWharton@Hotmail.com

Note: Both photo's can be found in the 1970s collection)

Thanks for letting me know about this web site.   I think it is great.   It sure brings back old memories.   There certainly is a gap between the time my friends and I were there and the starting time of your photo series.   My mind is a little hazy about the exact details but I think some of my fellow students including W7JEQ (now AD7A) and I set up the original Club station way back in the fall of 1947 or sometime early in the following year.   Before late 1947 the Air Force Radar School was located at Boca Raton, FL.   After a hurricane that damaged the school beyond repair we dug our way out and were involved in moving the school to Keesler which also had been hit (with far less damage) by the same storm.   I recollect that Keesler at the time of our arrival was an Aircraft Mechanics training facility and a friendly rivalry developed between the resident aircraft mechanics and the newly arrived radar mechanics students.   Based on the logos worn on the shirt sleeves, radial aircraft engine for the former and a tower emitting lightning bolts for the latter, the former were called corrugated a__holes and the latter, flaming s___houses.

I think initially I may have used my old call, W7KHC for the station after we set it up a surplus IFF tower with a rotatable yagi at the top.   We were members of and had a close friendly relationship with what I recall was the Gulf Coast Amateur Radio Emergency Net.   We hosted some meetings with the net members at the club site.   I think somewhere in my old photo archives I have some pictures of the setting up of the original tower that supported the beam and the attendees of some of our meetings with the emergency net members.   I am sending a cc of your message and my reply to AD7A who may have a better memory of the early history of the club as he is one year younger in age than I and lives on the eastern side of Washington State. (How about it Bob?)

73,
Arthur (Bill) Guy W7PO
Professor Emeritus
Department of Bioengineering
University of Washington
Member, ARRL Radio Frequency Safety Committee

Great job of making a K5TYP website.   I just was doing a search and ran across the site.   Please add me to the email list.   I will create a link to your website from mine, www.aa6rv.com.   I originally received my Ham radio ticket at Keesler in 87 when I went to ground radio maintence school.   304X4....now changed to 2E1X3.

Dave Malin, 2nd Lt, 452nd AMDS, March ARB

Hi guys,
I just got in touch with Guy Navarro, WB5UAA (former K5TYP member) who told me about the web site.     I was president of K5TYP from 83-85.   I am still looking for the photos I have of K5TYP activities.   Still haven't located them.   Moved and boxes are still scattered between locations.

73 K5TYP..
de Jim, WK1V Ex: KA5MWD, N1CLS, KB1LW

Hello, it is good to see K5TYP still exists.   I visited many times in of 1965 - 1966 while in school there and a member of the 3380th Drum & Bugle corps which was then right down the way.   I noticed in QRZ that the station license expired Jan 29, 2001.   I hope they are just behind the times and the station will continue to operate.   I look forward to working someone from the station some day just so I can add the QSL Card to my collection.   Sure wish I could remember the names and calls of the hams that were active there at that time.
73
Tom Anderson

Just saw a listing of station licenses that were going to be expiring shorly and K5TYP was on list.   Hope it doesn't go away as I was a former op there in 1959 and 1961...73's

Bruce Beaman
K1HTN

Hi my name is John Mussey and I was stationed at Keesler in 1961.   I had a chance to operate the station.   Noticed that the icense is to expire at the end of this month.   Please dont let this happen.   The call goes back to 1958.   Hate tosee it go.
Thanks,
John, N5FJ ex K5RNM

