My grandparents moved to Long Beach in the 20's, and so all of this is very "close to home" in a way. My mother was alive during the earth quake of 1933, and I remember my grandparents talking about how it damaged their chimney. What a life in radio !
Just wanted to thank you for posting this video of My Great-Grandfather, I had forgotten what he sounded like. We had great times at the ranch, even on the open house days. It's a shame they never got the museum up and running. I remember he could signal/transmit from his car in the early 80s ..light years before cell service...lol
I remember hearing ""W6AM W6AM calling and by for call" on a Halicrafters SX-99. This was about 1981 or 1982. I was living in Kansas and had no realization of the Legendary voice I was hearing. I don't know why I remember that so clearly. watching this video was great !! James Douglass, AC0E
with his antenna system I bet it was hard to NOT hear him! I bet it would take about $200 million in today money to buy up the property he owned and build an equal station.
I can’t believe only 14,000 views? This is amazing! How great it would be to have known him! Ultimate Elmer! I am absolutely amazed at the antenna feed and switching system! Would love to find documentation on the switching configuration on all those open line feeders!
WOW! Thanks for doing this video. This old guy is an original class act. He was there at the beginning through modern tech. What a great source of knowledge. I'm sure he is long gone by now. He was the last of a dying breed being killed off by the internet and a general dumbing down of society. Thanks again. I really enjoyed this!
He passed away in May 1985 at the age of 86 and there is actually a book about his station and life that was sold by the ARRL for many years but it is no longer in print but if you Google W6AM you would find a lot of information about his station and his rhombic arrays.
Outstanding video. Thank you for posting this piece of history. I had the privilege and honor of meeting Don and visiting his station on three separate occasions. My first time was in around 1965/66, the second 68 and the last in 1980/81 at one of his open houses. He was without a doubt one of Amateur Radios greatest ambassadors, and a huge reason I got my Ham license. 73, Alden K6ZU
The damn interviewer keeps interrupting, and then asks questions that Wallace is already in the middle of answering. This is the trouble with hams... they love to transmit... which doesn't make them goods interviewers. Wallace has probably told these stories a hundred times.. you might just as well give him his head, and let him run... which of course they eventually did !
Ask the people who went through Sandy and Katrina how well the internet and cell phones worked. The only reliable communications was amateur radio. The higher the tech the more fragile it becomes under adverse conditions. A dirty little secret that some have learned the hard way...
True that, but have you seen some of the amateur radio technologies that now relay some communications via internet? Check out DMK Engineering URI - USB Radio Interface.
Yes I've used many online communications interfaces myself especially SDR. My point however, is the vulnerability of the web as well as non-wired telephone. High-Tech is good, but Hard Tech is better. Hard Tech, as in non-centralized communication, such as amateur radio. As we tend to do, we'll put all our eggs in one basket without considering the consequences of what happens when the basket breaks. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE technology and am on the bleeding edge as it relates to wired or RF communication but we've prematurely discounted other time tested means of communication in favor of our latest 'shiny bauble' the internet..
@@CompetitiveAudio I've always found that for communications reliability HF radio is where its actually at along with being able to deploy something portable rather quickly. Even if you have to throw out some solar panels and a couple of batteries. Done this many times. The internet is fine for non emergency communications but when it goes down there is a lot of servers, electrical and networking issues. You can put an HF antenna in an emergency in a few minutes and start using it in most cases whether that be a vertical or horizontal antenna tossed up into a tree with the trees as supports.
@@CompetitiveAudio Not to mention if you can lug a transceiver into the field and have a power source you immediately can be communicating no matter if the power grid goes down like as in solar or wind power or some other way and same goes for being a mobile ham operator as well. I love technology as well and have several SDR but I also don't want to be dependent on one mode of operation and equipment. Several SDR receivers here from the SDR-RTL Blog to the various versions of the SDRPlay and some others around here too from NooElec and such. I still like my Yaesu/Icom/Kenwood/Alinco equipment with a way to power it whether by home power or putting it out in the field.
