Hog-Wash from Our Readers
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The editors of the American Radio Relay League's (ARRL's) QST magazine went all out for April Fool's Day in 1933. Maybe it was a way to help ease the pain of the country's ongoing Great Depression. Amongst the proof of my statement are items like The American Radiator Delay League, Quiescent Autonomous Magnification Superintendence, At Last - Some Different Toobs!, and I Will Not Bite His Ear, or the Rover Radio Boys on the Moon. There are others that I haven't gotten around to publishing yet. Humor was a bit different nearly a century ago, so expect some head scratching to figure out what the con is. This "Hog-Wash from Our Readers" column is a variation of the regular reader-submitted comments. Pay careful attention to the spellings of words - a common mechanism used back in the day. Hog-Wash from Our Readers
The Publishers of OST assume no responsibility for statements made herein by correspondence. The Publishers of OST assume no responsibility for statements made herein by correspondence Washington, Apr. 1, 1933. A.R.D.L., West Hartford, Conn. Sirs: It is with pleasure that I write to thank you on behalf of your members for the forward looking message handling work which has just come to my attention. For your information I enclose confirmation copy of a message which my sister mailed to me in 1929, and also the identical message as delivered to me by your local representative today. No such example of complete and thorough handling of a message has come to my attention before. I can but marvel that I received this message. I thank you and congratulate you on this exceptional and outstanding performance. It is such self-sacrificing painstaking, prompt and accurate relay work as this that typifies the spirit of amateur radio. Thankfully and irrevocably yours, Henry J. Swiggletree The following message was filed in 1929 at one of your Official Delay Stations: Scramdale, Calectieota W7JAMB nr 3795 March 16 Mr. Henry J Swiggletree, 28 Ninth Ave E.S.W. Washington, D.C. Dear Brother stop Why don't you write question Weather fair rain and snow have stopped stop We all send our love and kisses to you stop Hope hear from you shortly dear Brother Stop As ever (Signed) Your loving Sister Edna Three years later this message arrive promptly at our home after having travelled 23,564,765,853 miles. It read as follows: Mrs. Henrietta I. Treeswiggle 228 Nineteenth Street W.S.N.W. Washington Drear brothers top Why question fair weather stop don't stop write you have stopped rain and hope stop we send love to all misses stop as ever from your dear mother stop shortly sig ned and edith Febrooary 29tH Deer Edditor: I'm gud and mad. Wy doant U tri 2 get tngs strate. Mi surtificit of membrship in arrl got hr 2da and U got mi name spelt Egbert. This is a insult andi am hiely irrutated. Mi name is Elbert wich is kwite diferent. Kerrect at 1nce. Annuther tng. Last mnth qst div repts had mi cl w8LIP. i canot imagin hw ts happend cince i printd mi cl vry karefuly wen i sent mi rept to Scm. It is W8lid. If thees erors continU i must be phorced to rite u agn and i shud nt like tt. Remaineing urs hamfuly, 73s. - Elbert Howe Kumm W8LID Free Air Buenos Aires Editor, OST: The other night I heard a three-cornered rag-chew between some of your U. S. hams. They were grumbling about the "bad air" that prevented their signals from getting out, in spite of the fact that they had the best stations in the world. True, you've got some of the best hams in your country, but you're always blowing about something. For a country that is supposed to be perfect, you can find more things the matter than anybody I know. But this time it was the bad air. Well, sir, that set me to thinking. Down here in Argentina we have the beet air in the world, and lots of it to spare. I want to volunteer an idea for you W fellows. Get together, why don't you, and raise a fund to construct a pipe line, say about six inches diameter, and run it from your country down here. That's all the machinery you'll need. Then get your Yank hams on the northern end of that pipe line and see how good you are. I'll bet an Audiotron with one good filament left that if you W's can suck as hard as you can blow, you'll get plenty of good air. None too hopefully, Yougo Turnback Editor, OST: My hobbies consist of the collection of stamps, photography and astronomy. Do you think I should embrace amature radio? Signed: Omar Rentmaker No, Omar, not until you learn how to spell the word amateur.
Posted April 1, 2024 |
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