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Chapter 36 - Northwest Indiana

~ Creaky Knees and Rusty Keys ~

THANKS to QCWA General Manager, Chuck Walbridge, K1IGD, for the detailed information on Chapter 36 membership history. Links to all documents at the bottom of this page.

THANKS to Bob Green, W8JYZ, for providing many QSL card scans used throughout this site, and also for the use of the Herb Brier article/obituary. The article was originally written by Robert Ballantine, W8SU, in 2006.

Chapter 36 was first chartered Nov. 1, 1967.

The Charter Members of Chapter 36 were named as follows:

Thurman Beach, W9WKN, Chairman, QCWA #4575 (See QSL card)
Frank Farkas, W9MJH, Secretary Treasurer, QCWA #4943 (See QSL card)
Gilbert Galambus, W9JZA, QCWA #4523 (See QSL card & photos)
Glenn Imler, W9LJ, QCWA #5069 (died just before charter application)
John Miller, W9PBS, QCWA #5056 (See QSL card)
Anton Varga, W9WIB (See QSL card)
Raymond Nichols, W9JOD (See QSL cards)
Neil Barry, W9SNF, QCWA #18546 (See QSL & business card)
William Harney, W9SVZ, QCWA #4153 (See QSL & QCWA certificates)
Albert Mahnke, W9JDM (new application mailed) (See QSL card)
Lloyd Brandenburg, W9HZY, QCWA #5117 (new application mailed) (See photo)
George Mattox, W9KLI (new application mailed) (See QSL card)
Joseph E. Beluschak, W9CUQ (new application mailed)
Herbert Brier, W9EGQ, QCWA #5670 (Special Life Membership, sponsored by the chapter)

Of special note in a separate letter sent with the charter application is the statement that a collection was taken up by these men to sign up Herb Brier with a QCWA Life Membership and that he be included in the original charter. They then honored Herb in February 1968 at the Lake County ARC Banquet and presented him with his Life Membership. What a story! Of course, many of you knew or talked to Herb personally, but I think all of us at least know of him. He is a local legend here, and this bit of history for Chapter 36 is very meaningful for me, and I hope for all of you also. Please follow this link for our Chapter 36 Tribute to Herb, with photos, QSL cards, and more.

In 1977, Chapter 36 was reactivated as follows:
(names were not listed, except James Paul)

James Paul, W9GUX, Chairman
W9PUB, Co-chairman (Dave Pavel, QCWA #5585, See W7YP/AE7B QSL)
W9NGB (John Spudic, See QSL card)
W9JZA (Gilbert Galambus, QCWA #4523, See QSL card & photos)
W9PKA (Arthur Mahnke, Art's Radio/TV Repair sign)
W9JDM (Albert Mahnke, See QSL card)
W9MCR (Adolph Darr)
W9CUQ (Joseph Beluschak)

Please look through the call signs on this page... and please let me know if you have a QSL card from any of these members that you can scan, or loan me to scan, to show here on this page. I would especially like to show a copy of both QSL cards with the calls belonging to Herb Brier, W9EGQ and W9AD. Thanks!

For the 2009 reactivation, see the Members Page.

Below are all the Chapter 36 related documents sent from QCWA Headquarters, 13 pages total. If you just want a quick view, select the 100dpi version. It is smaller, faster loading, and will make a fair print from a web browser. If you want a better quality printed copy, right-click on the 200dpi version, choose "SAVE AS" to save the file(s) you want to your computer. You can then insert the pictures into Microsoft Word or other program. Set page margins to zero on all sides to print either size.

