"The 1960s Pop-Rock Music and TV Shows Net" Roundup for August 2009

Welcome to "The 1960s Pop-Rock Music and TV Shows Net" Roundup report for the month of August. This month, like July, has been unusually hot with many days having a high temperature of between 110*-115*. During this time of excessive heat, almost anywhere is better than being outside in the blazing hot sun, but especially in the cool confines of the ham shack. Personally speaking, it is this time of the year when I feel that I "just can't take the heat anymore" and relish any opportunity to get out of it, even if for only a brief time.

The Net aired all four Wednesdays of the month with moderate participation. A total of 13 different stations checked in at least once or more during the month. Unfortunately, only two Net members made the "PA (Perfect Attendance) LIST" this month. Those two stations are to be commended for their outstanding participation and support of the Net. As I often say during our weekly get-together, "it is YOU, the Net members who make this Net successful by your continuous participation". As Host for the Net, I salute the two member stations having Perfect Attendance during the month of August:

KE7GRV (Terry in Tempe)
K7DMF (Dave in Vail)

There were very few announcements concerning hamfests and "Oldies" concerts during the August Nets, traditionally a "slow time" for these type of events in Arizona. This will of course change as we begin moving into fall and winter. On a personal note, I was very pleased to have received an e-mail from Howard "Howie" Friedman, an original member and drummer for the 1960s instrumental rock band, The Exports, a group from the Chicago area. The Exports had one hit record, "Car Hop" that received a lot of air time on radio stations across the Midwest and in adjoining Canadian provinces and often charted in the Top 20 on these stations record popularity charts. The hit today is considered a '60s classic Hot Rod instrumental and can be found on several instrumental compilation CDs from the period. Howie provided me with some additional biographical information about the band that was the basis for a new article on the group that can be found in the "DID YOU KNOW....." section of "CQ Hams". This new information, coupled with the original article I wrote on the group, constitutes the first-known biography about this talented band of musicians from the Windy City. Thinking back to the summer of 1964 as a 12 year old listening to "Car Hop" on WLS in Chicago, I never in a million years would have dreamed that 45 years later that I would be the one writing this band's biography (I hated writing in school!). The moral of the story is this: never short change yourself in thinking that you will never do anything that is special and personally rewarding as this experience has been for me because we never know what opportunity may be just around the corner waiting for us to seize the moment. Something to ponder, thats for sure. 

As always, there were a lot of great trivia questions covering both '60s pop-rock music and TV shows posed during the Nets. The three featured segments of the Net each week, "This Week In 1960s Rock and Roll History", "#1 Hits For The Week Of.....", and "This Week In 1960s Television History", continued to be an integral part of the Net. A new featured segment was added in June to reflect some members interest in film during the 1960s. Now each week, "'60s Flicks" will air, providing a forum to discuss and relive the many great movies we loved to see in the 1960s and the actors/actresses featured in these Hollywood classics.
                 
Please don't forget that your comments, suggestions and questions for the website, "CQ Hams Still Groovin' In The 60s", are always welcome! And how about inviting a ham friend that has 220 Mhz. equipment to join us on Wednesday evenings for the Net? As the saying goes, "the more, the merrier"!

If you live in southcentral Arizona, are visiting, or just passing through, please join us on Wednesday evenings at 7:30 pm for the Net on the 224.500 Repeater (N7EOJ) located at 9,100' above Tucson in the Santa Catalina Mountains. Everyone "into the '60s" is welcome!

73',
John  N7LQR
Maricopa, Arizona