SCSSB NET LOOKING BACK
By: Emmie B. Patience, KA4LRM
Amateur single sideband operating began in SC during the mid 1950s. In
June 1957, discussion and an occasional informal net session was held on
sideband. The first official net session was held on April 7, 1958.
The basic purposes of the net were (a) fellowship, (b) advancement of the radio
are and (c) traffic. The first net manager was Ben Bledsoe, W4VJL.
K4AII donated a copy of what was believed to be the first net roster and was
thought to be from 1959. It was a list of about 50 hams, checking in from
South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, and Georgia.
Membership increased annually with volunteer net controls and two elected
officers, a net manager and a traffic manager.
In August 1962, "The Carolina Sidewinder" was printed and
edited by Bill King, K4BMI, of Bishopville. It was four pages, filled with
news of members, plus want ads and an In Memoriam to W4JEF, Tracy Hite;
W4CRC, Mel Gorman; and W4ULH, Bill Pritchett. It was mailed out to members for 3
cents postage. The Sidebander of the Year
was initiated in 1961 and awarded to W4FFH, John. The name of the
Sidewinder was changed to SCARAB (SC Radio Activities Bulletin) and the annual
subscription rate was $1.00.
Back to TOP
Some quotes from the March 1963 SCARAB: "A nuclear war won't
determine who is right - only who is left." "Most of us follow a
path that someone else beat out for us." A letter from Ben, W4DX, was
praising the ARRL for their past performance, and rightly so. He noted
that the League was formed prior to our country's entry into WWI and disbanded
for the duration of the war. At the close of the war, the US Congress had
before it a bill proposing the abolition of Amateur Radio. Mr. DeSoto, Mr.
Maxin and others, using their own money, undertook the task of bringing the
situation to the attention of former amateurs, many of whom were still in the
military. The deluge of letter to congressmen helped greatly to defeat the
bill.
Very little recorded news in 1964 and postage on the SCARAB had risen to 4
cents.
As late as 1966 and 1967, SC Amateurs looked upon single sideband operation
with mixed emotions. Some considered the "monkey-chatter"
signals as something like the German measles. We might "catch
it," or if lucky, might avoid the infection. Lou Scott, W4NJG, of
Greenville was one of the first hams in the state to build a homebrew rig.
Others followed suit or learned to tune their AM rigs for sideband. They
found it challenging and enjoyable. It was reported that in further
similarity to the German measles, there was no known effective antibiotic
vaccine against the SSB BUG - you NEVER....NEVER recover. There were some
"dyed-in-the-wool" AM boys who prided themselves on being too smart
to waste time on SSB.
In 1969, The Scan (S.C. Amateur News) publication made it's debut with
W4PED, Charlie, as publisher. Arnold, WB4BZA, was the net news contributor.
Most years between 1976 and 1990 a week in June was proclaimed Amateur Radio
Week by the Governor. In 1976, the 20 year old dormant ARC of Lancaster
was revived.
In 1978, the 20th Anniversary of the net saw a more complete directory
published with a summary of the net's history, information on ARRL Numbered
Radiograms, etc., and a list of the net members numbering 210. A lengthy
and informative tribute to Banny Stewart, W4CE, on the occasion of his fifty
years in Amateur Radio was included.
In 1979, Field Day activities were reported from Colleton County, WCARS of
Greenwood, Marlboro County, and Anderson County.
1981 saw more hams helping others. Section Manager Richard McAbee,
W4MTK, received a very kind letter from WD0WHR in Fremont, Nebraska, thanking
the members of the SCSSB Net for help in alerting his son in Summerville of an
emergency back in his home in Nebraska. Also a letter of thanks for the SM
of Ontario, Canada, for the help the SC hams gave him in helping to locate three
boys who were vacationing in Myrtle Beach.
In 1983, an "on the air" celebration of the 25th anniversary of
the net with ARRL President Vic Clark, W4KFC (Roanoke Division Director), Gay
Millius, W4UG (Roanoke Vice Director), John Kanode, N4MM (SC SM), Jimmy Walker,
WD4HLZ, and charter members Ben Bledsoe, Coleman Rowland, James Thompson, and
John Warner taking part. Emmie, KA4LRM, Net Manager, received on behalf of
the net, a Certificate of Merit from ARRL President Vic Clark, W4KFC. Lee,
W4DRF, became a charter member of the ARRL AIRS (Amateur Intruder Reporting
Service) program. The space shuttle Columbia made a successful 10 day
flight with Amateur Radio operators on board.
In 1985, the National Weather Service presented to SM Jimmy Walker, WD4HLZ,
a Special Service Award for outstanding weather relay support given by ARES
members and other hams. Commendations were also extended from Tom Gardner,
Jr., WA4WHR, Communications Officer of the SC Emergency Preparedness Division,
from Charles Catoe, WD4NMF (KJ4DT), Public Information Officer/SC and from
5th District Congressman, Robin Tallon. Later in the year the National
Weather Service sent a letter of thanks to the net for support given during Hurricane
Diana. A Ten-Tec Corsair was presented to Aubrey, WB4UBK. (This was not a
net project, but many net members were involved).
1988 brings us to the 30th Anniversary of the net and another "on the
air" celebration and a Certificate of Merit from ARRL.
September 1989 and HURRICANE HUGO!!!! The net was activated on September
21st at 1530Z and secured at 0301Z on September 29th with a total of 131 hours,
31 net controls from South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Florida, and
Georgia manning the net. Logs received for 116 of those hours indicated
2613 check-ins, 1305 inquiries, and 221 formal messages.
In 1990, the grade school children in the state were preparing to talk to
the Astronauts. Pat Hensley, N4ROS, Principal of Lewisville School, had
students who took part in the SAREX Program. Hunter Wood, W4ANK, was
chosen to receive the Roanoke Division ARRL Service Award.
In 1991, Jessica Lawrence, KC4PFC, inherited much ham radio equipment from
the estate of William M. Kessel, K3SO (K4RSC) and Jessica in turn donated a part
of it to the Roper Mt. Science Center's Radio Club. Jessica is the
daughter of Darlene, WB4SOD, and Mark, WA4BEI. She has a brother , Ben,
KC4OWK, making hers a family of hams.
1992 finds the students of Clark Middle School of Orangeburg talking with
the Astronauts, under the direction of Jim Brown, WM3O, and under the auspices
of the Telephone Pioneers of America.
Scattered throughout the SCSSB Net History Book are pictures of "good
times were had by all" hams. The "BOOK" is on display
annually at the Blue Ridge ARS Hamfest. Clark Rogers, K4BGN, is credited
with the origination of the net history book and many thanks go out to him for
such a thoughtful endeavor. Pictures and ham related articles are
solicited so that we can continue to record the history of the net. Since
1993, when the records were scanned to glean the above information, the net has
been progressing in a normal manner. We had added a few new hams and lost
several as "silent keys".
LOOKING BACK we can see that the net procedures have been modified in
keeping with the times but always have striven to keep the basic purpose of the
net the same.
The success of any net depends upon the work and efforts of it's individual
net members. Let's all work to continue the goals set by past members of
the net and strive to meet the challenges which face Amateur Radio today.
Thanks,
Emmie, KA4LRM
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