1967
Original application for Charter: 100 dpi or 200 dpi
Page 1, letter sent with application: 100 dpi or 200 dpi
Page 2, letter sent with application: 100 dpi or 200 dpi

1977
Reactivation request (unsigned): 100 dpi or 200 dpi
Reactivation request (signed, w/QCWA notes): 100 dpi or 200 dpi
QCWA reply: 100 dpi or 200 dpi
Follow-up letter to HQ: 100 dpi or 200 dpi

1978
Letters reporting the death of Electro-Voice executive Larry LeKashman, W2AB/W2IOP (ex-W8AB, W8IOP, W9IOP)... and inquiry about starting a South Bend Chapter of QCWA. (See Larry LeKashman QSL cards)
Page 1, letter to QCWA: 100 dpi or 200 dpi
Page 2, letter to QCWA: 100 dpi or 200 dpi
QCWA reply: 100 dpi or 200 dpi
Page 1, detailed Electro-Voice obituary: 100 dpi or 200 dpi
Page 2, detailed Electro-Voice obituary: 100 dpi or 200 dpi
Copy of South Bend Tribune obituary: 100 dpi or 200 dpi
(2001 CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame Inductees incorrectly gives Larry's call as W2AD.)

Please email , if you have any historical information on Chapter 36. Thanks!

Additional History

Here is a place for other Northwest Indiana amateur radio history... people, places, schools, or other. It might expand into something else entirely, but it is a starting point to see what knowledge we can gather.

W2AB/W2IOP - Larry LeKashman (ex-W8AB, W8IOP, W9IOP). It seems that many books could be written about Larry! But besides the QSL cards we have online at present, Larry was a very active ham from South Bend, IN. He was an early Editor of CQ Magazine in the mid-late 1940's. Special thanks to Jim Danehy W9VNE and Jurgen Nittner N9RD for their contributions to this page.

W9AD-W9EGQ - Herb Brier is mentioned above, but I'm sure there is much more to tell, especially about his writing career.

W9EGV - John T. Frye was another prolific Indiana author (from Logansport) and good friends with Herb Brier. John was the creator of the Carl & Jerry columns from the Popular Electronics debut issue in Oct. 1954 until late 1964. He also wrote a column called Mac's Service Shop in various magazines between April 1948 and June 1977. And he authored two books, Basic Radio Course (1951, 1955, 1962) and Radio Receiver Servicing (1960). Much more information can be learned from Jeff Duntemann K7JPD's website... and in fact, you can purchase the entire collection of Carl & Jerry columns (in 5 books) via a link from Jeff's site (and you can view 10 columns in PDF for free).

W9FB - was long held by Amos Utterback. Dave, W9DN, credits Amos as his Elmer in a tribute on his website. After Amos passed away, his call sign was picked up by Ron Banaszak, formerly WO9P and W9MDF. Ron was VERY ACTIVE with QCWA Chapter 36. I would be glad to get and share more info on both of these W9FB's, if it becomes available to me.

W9QWN-K2ORS - Jean Shepherd is another local legend. A native of Hammond, IN, Shep is best known as the author of the 1983 classic, "A Christmas Story." If you have info, please send it to me at the email below. Click here for a very nice tribute to Jean Shepherd, including many audio clips. Jean Shepherd died Oct. 16, 1999.

W9SAL - All States Radio Club call sign at Valparaiso Technical Institute. Valpo Tech graduated many fine electronic technicians and engineers, including our own Chapter 36 members:

        Gene Wiggins, W9CWG, Class of '47
        John Miller, W9ZG, Class of '53
        Marv Boetcher, WV9O, Class of '71
        Carl Hallberg, W9CJH, Class of '81 (AS) and '89 (BS)

Gene, W9CWG returned to Valpo Tech and spent his career teaching there. He was the W9SAL Trustee for about 50 years! Another Chapter 36 member, Dan Scheetz, W9DWS, is now keeping this historic call sign and club name alive as the current Trustee, with repeaters ID'ing W9SAL in LaPorte on 444.950 (131.8) and in Gary on 146.625 (131.8). I will be very happy to get any stories, photos, or other info regarding W9SAL, or Bill Harris (W8WWK). The club station at Valpo Tech was known as the "Bill Harris Memorial Station".

Other Friends - This is new and still developing. It is mostly a repository of QSL cards of local friends, mostly in Northwest Indiana... but it is expanding into a little more. It is a place to share QSL's, photos, and other memories about who and what helped shape your passion for amateur radio.

Please email , to suggest other additional history. Thanks!