Greetings,
Just ran across the TYP site and have a lot to say.   I was there most of 67 and the first of 68.   Please add me to the email list....I already saw two names (Loren K3RFC) and on the membership certificate (Frank K7RSD)...both good friends during my stay.   Somewhere, I have a bunch of slides of Field Day 67, however, a quick look couldn't locate them. After 30 plus years and many moves not sure I still have them.   But then again I have boxes I haven't looked at in almost that long...so hope springs eternal.   They would be a cool addition to the archives.   While I wish I could immediately remember Bill, I was definitely there at the same time as him.   I was one of the lucky ones that helped spend the budget windfall.   However, I recall it being closer to $6K not twenty five.   But in 67 still bought alot of current gear.   We tried to spread it around to all operating venues, hence the BTI amp and not the Collins.   I think we also got Swan 6 meters and Clegg 2 meters and maybe even a Gonset....(hey...this was pre-fm}....also a Novice station.   Oh yea....we definitely drove the homebrew 4-1000 with the SB-200 into the 204BA monobander prominent in the old photographs.   What with the statute of limitations, I will admit I might have been a party to some of it......and it was damn fun!!! (Hope I still have the picture I took of the wattmeter).

K5TYP was a real port in the storm back during those days of the Viet Nam build-up.   I have always remembered that part of the whole experience with great fondness.   I have more stories and hope to add them later.

73
Donnie B. Wright
K4XK ex WA4LBM

I hung out around the club quite a bit between August, 1969 and Thanksgiving, 1969.   I remember getting there about a week or two before hurricane Camille and helping out around the station and cleaning up by the beach (especially around the TV station area).   I had the same call then as now (WA2OOD, I'm not into the vanity thing).   For about the last year I have been carrying around a couple (OK, three) black and white pictures in my briefcase from around September or October, 1969 of some of the club crowd out on a transmitter hunt.   I don't remember any names of those those in these pix.   If I can find a scanner one of these days, I'll forward them to you.

At the time I was at Keesler, I think I had an Eico 753 and Hustler antenna in my plain blue '69 Chevy Nova.   In the following 3-1/2 years, I spent time at Peterson AFB/Cheyenne Mtn, CO, Fort Monmouth, NJ, Clark AB, PI and Offutt AFB, NE.   I reenlisted to get back to Colorado and settled here for good in 1977.   I am currently an EE (New Product Engineer) for Agilent Technologies (Hewlett-Packard spin-off) working on some of the whizziest stuff you'll find anywhere (mostly digital oscilloscopes).

73, Greg Tarcza WA2OOD

I was at KAFB from July 1959 thru December 1959 and then again to cross train from airborne radio to channel and tech control school in 1961 before heading to KL7AIR.  I spent 1 year as an airborne radio op at K1AIR, Otis AFB, MA, the other end of the state I was brought up in.   Both times I was housed in the new Triangle section of KAFB.  Very nice site, many thanks for the work on it...

Bruce Beaman, K1HTN

I attended school in 1974 for Ground Radio and spent a lot of time at the old clubhouse working 75-6 meters.   Even had my own TR-22C rig to work the local repeater, which I think I remember the receiver being at the hospital and linked by wire.   Also worked KC4USA from my room in the triangle.   And, yes, I had the BTI amp going most of the time!
Karl Shoemaker

I went thru KAFB twice, once in 1959 doing Airborne radio Op school and then going to Otis AFB, Cape Cod, Ma for a year and then returning in 1961 for Channel and Tech control operators school and then going to Elmendorf AFB, Alaska until discharge in May 1963.   K5TYP had an Elmac AF-67 transmitter then and I don't remember what receivers or antennas were there.   School was in the new triangle area and the Station was in the old base very near to the base hospital....I have retired from IBM after 36.5 years with them.

Bruce Beaman
K1HTN

Wow!   I knew it was just a matter of time before K5TYP became present on the web.   I was a member of K5TYP from 1981 to 1986, along with holding a couple of officer positions.   I was a member again from Sep to Dec of 1997 when I was going through another school there.   I'm still active duty and plan to stay in until they kick me out.   Currently, I'm stationed at Fort Huachuca, AZ.

