W9WBL SK

[Andrew Moore]

Just saw a note on the QRP-L list that Stan Hails (CFO 6) is SK.

Can anyone confirm?  Hadn't heard anything of Stan in ages but someone said he hadn't been doing well.

[George Allgood]

Was it Stan who made the WBL Paddle series some years ago?

Geo.

--
Cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck, CLUCK! - CFO Lives!
Chicken Fat Operators at Google Groups
Post: Chicken-Fat-O...@googlegroups.com
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CFO Sked Page: http://www.obriensweb.com/cfosked/cfosked.php'

[Andrew Moore]

That's right George.  I think it was in the mid 90's that he was selling the VSL (vertical single lever) and V2L (two lever), and sometime later the V22 replaced the V2L.  There was also a VSLX3 "sidekey combo."

Here's some info on serial numbers and owners, which gives you a rough idea of how many were made.

Serialnr. Call sign Manufacturing date Owner # 1 K5FO April 1997 Chuck Adams # 2 W2ST April 1997 Stanley Siegel # 4 WØZP April 1997 Wayne Austin # 5 AD6A April 1997 Dave Fifield # 6 N7UX April 1997 Phil Sikes # 9 N6EV April 1997 Paul Carreiro # 11 W4PM April 1997 Puck Motley # 17 VE3REP May 1997 Garry Brisbane # 21 W0FF May 1997 Jim Glasscock # 26 KY4U August 1997 Billy Loyd # 27 K6JPA August 1997 Jim Allan # 29 K7MPH August 1997 Mark McPherson # 31 NW3H October 1997 Carl C. Volker # 32 W1VC October 1997 Rolfe Tessem # 34 K5ROV November 1997 Jim Parsons # 35 W2BJ n/a Barry J. Minsky # 36 N6TT December 1997 Steve Massey # 41 WØAAA December 1997 Zed Freeman # 43 W5JAY December 1997 Jay Bromley # 46 K7NUU December 1997 Stan LaPointe # 47 KH7M December 1997 Jim Reid # 48 KD8G December 1997 Randy L. Goff # 49 EA2SN December 1997 Jon Iza # 50 K2PFY October 1997 Paul F. Young # 51 K1MG January 1998 Michael A. Gipe # 52 KAØW January 1998 Ken Kreis # 54 NØYGM February 1998 Ken Night # 56 KE3KR February 1998 Chuck Murcko # 57 K8VT February 1998 Carter Grabarczyck # 58 AA9ZZ February 1998 Phillip Smith # 59 N4ALG February 1998 Bill Cotter # 61 PA3BWK February 1998 Wilko J. Hollemans # 66 N3OGT February 1998 Andy Ketner # 68 K2PTS April 1998 Steve M. Fried # 69 K4WJ April 1998 John Bohnovic # 70 N6TT April 1998 Steve Massey # 74 N6EV May 1998 Paul Carreiro # 75 W6WM April 1998 Lee Hoffman # 77 AD6ID April 1998 Tony Armendariz # 79 KF4SXG May 1998 Bill Capps # 80 K6ZSR April 1998 Mike Ferraro # 81 N2WF May 1998 William F. Nicolson Jr. # 82 KE6HEZ May 1998 William P. Fawns # 83 K5SO May 1998 Carl W. Smith # 85 K4UE September 1998 Don Hammond # 87 K2ACW September 1998 Grant Mitchell # 90 K3IVB September 1998 Curt Krelic # 94 K6TM October 1998 Rich Vizcarra # 95 W4AU February 1999 John Unger # 97 G4DZW February 1999 Alan Hockey # 99 K2VCO February 1999 Vic Rosenthal # 101 N9BOR February 1999 Mike Dinelli # 105 K5MM February 1999 Ron Freeman # 107 N2QAC March 1999 Michael J. Drum # 109 KR5C May 1999 George W. Lee # 110 DL8RDI May 1999 Heiner Jordan # 118 IK4EWX July 1999 Gian Luca Cazzola # 119 WL7KY July 1999 Chris Hurlbut # 120 N7UX August 1999 Phil Sykes # 121 K6LQ August 1999 Michael J. Kashuba # 123 AD6GP August 1999 Al Edwards # 124 KIØMZ August 1999 Steve Smith # 126 KR4WM August 1999 Webster D. Williams # 127 WA6LTV September 1999 Chuck Nolin # 128 W8LX September 1999 Rob Peebles # 131 K7SRB September 1999 Steve Baxter # 132 N7US September 1999 Jim McDonald # 133 K1JD September 1999 John DePrimo # 134 N1EA September 1999 David J. Ring Jr. # 137 W2ST October 1999 Stanley Siegel # 138 KA1PIT October 1999 Scott R. Harris # 139 V21CW October 1999 Grant Michell # 143 WD8ICU January 2000 Leroy Kegley # 144 K1KY January 2000 Tom Delker # 147 W2DP January 2000 Bill Creekmore

