Evening star., 1941-03-23
Hobbies and
HObbyists

Radio, in general, is big business
today, but there is one group which
still makes hobby Of 1t. They are
the amateur radio operators, or
hams The ham" who runs
W3AWS is Ellicott Valentine, and
his broadcasting studio is a small
room in the basement of his home,
at 1905 Kansas avenue NV
The amateur of 20 or 80 years ago
worked in room bulging with huge
tubes and coils and studded with
dials, batteries, wires and what
have-you: but not so today. A re-
ceiver, smaller than the one in most
homes, picks out of the air signals
from all over the world and a trans
mitter capable of sending the same
distance could be carried one under
each arm.
The Federal Communications
Commission licenses and regulates
all hams" They are required to
know many technical facts about
their hobby and must be able to both
send and receive messages in code.
Some amateurs use a microphone
most of the time, but Mr.. Valentine
prefers to tap out his messages. He
has had his amateur license about
10 years, although he started study
ing radio in 1923.
In 1884 he won a prize from Spain
for talking with more Spanish sta
tions than any one in his area. DIX,
or distance sending and receiving,
has always been the part he likes
best in amateur radio. He has the
walls of his room plastered with
cards from foreign hams" whom he
has contacted. and the ones on dis
play represent only small part OF
his collection.
DIX Is forbidden now. because of
the European war, and Mr. Valentine
doesn't spend as much time on radio
as formerly. However, he is one Of
a group of amateurs who have port
able transmitters, and who COOP
crate with the Red Cross to handle
any sort of emergency work, assist
at paradeS and other functions and
are prepared to take over if normal
communications ever break down.
Mr.. Valentine also is member of
the Washington Radio Club, which
meets at a radio school at Sixteenth
street and Park road NV. on the
second and fourth Saturdays each
month. Entertainment is provided
at each meeting and all interested
In the subject are welcome to visit
the club. The secretary is Homer D.
Mason, Georgia 0430.
Radio does not occupy all of Mr..
Valentines spare time. He also is
an active member of the Electric
Railroaders' Association and the
Washington Model Yacht Club. He
is one of the better shippers of the
latter club, with a number of trophies
to prove it.
The National Aquarium Society is
conducting a membership contest,
which will be concluded at the May
meeting. The member enrolling the
most new members will receive as a
prize a planted tank, with reflector
and light, and an adult pair of
scalare Pterophyllum eimekeD.
Two hobby shows will entertain
Washingtonians this week. The first
will be a one-night show by the
Hampshire Heights Citizens Asso-
citation at its usual meeting place,
Barnard School, Fourth and Decatur
streets NV. 1t will be open from
8 to 10 pm. Tuesday. A fine list of
entries has been received and good
show is expected.
The second show will be the Silver
Spring Hobby Show at the Silver
Spring Armory.
1t will run from Wednesday
through Saturday from to 10 pm.
daily. This will be the second hobby
show held in Silver Spring (the
first was in 1939) and the commit
tee has promised to make it even
better than the first.
This Weeks Meetings.
Monday-Silver Spring Aeronauts,
Montgomery Blair High School, Sill
yer Spring, Md, 7:45 pm.
Tuesday-Hobby Show, Hampshire
Heights Citizens Association, Bar
nard School, Fourth and Decatur
streets NV, 8 to 10 pm.
Wednesday - Opening of Silver
Spring Hobby Show, Silver Spring
Armory, to 10 pm.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. of Model
Airplane Clubs, Southeast Boys
Club, Seventeenth street and Massa-
chusetts avenue Sc, 8 pm. Elec-
ton of officers.
Answer to Yesterdays Puzzle.