Plenty of fond memories of K5TYP.   It's still the best darn A.R.C. I've ever come across.   I still have a couple of plaques presented to me right before I left K5TYP (Thanks Howard!).   Those are two of my most treasured plaques!   When I first got there, the club had apparently just moved into building 1919.   (That building wasn't there in '97, the club was in my old dorm from when I was going through 305 school back in '81.   Boy, that building hasn't changed a bit! )   An 80 foot telephone pole appeared next to building 1919 when I was first getting involved and the .19/.79 repeater antenna went on it.   I remember using plenty of solder on that old green repeater to keep it on the air.   I remember K5TYP scoring 5th place nationally on field day in '84 (Look in that issue of QST!).   I remember a couple of Boy Scout Jamborees on the Air.   I remember the Keesler marina asking for our expertise in installing VHF radios on their boats and a VHF base station at the marina and then them being excited because it worked so well.   (We knew how to use an SWR meter.)   I remember Howard (KA5UWN) budgeting for a new IC-745 and a 220 repeater for the club and putting both of those on the air.   I remember trying to figure out how to straighten out the 2M repeater antenna after hurricane Elena bent it.   I remember finding an old rusty-dusty Swan tube-type 6M rig buried in the back, plugging it in to see if it blew up or worked, putting up a simple antenna and getting it on the air right when 6M was wide open.   I remember typing up a monthly news letter on my commodore 64 computer and letting that printer run all night to get 100 letters in the mail the next day.   I remember putting up a digi-peater at K5TYP and folks from Louisiana and Alabama said there was now a link that stretched from Corpus Christy to Key West!   I remember keeping a fridge full of beer did wonders for club participation!   I remember an active club roster of less than a dozen when I first became secretary/treasurer and seeing it peak to around 70 or 80 while there.   I remember hosting a couple of novice classes and seeing people make it!   I made extra when I was a member of K5TYP!   I remember organizing a few fox hunts and never getting near the fox with my home-made 2M Loop.   Boy those were some good times!

I made a lot of friends while I was there and if any of you remember me, e-mail me! &nbjsp; I'll always maintain wb5uaa@arrl.net and wb5uaa@hotmail.com. For the next couple of years, I'll also be reachable at navarro@c2i2.com. Or, catch me in the CW portion of 10, 20, 30 and 40M. Also, this year's Air Force Anniversary QSO Party, 0001 UTC September 16th, until 2359 UTC on Sept 17th, 2000, on or near 3547, 3947, 7047, 7247, 14047, 14247, 21047, 21347, 28047, 28447 Khz.

I still hope in the back of my mind that I get stationed at Keesler one more time before I retire-not because of the jobs available there for me, but for the camaraderie of K5TYP!

I'll spread the word that K5TYP has a web page!

73 and c u agn!
Guy A. Navarro Jr.
WB5UAA

Greetings to all current and former "K5TYPers", de Bob, WA0VNY

I was at an AFCEA luncheon today (3-21-00) when I ran across Ed Luteran, KL7HRN.   He mentioned that K5TYP had a website and so I just had to surf over and see what it was all about.   I was stationed at Keesler from July 74 to August 77, and served as K5TYP's Prez from 75-77 as I recollect.   The club members were kind enough to give me a plaque before I left.   Now if I could just find it, I could come up with the exact dates!   During my tenure, the club was located directly across the street from the Commissary as shown in the '70's photos.
Some of my fond memories were:

• Making many treks to the Non-appropriated fund budget meetings trying to wring out $$ for club equipment and activities.
• Usually being successful in twisting (Hooper Electronics) Dave Anderson's arm for door prizes for our meetings.  Seems like we used to get a pretty good crowd for those things.
• Having several hamfests/fleamarkets during that time period.
• Mounting the .19-.79 antenna on top of the water tower - we conned a contractor into welding a baseplate and support pipe right next to the obstruction light on top of the tank...
• Running an end-fed long wire from the club to the cat walk of the tank and back down to near what I think was the Class VI store towards the west.   We taped some flourescent light bulbs along the antenna and loaded 'er up!   Drove the Security Police nuts when, in the middle of the night, there were these "UFO's" flashing in the middle of the base!...

