Kiwi CMP to be restored

[Mike K]

Nice story. Not many of those old timers left now . And, they have the direct knowledge we can only guess at .

When I first got a ham radio license, there were many ex service guys from WW2 on the air pounding away on morse keys . Not many around any more, they are virtually all gone more or less.


The brush painting of camo is well known . I've seen it on two of my vehicles here .

Mike

[Little Jo]

Originally Posted by Mike Kelly

Nice story. Not many of those old timers left now . And, they have the direct knowledge we can only guess at .

When I first got a ham radio license, there were many ex service guys from WW2 on the air pounding away on morse keys . Not many around any more, they are virtually all gone more or less.


The brush painting of camo is well known . I've seen it on two of my vehicles here .

Mike

Hi Mike

I used to spend a lot of time with an older mate, Frank Taylor who was a Ham Radio Operator, His call sign was. VK5-TG. I worked with Frank who is now in his 90's, He was in the RAAF in WW2 as a wireless operator in the Pacific. I only wish I had written down the hours of conversations we had over the years, but you don't realize this until you yoursef are getting older. Frank loved Morse Code and preferred it to voice, you may even had contact with him yourself over the years, Check you QSO Cards.

Cheers

Tony

[Mike K]

yes Tony

I did contact a few VK5's years ago... cannot recall your mate . One chap was in the Middle East as a wireless operator. I asked him about trucks and he kindly loaned me a pic of himself in front of his wireless truck..in Syria , which is now in the news !

Here is the pic.. the truck is a 1940 01Y Ford 1 tonner, typically a wireless truck used by the AIF . He said his job involved rebuilding the radio batteries every 3 months . He would use a blow torch and remove the tar and install new lead plates and new acid etc. He said the radio sets were AWA 101 made here in Sydney . I have a few of them .

[Little Jo]

Originally Posted by Mike Kelly

I did contact a few VK5's years ago... cannot recall your mate . One chap was in the Middle East as a wireless operator. I asked him about trucks and he kindly loaned me a pic of himself in front of his wireless truck..in Syria , which is now in the news !

Hi Mike

Yep I am sure you would have been in contact with Frank, he spent a lot of time "on air". and I would also go on at times using his set and call sign. I did a course some years ago for a Ham Licence, I still have all the books, but I found Morse code not as interesting, but you could not get your licence with out it. Frank would tell me all about the times under canvas at the air strips and when he was in the Catalinas, he would still well up with tears at some of the stories and terrible things when they were being bombed and straffed by the Japenese planes. His memory is not so good now. Sad..

Cheers mate, thanks for the contact.

Tony