Serialnr. Call sign Manufacturing date Owner # 3 W1OBJ 1994 First Design James F. Aguiar # 8 WØGHX February 1995 Raymond H. Larson # 9 K1KY March 1995 Thomas M. Delker # 15 N7XM April 1995 Josh Logan # 27 K1AJ April 1995 Bruce Marshall # 28 W4BQF May 1995 Chester (Tom) Alderman # 34 N9SW December 1995 Gene W. Sochor # 36 N4XY February 1996 Ed Tanton # 42 VE6KBS February 1996 Karl B. Staddon # 43 KA5QYR March 1996 John C. Tomlinson # 45 K8XU March 1996 Marvin Born # 46 KA9ZAP March 1996 Arthur Nienhouse # 47 W8OW March 1996 Arlan Levitan # 48 K1WGM March 1996 Robert Ansell # 54 K4NR May 1996 Tom Branch # 57 AC9K May 1996 Allen B. Smith # 65 KK5NA May 1996 Joe Spencer # 60 OH2EV May 1996 Esa J. Valtonen # 62 KB2GWF May 1996 James Braun # 66 W9YA n/a Bob Finch # 68 KEØMC May 1996 Lee Albert Johnson # 78 W1IHN / N4CW June 1996 Bert Michaud # 81 W7AQK June 1996 David Yarnes # 82 W2NRA June 1996 Art Searle # 87 EA2SN August 1996 Jon Iza # 89 W3DQ August 1996 Eric Rosenberg # 99 WB8KQJ October 1996 Kenneth R. Buser # 101 W4WYT October 1996 Ranson Pelt # 102 AB7ST October 1996 Bob Follett # 104 WE6V November 1996 James M. O'Keefe # 107 W0FF November 1996 Jim Glasscock # 109 VE6KBS November 1996 Karl B. Staddon # 110 K8MFO November 1996 Don Karvonen # 117 KT5X December 1996 Fred Maas # 122 WA6LTV March 1997 Chuck Nolin # 119 N9TA March 1997 Fred Bennett # 123 NV1B March 1997 Andrew Moore # 124 K5AO March 1997 Pat Bingham # 125 KA9ZAP March 1997 Arthur Nienhouse # 128 W4PA March 1997 Scott Robbins # 131 WB1DOG March 1997 Jim Apple # 135 N5NW April 1997 Marty Watt # 141 K7NUU June 1997 Stan LaPointe # 150 K4JDW August 1997 John Sims # 158 WØDT January 1998 Donald Talaska # 159 K7XB January 1998 Steven C. Salmon # 161 W3ZVT January 1998 Tim Soxman # 168 K9ZM September 1998 Greg Gobleman # 181 W3ZVT January 1998 Tim Soxman

http://www.morsecode.nl/wbl.html

[George Allgood]

 

Thanks Andrew.   

I almost had one of the famous WBL paddles, but Stan decided to cut off production on them

just after I got on his waiting list.  Sorry to hear of his death.

[GEORGE, N9EJS]

I sent him an updated CFO member list back in May-2009 and never got
an answer. I now see in the geneology Social Security death list that
he died on Feb. 26, 2009 and his XYL Doris died way back on Nov. 17,
2004. Sorry to lose them!