I made a lot of trips to the salvage yard to scrounge "stuff" for the club.   I recall dragging an RF screen room out of their.   Most of it was assembled in the back room of the club, and some of the copper screen was used to build a 450Mhz horn antenna for moon bounce - we did hear our CW echos.   Lots, and lots of good memories from those days.

Again, greetings to all, es 73's

Bob Schmidt, WA0VNY
Anchorage, Alaska (retired from Elmendorf in '92 after 25 years)

Nice to see everyone checking back in after years pass....seems like most everyone here at the Elmendorf Amateur Radio Society is a past Keesler member, so it's not uncommon for comparison stories to be and reminiscing to be overheard in our shack.   K5TYP holds fond memories for me, since that was the start of my ham radio career.   During the first of basic electronics classes in 1984, I mentioned that I was interested in getting my ticket.   Another classmate, Jim Overfelt, said he was interested also.   That night, we took a trip to Hooper's for parts and built a set of code practice oscillators and started studying.   We passed our test about a month and a half later.   I received KA5TSD, Jim, KA5TSG (he's now KG5XC).   We got our novice licenses just in time to travel to New Orleans to upgrade at the next FCC test session (remember that intimidating experience?!)

I had kept my eye on the K5TYP station for activity, and one night I found the lights on with KL7HRN studying one night.   He provided encouragement and our link into the club, and later, my interest and connection for coming to Alaska.   (Thanks, Ed!)

I spent six months there in '84, then came back three times for a couple of weeks in 86 and 87 for NCO Academy and ground radio equipment maintenance courses.   Through that, I met Steve, NT0J (now KL7DC) and Dave, N1EYO; later both would also turn up in Alaska.   I remember Chuck K5BER coming over to work on the repeater (seems like the old Hamtronics "ham sandwich" always needed work after storms.   Every return trip proved that!   It was either down with a black circuit board or just back up after being struck by lightning again.   One trip, someone had taken one of the old Henry handheld "bricks" and pressed it into service for its receiver, since the ham sandwich was fried again.   (Who was that masked ham?!!)

I remember many 2-M conversations with local civilians Betty and Bob (their calls have escaped me) who were club "anchors" since they weren't transferring like the rest of us.

During the time frame of my club involvement, we were located in an old wooden building next to the water tower.   The correctional custody facility was next door.   Biggest hindrance was the lack of plumbing.   We had Collins gear, the BTI amp, Swan 6-Meter rig, and a Ten-Tec cw rig.   Antennas were triband beam and several dipoles/wires.   The repeater was in the back room, and the antenna was on top of a telephone pole.   Why the lightning always seemed to find that pole when there was a taller water tower next to it always puzzled me.   On my last trip in '87, there was a new Icom 745 and a healthy budget due to some hard work by the club leadership.

I remember a couple of interesting repeater transmissions; since it was "low-tech" you could activate the autopatch while someone was in the shack talking on the autovon line back home to "sweet-cheeks."   Never knew what that first few seconds would hold when you punched up the patch!

There was always a ready supply of parts in the back room.   I have a mobile HF matching network thanks to that "junque box."   There were usually a couple of old Tempo 2m bricks available for loan when needed.   I can't compare with the '60's vintage membership card, but I still have one from late '86 signed by secretary Daniel J. Henry.

Ah, fond memories of K5TYP, a good military club model to follow.....

73,
Mike Sambuco, AL7KC
(retired MSgt 304X4/2E1X3)

I was a member of K5TYP while attending Electronic Computer & Switching Systems (305X4) school for 8 months (Dec 1983 through Aug 1984).   The small group that we had representing the club sponsored car washes on base in order to purchase simple things, such as curtains for the station.   The Collins S-Line was still in use at that time -- with the 3 element beam.   I'll look around my photo collection for scanned images to send. These pictured were taken during my tenure there.   I used the station every evening after school for studying.   I met a fellow AF retiree going to school there, too -- AL7KC.   We're are now both retired near Elmendorf AFB, Alaska.   Please include me in your register of previous members.   I should be listed in the station logs for the period mentioned.