Yes he was married and often his wife would come up to the shack and was there when I would visit.. she always had something to occupy herself... As a kid I could bicycle over to visit.... As a kid I always needed parts... and Ham radio people were always willing to share... but Don was kind of funny... you would bring up you needed a 22k ohm resistor... see that set of desk drawers in his operating position where the s line stuff is? Heh! He would open the drawer and hold one out and say... yes they have these at your radio store... and PUT IT BACK! .... I felt maybe he did not like me but turns out it was just part of his personality I later found out... His money was made as a electronics distributor. Another side story... we talk about not texting and driving..... Don would use a knee key and send and receive Dots and dashes with CW! am amazing guy glad I was alive during the time frame he was still alive and I got to meet him. Ed Sharpe Palos verdes 1960-1970 then on to USAF
Don't feel bad, he was like that with his kids, grand kids and (us) great-grandkids lol Cleaning out my mom's house (Joni Wallace) found some of his biographies. If want one, direct message me and ill mail it out. He would love seeing them go to Hams/radio pioneers
No Condo's....but... 83 expensive homes there now!!!!!!!! I live within walking distance of the place... what a pathetic difference... BUT... $$$$$ talks.... THANKFULLY NO Condo's!!!!!!
My grandparents moved to Long Beach in the 20's, and so all of this is very "close to home" in a way. My mother was alive during the earth quake of 1933, and I remember my grandparents talking about how it damaged their chimney. What a life in radio !
Worked Don in the 60's. I was a fairly new ham and had no idea I was speaking to a legend,
Just wanted to thank you for posting this video of My Great-Grandfather, I had forgotten what he sounded like. We had great times at the ranch, even on the open house days. It's a shame they never got the museum up and running. I remember he could signal/transmit from his car in the early 80s ..light years before cell service...lol
Do you have a license as well?
Hey, we're fourth cousins :)
Incredible
@@chirhoiota885 Hi cuz :) Minnesota or North Dakota ?
I have two of his QSL post cards from wayyyy back when he was "9DR."
I remember hearing ""W6AM W6AM calling and by for call" on a
Halicrafters SX-99. This was about 1981 or 1982.
I was living in Kansas and had no realization of the Legendary voice I was hearing. I don't know why I remember that so clearly. watching this video was great !!
James Douglass, AC0E
with his antenna system I bet it was hard to NOT hear him! I bet it would take about $200 million in today money to buy up the property he owned and build an equal station.
Great video. Listening to people from this generation never gets old and is very inspirational.
I can’t believe only 14,000 views? This is amazing! How great it would be to have known him! Ultimate Elmer! I am absolutely amazed at the antenna feed and switching system! Would love to find documentation on the switching configuration on all those open line feeders!
WOW! Thanks for doing this video. This old guy is an original class act. He was there at the beginning through modern tech. What a great source of knowledge. I'm sure he is long gone by now. He was the last of a dying breed being killed off by the internet and a general dumbing down of society. Thanks again. I really enjoyed this!
He passed away in May 1985 at the age of 86 and there is actually a book about his station and life that was sold by the ARRL for many years but it is no longer in print but if you Google W6AM you would find a lot of information about his station and his rhombic arrays.
What an amazing interview!!! I loved it!!! Sharry KK6YMI Oroville CA
Thanks for putting this up ,great man ,i am a ham from sydney vkpha and i loved his story
What still gets me is that click…the station gets a little clearer, then click, the station was crystal clear. What a great layout!
Outstanding video. Thank you for posting this piece of history. I had the privilege and honor of meeting Don and visiting his station on three separate occasions. My first time was in around 1965/66, the second 68 and the last in 1980/81 at one of his open houses. He was without a doubt one of Amateur Radios greatest ambassadors, and a huge reason I got my Ham license.
73, Alden K6ZU
a wealth of information
He lived 1 more year after this video
Awesome to hear his story when the interviewer would shut up long enough to let the man talk.
So lucky - and honored - that I worked him - John, KB3H
If I was sitting in the middle of that room, I’d be looking around grinning from ear to ear. What a layout!
Whiskey 6 Alpha Mike is sadly "A Silent Key"
May his Soul Rest in Heavenly Peace.
great video
The damn interviewer keeps interrupting, and then asks questions that Wallace is already in the middle of answering. This is the trouble with hams... they love to transmit... which doesn't make them goods interviewers. Wallace has probably told these stories a hundred times.. you might just as well give him his head, and let him run... which of course they eventually did !