= = = = = = = =

[w8...@sssnet.com]

At 06:56 PM 11/26/2009, Andrew Moore wrote:

That's right George.  I think it was in the mid 90's that he was selling the VSL (vertical single lever) and V2L (two lever), and sometime later the V22 replaced the V2L.  There was also a VSLX3 "sidekey combo."

Here's some info on serial numbers and owners, which gives you a rough idea of how many were made.

Andrew:

Interesting to read your lists.  I received one of his first VSL models as a gift, and then later bought another VSL.  I still have them, but I'm not on the list.  One has been mobile for the past 15+ years and the other is in the shack.   I later signed up for a V22L but told Stan to sell it to my neighbor's wife as a gift for her husband, a new CW op (which he did) and put me back on the waiting list.  The production stopped shortly after that.  His garage numerical control automation "horseshoe" bench design was very efficient, with raw material on one end ending up as a complete key at the other end.  He was a perfectionist and said one factor for his getting into the key business was the "junk" being sold to hams, mainly in the form of the
"spring loaded" Bencher keyer! :-)  

As a successful Mechanical Engineer, he envisioned the Vertical design as one that kept the same paddle tension on the user's thumb and fingers no matter where they were placed, either forward or on the back of the paddle.  The standard horizontal design doesn't pass that test,
although it may not have been much of an issue with a lot of hams.  He was a true innovator.

He thought the TT OMNI C was the finest CW rig going, even after newer ones came out.  He
valued the transmitted keyed waveform as the best he'd ever known.  I doubt he ever added
anything newer than that.

I am shocked to hear of Stan's demise.  All along I thought he was still managing his xyl's
(Doris) art business and would eventually reappear on 40 M.  He was a long time smoker but I wasn't aware of any problems up into the nineties.  It is really sad news here, especially
on this day.  We've lost a good friend.

Perry  w8au  #107
----------------------------

[Andrew Moore]

Perry - thanks for the background.  Was Doris the one who designed the CFO certificate(s)?  I seem to remember something about that.

The V22/V2L lists aren't mine, and I don't know how accurate they are anymore; they're something I came across on the net while looking for 'WBL info.  You should be able to submit your info with the form on that page, if you want.  It says it was updated in Sep. 2009 so in theory it's still being maintained.

It appears that we didn't lose Stan today, but rather, last February, according to records.  Regardless, sad.  He was as you said a perfectionist and very passionate about (and dedicated to) the work he did building the paddles.  I bought a V2L from him (serial #044, I think) around 1995 or 1996 but sold it several years later, and of course regret it.

--Andrew, NV1B, CFO 963
..

--

[w8...@sssnet.com]

At 09:48 PM 11/26/2009, Andrew wrote:
>Perry - thanks for the background. Was Doris the one who designed
>the CFO certificate(s)? I seem to remember something about that.

Yes. I think they may have varied in design over the years. Mine
has the FOC "flasher"
intimidating the band of CFOers. :-) That may have been removed later?

>The V22/V2L lists aren't mine, and I don't know how accurate they
>are anymore; they're something I came across on the net while
>looking for 'WBL info. You should be able to submit your info with
>the form on that page, if you want. It says it was updated in Sep.
>2009 so in theory it's still being maintained.

My first VSL has no serial number. Stan said he did not number the
first ones. I'll have to look at my second one...

>It appears that we didn't lose Stan today, but rather, last
>February, according to records.

Yes, true. I meant that today is the first I heard this, and it is
also Thanksgiving day!

>Regardless, sad. He was as you said a perfectionist and very
>passionate about (and dedicated to) the work he did building the
>paddles. I bought a V2L from him (serial #044, I think) around 1995
>or 1996 but sold it several years later, and of course regret it.

Interestingly, I have had "WBL" "VSL" "V2L" etc., listed in my Ebay
search column for a number of years now, and it has never informed me
of any being listed.:-)

Perry

[Andrew Moore]

> Yes.  I think they may have varied in design over the years.  Mine
has the FOC "flasher" intimidating the band of CFOers. :-)  That may have been removed later?