73,
Ed Luteran, KL7HRN
USAF (Ret.)

I looked at the photos on the website and it sure brings back memories.   I was there from June 71 until Jan 72.   All the guys in the old photos sure do look familar.   I remember operating the repeater and I think back then it was 34/94.   I also remeber the old swan equipment and the teletype set up.   Does not seem like it was 29 years ago that I was there!!   Time flys.

73
WB4WHJ
William J. "Bo" Causey

I was TDY at Keesler in 1975 and took a novice class when I was there.   I became a ham later that year.   I was there back in 1976 and worked many stations on 6M.   I have some photos of my time there and if I can find them I will send them to you.

73 Bill

Hi:   Just happened across your Website.  I was stationed at Keesler in mid 1971 to 1972.  K5TYP was my home away from home.  It was incredible seeing the faces of some of the people I knew back then...we were sure young!  Thank you for putting together this site, it sure brings back some wonderful memories.  If you do manage to arrange some kind of on the air reunion or contest or whatever please let me know.

73's Bruce Gonsalves WA7JCN

I have fond memories of my days at Keesler.  I was there from October 1961 to October 1963.  My call then was K5VHE.  I had a Heath Apache, Mohawk, Warrior, & SB-10 setup in the old wooden building on the N.E. side of the base.  It had a big generator and a beam on a pole.  Other rigs included a Collins 51J3 & BC-610.  I went through Airborne Communications Training in Dolan Hall.  After finishing that I was assigned as instructor teaching in the same course and place.  I remember Jim Wickell (NC4H), Tom Lubbers, (K8TL), Gary Jacobs (K4QYV), Bill Hiott (WA4GTC), Ronny Cartwright (WB5LAA), Jeep Platt (K3HVG), Cecil Statzer (Then W9MFI, now K4CAJ), Al Oubre, (K5DPG), Frans Janson (K6SHJ), & Jim Finkbeiner (W3BBX, deceased 1963).  There are others, but age diminishes my memory.  I have some B/W pictures that I will try to dig out and scan/email when I get a chance.  I would like to hear from anyone reading this that remembers me.

Don Thomas (ex K5VHE)
2111 Richfield
Wichita, KS, 67207
316-686-1414
W0PEA@arrl.net

I was at Keesler for Tech School when Camille hit in Aug. 1969 and operated before and during the disaster.  Nice looking site.  Can't remember anyone's name now...30 years later.  I'm retired from the Navy.  I got out of the Air Force in Jan 73 and went in the Navy in Sep 76.

73
Jim Geisinger, K3QQN.

I was a member of the station for a brief time in early 1969 for about 5 months.  It was great as it was a connection to home.  My call at that time was WA5LMH and I have recently changed it to W5XU (nice and short on cw).   Great pix, thanks for the tour.  I know the Collins station was there (only time I ever used one) and I think the Heath station was up.  I cannot remember the rest.  I had "duty" on Sunday AM.
Thanks for the trip.

73
David Assaf, W5XU

I was a student from March to Nov. 1955. The meetings were in a wooden building.  I returned to Keesler from a tour in Iceland to become an instructor in the AC&W school (FPS-3).  I spent a lot of time in the shack.  Another wooden building between the NCO Club and an old Fire station housed Mars headquarters.   This location was accross the street from Chow Hall 1.  The only non wooden Barracks were in the triangle area.  I also belonged to a group called the Biloxi Mobileers.

73 Don W1UPH

I saw a reference to K5TYP's website in the latest QST. It's been a long time since I've given the old club station a thought. Looking at the old photos brought back some fond memories of Keesler AFB. I attended ground radio repair school at Keesler AFB in 1967-68; and made frequent visits to the station. My call is (and was then) WA3BCM.
Andy Sobieralski, WA3BCM

I was Navy personnel, stationed at Kessler AFB early in 1957, while attending RADAR Maintenance School. I don't recall if I was actually a member of the club, but I did spend a lot of time there. As I recall, the equipment was not very modern, at that time. I just recently found an AF/K5FGJ QSL card, which was the station call at the time. Maybe some of the Old Timers will remember when the NAVY painted the infamous Christmas greetings on the water tower!

