FRIENDS OF THE SAAF MUSEUM, SWARTKOP, 12th JANUARY 2006.
WIRELESS SECTION REPORT. For NOVEMBER & DECEMBER 2005.
Sincere apologies for the “non-arrival” of the November 2005 report which seems to have gone astray in the “bowels” of the e-mail system!
SATURDAY MORNINGS.
As usual ZS6MUS was activated on the 4 Saturday mornings of
November to join with the Southern African Antique Wireless Association.
Saturday 26th November was actually important milestone as 50% of the Wireless room did some work! They were helped by Peet ….(?) and Dave Pearson. A new nylon rope to hoist the antenna was installed in place of the old one which has given great service over the last 5 years. Nylon does not last very long when exposed to the sun for so long. Peet did the hardest part of the work. He opened the end of the old rope and fed the start of the new inside so that it could be pulled through the pulley. No mean task!!
Many Thanks!!!
As usual ZS6MUS was activated for the first time in 2006 on Saturday morning 07-01-2006 to join with the Southern African Antique Wireless Association net.
Ionospheric propagation never ceases to amaze us, especially, this Saturday morning, whilst the Natal stations are heard loud and clear at Swartkop those on the Reef, even Kemptom Park, are barely heard!!!
We all thank Frans van Nieuwekerk for cleaning out the Wireless Room during December 2005.
NEW EQUIPMENT.
A Collins transmitter and receiver (Naval types) plus a home-made power supply were donated to the museum by Dave Smith ZS6AZP of Irene. These new pieces have promise of being restored in the near future than other items.
AMERICAN WOMEN IN WW2 US INDUSTRY.
The most famous real-life “Rosie the Riveter” was Rose Will Monroe, who was a riveter at the Ford Willow Run Aircraft factory in Ypsilanti, Michigan, where bombers were built.
Monroe was the model for the famous poster, showing a woman wearing a polka-dot bandana on her head with her sleeves rolled up, flexing her muscles, and the caption, “We Can Do It!” Unlike most of the “Rosies”, Rose kept working after the war.
An even more famous lady worked in an aircraft factory in Bakersfield, California, during the war, Norma Jean Baker. She worked in the same factory as husband James Doherty. An army photographer spotted her and asked her to pose for posters for the troops. That led to a modeling career, and a whole new life and a new name: Marilyn Monroe.
HISTORIC DATES.
07/01/1935 AVRO 652 ANSON
08/01/1941 AVRO 683 LANCASTER
27/01/1945 Ausweits “”Liberated””
27/01/…….. Australia Day