I've seen at least two versions.  There's a scan of cert. 963 in the CFO Google Groups file area. If anyone's got other variations it would be nice to post scans of those.  I might have one buried in my email which someone else sent a while back - will check.

> My first VSL has no serial number. Stan said he did not number the
first ones.  I'll have to look at my second one...

They sound like keepers for sure.

> Yes, true.  I meant that today is the first I heard this, and it is
also Thanksgiving day!

Same here.

> Interestingly, I have had "WBL" "VSL" "V2L" etc., listed in my Ebay
search column for a number of years now, and it has never informed me
of any being listed.:-)

That's how I found V2L #123 several years ago, but haven't seen any since.  Picked up a couple WBL's from Lyle W9FCX earlier this year when he was paring down, and feel very lucky to have them, especially with the 'FCX connection.

[aa4nn]

Hi Andrew & the gang,

 

In the interest of the numbering and possession scheme,

I received V22 #34 from Jim K5ROV several years ago.

The Begali Simplex Mono remains my favorite, though.

 

73 & all the best.
de Joe, aa4nn
Lake Wylie, SC

----- Original Message -----

From: Andrew Moore

To: chicken-fat-o...@googlegroups.com

Sent: Thursday, November 26, 2009 6:56 PM

Subject: Re: [Chicken Fat Operators-613] W9WBL SK

[w8...@sssnet.com]

At 11:10 AM 11/26/2010, aa4nn wrote:

In the interest of the numbering and possession scheme,
I received V22 #34 from Jim K5ROV several years ago.

----- Original Message -----

From: Andrew Moore

To: chicken-fat-o...@googlegroups.com

Sent: Thursday, November 26, 2009 6:56 PM

Subject: Re: [Chicken Fat Operators-613] W9WBL SK

Here's some info on serial numbers and owners, which gives you a rough idea of how many were made.

Andrew:

There must have been a number of "pre S/N" VSLs made by Stan.

I received one of the very first as a surprise gift and have used
it mobile for many years.  Later on I bought another for home use.

Neither one has S/N's

I later ordered a V22 but a local ham's wife wanted one as a
Christmas gift for her husband so I had Stan put him in my place
and put me at the back of the list.   Of course, Stan ceased
production before my reservation came up again.

My two VSLs aren't going anywhere, of course.  I wouldn't part with them.

Perry  w8au  #107

[Andrew Moore]

Joe / Perry / George / all --

Thanks for the update Joe.  The V22/V2L owners list is maintained by someone else -- but unless you object, I'll dig up the URL of the site that hosted the V22/V2L list and will let them know V22 #34 has a new owner.  You're very fortunate to have it. 

I too favor the Begali (in this case a Magnetic Pro) as a "working" paddle but prefer Stan's V22/V2L for historic and aesthetic connections that I haven't found in any other paddle.

Has anyone else found that certain paddles just seem to "go" with certain rigs?  For my Corsair II, the V2L seems like the perfect match, and the Begali just doesn't fit with it.  Too modern?  Stan's paddles - specifically one that belonged to Lyle/W9FCX - just seem to enhance the Corsair II experience for me. Similarly, the Begali seems just right with the K2/K3, while using the V2L on those rigs just doesn't seem quite right.

What paddles have you found to work best -- for whatever reason -- with certain rigs?

--Andrew, NV1B
..

[Bill Jones]

Hello fellow CFO'ers.

Andrew asked:

> Has anyone else found that certain paddles just seem to "go"
> with certain rigs?

My Ten Tec Omni-D is a perfect match for my Nye Viking SSK-001 paddles.
Both are heavy and clunky but silky smooth on the air.

My Yaesu FT-817 QRP rig is most at home with my very rare Kitano Key Company
'finger' paddles. Both rig and paddles are nimble and accurate under 30
wpm.

======================
Bill Jones - KD7S <><
CFO #13 from the start
Sanger, California
======================

[GEORGE, N9EJS]

Perry, et al -

I think Kris K9AMC/sk had one of Stan's paddles too; don't know
what became of his stuff.

Perry were you at the Indy Cluck-in? I forget already - ha ha!