Dave, W3BJG

I'm KB5FSV and my dad is N5MSJ. I got my License as a result of K5TYP back in 1988 when I took a month long code class held by a man named Bill, NU2O. As a result I became a member, and my Mother and Father became hams as well. My dad was an Master Instructor at Keesler at the time. We became members about 1988, back when our building was the same type of building as the Heritage Building on Meadows Blvd. Matter of fact it was right there next to it, but that spot is just a parking lot now. Then we had to move out of that building because they were tearing down all of those buildings (except for the heritage museum) and we moved into the Jail. At the time it was the 3380th SPS 'prison' we kept all of the bars and fences up too. Then they decided that building was going too, so that is when we moved into the Triangle. Not long after we moved into the Triangle we got moved a street over on the second floor which was being renovated for the Corectional Custody, AFOSI, and who knows what else, but the Second floor was OURS. It wasn't long maybe 6 months after we moved into that building that we let our membership lapse and haven't been back since. Mainly because I no longer had access to the base (no more dependent id) and the only time my dad was interested is when I did something. We all still live here though. I work in Biloxi, and my dad is retired.

Jimmy Simmons, KB5FSV

I was a student at Keesler A.F.B., from the fall of 1963 to the summer of 1964, and had a few times to take a break from all the demands of Ground Electronics school to visit the A.R.C. My call had been a Novice, KN5WLU, got it in '58, but due to family problems and high school demands, I couldn't maintain the license. Enjoyed the gear at the club, however, and managed to listen in from Oregon, where I was transferred to from 1964 to 1967. Got relicensed as WA5YKK in 1968, and by pure chance have made contact with my old club station or someone off base in the three decades since. Back then, it was quite a beautiful place, but I noted that too many hurricanes have ruined the "Southern Belle" houses, etc., something you don't see anymore on drives through the area. I'll try to be active with you in upcoming events, always enjoy hearing from my "old school"!

73's
Gil Gibbs
WA5YKK (Now Extra Class!)
Port Aransas, Texas

Super job on the Keesler Radio Club web site. I went through the aircraft radio maintenance course in Aug-Dec 1971 and remained there to teach in the equipment portion until July 1975. I served as the club Vice President around 1973 or 74 with Tom Ruggles, WA8FIB as Prez. I recognize the name, call or faces of a half dozen or more in the thumbnail prints from the '70s. Vic Keener, W5MOJ was a close friend while I was there. He was a retired USAF Band Leader, an active ham builder and rarely missed a club meeting. Vic's maturity, creditability and common-sense approach helped guide the club in many decisions for more than a decade. The club meetings were standing room only in those days and many a 'wild idea' was voted upon with a room full of excited guys age 18 to 24! As for me - I completed 20 years working a variety of aircraft and comm gear including the E-3 AWACS birds for over 9 years. I now design and build aircraft instrument test equipment for a component level overhaul shop - Almost like 'homebrewing' for pay! My original Texas callsign from 1967 was WA5THM but I swapped it for AF5Z in 1979. Guys from that era knew me as 'Gene'.

