The most recent edition of Amateur Radio Newsline (ARN) recounts its early history with a nod to its cofounder, Bill Pasternak (WA6ITF/SK). On the 10th anniversary of Pasternark’s passing, original team member Jim Davis (W2JKD) recalled the early days of ARN and the incredible effort required to deliver an edition of the news utilizing 1970s technology.
Bill would gather the news, write a script, and call me on the phone (remember when long-distance was expensive?). He’d read the script aloud, and I’d type it as he spoke. Once finished, I’d head to a production studio to record and edit the script. Then I’d drive to the post office to air mail a 7-inch reel of tape to Los Angeles. Bill would splice in the actualities and transfer the final version to a 20-minute cartridge tape. That tape machine was set to auto-answer the phone line at Bill Ornstein’s home, distributing the news to the ham community.
Originally devised by hams that also happened to be professional broadcasters, ARN carries on a rich tradition of professionalism that has served the amateur radio community for more than 50 years.
Source: Amateur Radio Newsline