George, N9EJS

= = = = = = = =

[w8...@sssnet.com]

At 06:36 PM 11/26/2010, GEORGE, N9EJS wrote:
>Perry were you at the Indy Cluck-in? I forget already - ha ha!

Oh, yes! Nice two day affair. The accommodations were kinda bland, but
the company was terrific! Including YOU, too, George! :-)

Who has charge of the Rubber Chicken? I remember it hanging
at the Dayton get-togethers.

_ _.. ..._. / .. . .._ ___

Perry

[GEORGE, N9EJS]

Perry -

That was my first time attending any un-official CFO functions, so
I didn't know anybody to know who was who when I got there. I saw the
hearse with the chicken on top of it, but I don't know who the chicken-
undertaker was - ha ha!

_ _.. ..._. / .. . .._ ___

George, N9EJS

P.S.: Don't forget our CFO weekly Tuesday evening net on or about
3.532MHz at 9:00p.m. Eastern time!

= = = = = = = = =

[Bob Dillon]

I think I still have the rubber chicken in a box in the basement.

The rubber chicken may have been one-upped at the Chicago Cluck-In by the chicken-cluckers built by Kris using a plastic cup, piece of string, and a piece of sponge. I still remember the look on the restaurant manager's face when he walked in while everybody was using those cluckers! Priceless. (For everything else there's Visa)

A month or two after the cluck-in, I was in a restaurant here in Aurora with some friends, and had my clucker hidden under the table. I asked the waitress if their chicken was fresh. She assured me it was, but I ordered something else anyway. As she turned to leave to place the order I started using the clucker. Another priceless moment! She borrowed it to go pull the same stunt on the cook after I showed her how to use it.

For those unfortunates who don't have a clucker, here is how to build one. You need a plastic cup, one of the red ones that's for one-use, but a fairly hard plastic for a one-use cup. Poke two holes in the base, put a piece of string through the holes and tie it on the inside of the cup with a length of the string hanging down through the cup (with the cup upside down). Run a damp sponge along the string hanging out of the cup. With just a minimal amount of practice, you can sound like you've just layed the biggest egg in town.

Bob WB9LTN

Perry

--

[GEORGE, N9EJS]

Bob -

You know me, I just can't resist telling the rest of that story!

When Kris got to the Cluck-In, he must have had about 40 of those
chicken-cluckers all made up, but the strings below all the cups had
gotten unbelievably tangled up, and it was doubtful if the mess could
be straightened out short of cutting them all apart and starting all
over again!

Kris was over in a corner at a table feverishly working on them.
Larry VA3LK went over and helped him, and I think they got them
straightened out without any cutting!

That's when I went for the restaurant manager and asked him to
come in and hear the noise! He came in, heard it and asked "Didn't
you like the chicken?" - that brought a big round of laughter. I'll
bet that restaurant hasn't had anything that exciting ever since!

That sure was a great get-together.....wish we could do another
one!


George, N9EJS

= = = = = = = = =

> CFO Sked Page:http://www.obriensweb.com/cfosked/cfosked.php'- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

[w8...@sssnet.com]

At 07:13 PM 11/26/2010, Bob Dillon wrote:
>For those unfortunates who don't have a clucker, here is how to
>build one. You need a plastic cup, one of the red ones that's for
>one-use, but a fairly hard plastic for a one-use cup. Poke two
>holes in the base, put a piece of string through the holes and tie
>it on the inside of the cup with a length of the string hanging down
>through the cup (with the cup upside down). Run a damp sponge along
>the string hanging out of the cup. With just a minimal amount of
>practice, you can sound like you've just layed the biggest egg in town.

Although I made it to the Chi Cluck-in, I arrived during the
"intermission" when all were gone. (To dinner?)
I left a calling-card of some sort, but missed out on Chris's
clucker. (I miss his CW "swing.")

Thanks for the clucker info, I think I got the idea. We have those
plastic cups in the cupboard. We'll see if we can duplicate it. :-)

Perry

[Andrew Moore]

We all MUST try this.  Whoever gets it first, please post to youtube.