73,
Bob Helms, AF5Z (MSgt retired)

I was a member of the K5TYP club in 1976-77 as WA4MPW. I, too have fond memories of my days in the Keesler Amateur Radio Club. Some of the other members at the time were Merle Eastman, WA1JUP, Jesse Phillips, WB5NPW (with whom I would converse on the 19/79 repeater and keep people confused between his and my callsigns), and Rick Davis, WB5YXC (now N0IMG), who helped me put together my Heathkit HW-2036 2 meter synthesized rig, which I had bought during a special trip to New Orleans to the Heathkit store. Two of the most notable things that happened while I was at Keesler was using the Swan rig that was pictured on the Web site to make contact on 6 meters with Washington state. For them Mississippi was rare DX on 6. The other caused much concern from the base commander. We had acquired a large piece of aero beacon tower, probably 100 feet. Now this tower was probably equal in width to that used by commercial FM and TV stations. We put it up next to the clubhouse (the old clubhouse, not the one located in the Triangle.) and guyed it. Next we took 40 feet of tower used for TV antennas and constucted a five element, long john 20 meter beam, using the TV tower for the boom! We put this monster atop the aero beacon tower. This beast was visible from all over the base. The results achieved were equally impressive. We connected Merle's (WA1JUP) FT-101B to "Big Mama" as we called it, but did NOT connect up an amplifier. We worked Australia by just uttering the callsign K5TYP on the air! The Australian thought we were running an amplifier and was incredulous when we told him that we weren't! The life span of "Big Mama" was not so impressive, as it didn't take the base commander two weeks to order that it be taken down. I may have some pictures of this monster antenna but I'll have to search for them. It was great fun while it lasted.

Rick Black
K4RAB (ex WA4MPW)
Keesler ARC 1976-77

I was a member in 1968. My call was WA8QNR at the time. I enjoyed seeing the old Swan 250 in the photos. I won the Section Award in the 1968 ARRL VHF Sweepstakes Contest in January of 1968 with that equipment for K5TYP. I still have the certificate hanging on my shack wall. The old club station was a great place to escape to for relaxation and fun. I will always remember it.

Steve Morgan - K8FFO
Bellbrook Ohio

I have fond memories of Keesler AFB, I spent 14 weeks there one day. Is the old 3386 Squadron still there? We had a bitter rivalry with the 3394 Squadron. I still remember those 5 days of academic KP at chow hall C. 20 hours a day of KP for 5 days. I dont know how I made it.
I also remember marching across the flight line when the temperature was 12 degrees and a wind chill of well below zero. Also of testing out on the 5BX exercises and not having to do exercises again after that!! Sure was glad I had typing in high school, it saved my butt!   When the rest of the guys were learning how to type I was listening to the Morse code. I passed 16 WPM sending and receiving long before the other guys did, and you only needed to pass 14 WPM. Felt sorry for those guys that got set back 2 weeks in training because they could not pass the required speeds.

73's
Roger
K8AIR

I date back to when the club call was K5FGJ, in 1955. My call was W1WIQ at that time and was a student. Barracks were made of wood, on stilts, and of course there was no a/c. Ugh! K5FGJ was housed in a small wooden building and used a BC-610 transmitter. Had 3 elements on 20m and 2 elements on 40m. The 40m beam was rather unusual in those days. Visited Keesler a few years ago as a contractor and couldn't pick out anything familiar. Am retired now in FL. Call is ND4AA.
Norm Duxbury
(ex K4CTY, DL4RI, 6O1ND, OE1ZDA, VU2AAA, YB0ACT)

This site is a real march back in time. I was there in 1967. I recall helping to unpack the new Collins S-Line, BTI amplifier, Swan 250, Drake Novice twins, etc. Lots of good memories... Spent many hours there. Used to "hide" from student sqd. TI's in the club so I could study and not get stuck with details! Had a chance to drive through base in 1996! Didn't recognize much. I was in 3478 Student Sq. on main base, now long gone....
73
Glenn Kurzenknabe, K3SWZ

I was a club member from 1991 to 1996. The first meeting I attended they were electing officers, so I joined and was elected president all in one fell swoop! Their rationale was that they needed someone with rank to deal with the base, since the club was moving to a new location. One year after we moved, we had to move again, to our present location [in the Triangle]. Wish my contributions could have been more in line with radio, but mostly what I did was throw my weight around.