AT 1:23:20 - "Amateur radio . . . that is the future of the electronic industry." He never saw the internet (which was in its infancy) coming.
Ask the people who went through Sandy and Katrina how well the internet
and cell phones worked. The only reliable communications was amateur
radio. The higher the tech the more fragile it becomes under adverse
conditions. A dirty little secret that some have learned the hard
way...
True that, but have you seen some of the amateur radio technologies that now relay some communications via internet? Check out DMK Engineering URI - USB Radio Interface.
Yes I've used many online communications interfaces myself especially SDR. My point however, is the vulnerability of the web as well as non-wired telephone. High-Tech is good, but Hard Tech is better. Hard Tech, as in non-centralized communication, such as amateur radio. As we tend to do, we'll put all our eggs in one basket without considering the consequences of what happens when the basket breaks. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE technology and am on the bleeding edge as it relates to wired or RF communication but we've prematurely discounted other time tested means of communication in favor of our latest 'shiny bauble' the internet..
@@CompetitiveAudio I've always found that for communications reliability HF radio is where its actually at along with being able to deploy something portable rather quickly. Even if you have to throw out some solar panels and a couple of batteries. Done this many times. The internet is fine for non emergency communications but when it goes down there is a lot of servers, electrical and networking issues. You can put an HF antenna in an emergency in a few minutes and start using it in most cases whether that be a vertical or horizontal antenna tossed up into a tree with the trees as supports.
@@CompetitiveAudio Not to mention if you can lug a transceiver into the field and have a power source you immediately can be communicating no matter if the power grid goes down like as in solar or wind power or some other way and same goes for being a mobile ham operator as well. I love technology as well and have several SDR but I also don't want to be dependent on one mode of operation and equipment. Several SDR receivers here from the SDR-RTL Blog to the various versions of the SDRPlay and some others around here too from NooElec and such. I still like my Yaesu/Icom/Kenwood/Alinco equipment with a way to power it whether by home power or putting it out in the field.
Yes he was married and often his wife would come up to the shack and was there when I would visit.. she always had something to occupy herself...
As a kid I could bicycle over to visit....
As a kid I always needed parts... and Ham radio people were always willing to share... but Don was kind of funny... you would bring up you needed a 22k ohm resistor... see that set of desk drawers in his operating position where the s line stuff is? Heh! He would open the drawer and hold one out and say... yes they have these at your radio store... and PUT IT BACK! .... I felt maybe he did not like me but turns out it was just part of his personality I later found out... His money was made as a electronics distributor.
Another side story... we talk about not texting and driving..... Don would use a knee key and send and receive Dots and dashes with CW! am amazing guy glad I was alive during the time frame he was still alive and I got to meet him. Ed Sharpe Palos verdes 1960-1970 then on to USAF
Lived on Indian Valley Rd. This was my backyard .....
Don't feel bad, he was like that with his kids, grand kids and (us) great-grandkids lol Cleaning out my mom's house (Joni Wallace) found some of his biographies. If want one, direct message me and ill mail it out. He would love seeing them go to Hams/radio pioneers
If i'd would have had this guy as my 'Elmer', I might have known something by now!!! 🤣😂🙃😂🤣
RIP W6AM (SK) 73...
Wondering if you might have known my Elmer. Lenny Schlageter, K6OIK from
Atascadero, CA? Regards, Scott W3CV
So that is a ham radio station? Thanks.
Very Good chek! 73! DX! de Boris UA1CCE
No Condo's....but... 83 expensive homes there now!!!!!!!!
I live within walking distance of the place... what a pathetic difference...
BUT... $$$$$ talks.... THANKFULLY NO Condo's!!!!!!
You can thank the developer Mr. Ronald Florance for that.
@@johnperry8808 Yeah, the city was a pain in the butt. Took over a year and half to workout the deal. Drove my grandfather and great-uncle to fits lol
I can fill the tank with diesel there and go all the way to Canada without stopping. -The biggest pimp in all LA