A friend of mine has a mental disability but he has an extreme interest in radio and electronics. I don't think he would be classified as a savant, but his eyes light up every time I drop off a box of electronic parts. He constructs one tube radios and crystal radios and gives them away for free to people he thinks would enjoy then. Over the years I have actually been fortunate to have him as a friend because I hate to throw things away that would be of some use, any use, to a person such as "Radio Mike" as we call him. I havc given him hundreds of pounds of stuff that was gathering dust in my shack and garage, so he really did ME the favor and in the process made himself happy also. I would hate to leave this world with the knowledge that many of my items worth quite a bit to some people, that are mixed with virtually useless stuff would wind up at the scrapyard. If you feel so inclined to donate any of your "junk" to him I am sure he would love to have it. No money would exchange hands. It is ONLY to help him out. He lives about an hour drive from me I am in Montrose, Colorado. He words 1/2 day doing maintenance items such as floor sweeping etc for a car dealer. l had found several old magazine articles on how to build one tube radios. It will keep him busy for years I am sure if only he can come up with variable capacitors, tuning coils, wire, coil forms, tube sockets, vacuum tubes...just about anything. If you feel like you would like to partially clean house or just have a few things you would like to give to him please let me know. I go to where he lives about once a month in Clifton Colorado and would deliver anything intended for him. If you have any questions, just ask me. My cell is 970-462-89 two nine 7am to 7pm Mountain Time and I can give you any information you might want to know including my mailing address. 73, Len W3TJO
PLease let me know when he has a need for vacuum tubes, I have a huge inventory of Tubes and would be more than happy to share Lee Binder 717. 525.3066 lee@Leebinder.com KD3U
Your friend Mike reminds me of a very good 82 year old ham friend with early Alzheimers. He is no longer able to comprehend his IC-7800 or K3 so I brought over several 1-2 tube projects for him to replace paper caps in. Ive also removed his Alpha 9500 from the shack and hidden it in the attic with his wifes blessing! He has had a Johnson Ranger and 75A4 sitting on a shelf above the 7800 for years and Im trying to start stimulating him to the point we can work on them together. IF I/he/we can get them overhauled then his son, who is also a ham, can arrange to sell them and give the money to his mother who is also 82. Wish me luck. He was a well known military quality SMPS MSEE engineer as well as one of the best bench techs Ive ever known. And a reason for many of my often slow responses on forums. Carl