As I was about to leave Keesler in June 1967, the base commander asked the amateur radio club if we needed any new equipment before the FY 1967 budget year closed on June 30, 1967. What a question! But we had only two days to spend $25,000. I was one of the members who spent it!! We bought the BTI linear, the Drake gear, etc, etc. I left before it arrived, but I see much of it in the pictures. Boy do I remember thumbing through the various Ham catalogs picking out equipment!! What a thrill. I hope those who followed appreciated it!!
Bill Hider, N3RR

I was a K5TYP member from July 1963 to December 1963. I have my original light blue membership card. I have carried it in my wallet for the last 36 years. There it was next to my ham license. It says ACTIVE Member, signed by Larry A. Akers.
73's de Bill Balzarini KL7BB (Ex: K7MWC)

I was a member of the Keesler AFB ARC club from August 1960 to April 1963. At the time it was housed in a wooden building. I was a technical instructor (AC&W) at the base, and lived in the Quadrangle area off the flight line. (3383rd Squadron I believe.) Our First Sergeant was called "Bulldog Barnet". May I suggest that you list the years each member was in the club on the E-Mail page? It will help identify each member.
William M. Miller, Jr. K1IBR

I don't have web access but I was a member in 1965 (during Hurricane Betsy) and 1969 (during Hurricane Camille). I was not licensed then but was as active as I could have been otherwise. In those days kleinschmidt TTY's were big. I went through all the QSL cards that the club had received and found a girl I went to high school with in that bunch!
Bil (one L, please) Munsil, W8WKM

I was at Keesler AFB in tech school (3386th School Sqdn) from Nov 60 to June 61. Then I spent a short time with the 2nd Radio Relay Sqdn which became part of the 1st Mobile Comm Group (1st MOB) in the PI. In early 1962 I was assigned to the 3380th Maint Gp at Keesler AFB. I look back on my days at Keesler with fond memories. I was pleased when I was elected a LIFE MEMBER of the Keesler AFB ARC. Please add my email address to the list of past members.
Lionel (Al) Oubre, K5DPG

Thanks for the Web page info on K5TYP. What great memories those pictures brought back for me. I was there in the summer of either '71 or '72 for a 4 week training class. I spent a lot of time at K5TYP. I operated the Collins S line, and always had the BTI linear cranked up on 75 meters. I remember the air conditioners always freezing up. I wish I could remember the names of the guys I saw when I was there. Sam Cox's picture looks familiar. I didn't have any 2 meter gear, but I remember the repeater. Someone had installed an auto patch in it that had a Touch Tone to rotary converter in it. I had a TR4 installed in my blue Plymouth Super Bee with a home made bug catcher antenna. I operated mostly 75 meters then. (and now!)
Jack Giehl, WB8BFS
Cincinnati, Ohio

My name is Bill Balzarini. My Call Sign is KL7BB (extra). My Call Sign was K7MWC in 1963 (tech). I was at K5TYP from June 1963 to Dec 1963. I phased ahead in GROUND RADIO SCHOOL (40+ weeks in only 20). While I was there at K5TYP, I met a ham buddy from Washington State. His call sign was K7KXE, now W7ETR in Utah. Tom was operating on HF over by the OLD COCA-Slush machine. I walked up and was really suprised to see him so far away from home. We called the COKE Machine COCA-Slush because the thing was turned all the way up to freeze the glass bottles almost to the top. This gave us then 10 to 15 minutes to drink the cold pop before it melted back to being warm in the summer heat of the non-air-conditioned shack. I had a chance to operate K5TYP during field day 1963 from a off base location that had a fire lookout tower out in the middle of the woods somewhere nearby. We ran a Gonset Communicator on 50MC (it was megacycles then) into a round Halo antenna. The band was open to all of the USA except the Pacific North West. I have worked the K5TYP several times during field day over the last 36 years and always consider it a thrill to hear K5TYP on the AIR. 73's and Thanks,
Bill W. R. Balzarini, KL7BB
KL7BB@hotmail.com
2525 South 355th Place
Federal Way, WA. 98003-9143