Heard him tell this story live back when I was a kid and either studying for my ticket or just licensed (He may have told this one several time however.) One of my favorites. And I heard him live twice at Dayton telling some really funny ham stories. Those are somewhere on line as I recall but may take some searching. Yes, I was a regular listener growing up in eastern PA.
I grew up listening to him on WOR when we got put to bed. This is some of his funniest stuff ever. Oddly enough every so often I hear him coming out of my mouth.
Loved his radio show in the 50's; listened on WOR from NYC. I was a teenager then and had my novice ticket, KN2OOJ, later WA3THD; and today, my initials, N3ES. Sure wish I could worked ol' Shep. 73, N3ES, Earl Skelton
First I've heard this rendition, there's another telling, under the "Live Wires" bit in his 1965 season on WOR. That's a much funnier telling. This is still good, but that other is a real hoot and you can see Darin McGavin as that father. Great casting in the Christmas Story. 73
I saw Jean give a presentation at a local ham fest. He told the story of this "flame thrower" station in Texas. W5HH. The guy thought he was the king of the airwaves until Jean gained access to a high powered commercial transmitter. He said even though it is impossible, he could hear a nervous quiver in HH's fist when the guy meekly attempted to respond to Jean's signal. He was a truly entertaining guy. 73, de Frank - W4FJM.
Gene Shepard was a master monologist. I remember his show about the Chicago White Sox and Mike Crevich; a CWS player. It really Cracked me up ! He was a White Sox fan AND.a ham radio operator. That was reason enough for me to like him immediately.
Thanks! Shep was the best when he was in the studio! I have it sent to play all 53. :) I never made it as a ham. Couldn't do code. But did make a low power AM radio station. That was so much fun!
Is there any way to know when this was originally broadcast? I remember hearing the story as a kid- and it is what turned me on to ham radio. I think I was 6 or 7 years old which would have put it late 60's early 70's.
as a kid, my Dad drive me to / from the Lafayette Radio store in Syosset on Long Island - to the ham radio class they sponsored... and listened to Shep on WOR. First licensed as WN2BIJ @ 13, then WB2SMK ever since :) Thanks Shep for the stories, ham and all the rest!
Mark, These are GREAT Stories , by Jean Shepherd.......Finally got my Ticket in my 30's. Thanks to Gordon West and Lorrain McCarthy (taught CW).....Well, I'll sign..... 73's de AA6KM....
Every HAM has his stories. Unless you are one or were one you probably wouldn't understand. This was hilarious. I remember my homebrew days. I don't have anything left but my bug. Shep's stories were always hilarious in person if you were lucky enough to meet him at a Hamfest. I miss Shepherd. I hope he's in heaven rag chewing on the lower 20.
SO ENJOYABLE! A Gold Medal Winner in KW ..... errrrr..... CW .... pardon me! Senile old DOnnie REMEMBERS THIS ONE! Diddy-Wop-Diddy-Wop-Diddy-Diddy-Wop-Wop.... or somethin' like that OM! YOU KICKED BUTT! Got ME into ham radio! OH! That 55WPM is AMAZING! Simply AMAZING! I beat my head to pieces at 20WPM! ENVY ENVY ENVY! Bless you! I was 10 years OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL! Whew! SEA BREEZE ............ HOT ......... HUMID .......... T-SHIRTS! YOU ARE MY HERO FOREVER! FLIX TAVERN???? Close enough! Ya'll IN SHORTS! Brown in BACK .... YELLOW in front! :) NO AIR CONDITIONING! ROCK ON! Towers 50 FOOT UP ...... white ..... pride and joy! A ZEP! SWEET! BIG FAT WIRE! 600 OHM feeders! Ceramics! GOT IT! I think I got a boner too! SWEET! AMATEUR RADIO AT THE BEST IT CAN BE; in the 60's! YA'LL KNEW that TREE was a KILLER! ZAP! ZAP! Holy crap! SCREENS keep the flies OUT! BIG OL' OAK DESK! 500,000 POUNDS! BIG puppy! RACK to the side ..... transmitter all set to rock! DENVER QSO IS ROCKIN'! Kid brother about to be slapped! FOOLIN' with ye old reedio stuff! MOM is gonna kick yo' butt! LIVE WIRE! ROCKIN'! MOM IS TERRIFIED! BAD SON! CANS on the ears! Yack yack yack ...... BIRDS all over the place! (KW FLYIN LIKE KRAZY!) Just out of his MOUTH??? SUDDENLY! KA-BOOM! Yer gonna DIE! FLASH --- BLUE --- HAND GRENADE into room! I'M GONNA DIE! COming to ...... people screaming .... chair DEMOLISHED! SIX FOOT RACK DESTROYED ..... SMOKE! HOLY SHIT! I must be DEAD! MOM - BRO - WHAT HAPPENED????! I'll never forget THE TRUCK THAT CAME INTO MY ROOM! A BIG OL FREAKING CRACK IS IN MY ROOM! DENVER GUY IS STILL TALKIN'! SHIRT TRASHED! I GOTTA PLAY BALL THE ENXT DAY! I AM SCREWED! MY OLD MAN MADE ME PAY HELL! He kissed my head and said, "BOY YA'LL BE PAYIN' HELL!"
no lightning rod ? c'mon Shep - you obviously knew better than that - being a child prodigy and all. this whole story is quite possibly another "Shepherd" Brand Flight of Fancy. be that as it may my friend Mike from college - himself a child prodigy radio ham and noted raconteur - used to love to recount the story of how Jean Shepherd - in a moment of monumental deviltry - had actually "keyed the carrier" of WOR-AM - all 50000 watts of "clear channel" 710 khz sine wave power. the FCC obviously were not amused. to my perennial consternation i have never been able to find independent confirmation of this bizarre incident - but it made for a great story. thanks Mike - i miss you.
I wish I could ask Shep if he had grounded his antenna or not. I'm guessing that he was like Twain. He didn't let the truth get in the way of a good story. Twain called himself a professional liar.
Just re-listened. Still grinning. These shows are worth multiple listens!
I miss Jean Shepherd. We used to listen at night when we were supposed to be sleeping LOL.
Heard him tell this story live back when I was a kid and either studying for my ticket or just licensed (He may have told this one several time however.) One of my favorites. And I heard him live twice at Dayton telling some really funny ham stories. Those are somewhere on line as I recall but may take some searching. Yes, I was a regular listener growing up in eastern PA.
I grew up listening to him on WOR when we got put to bed. This is some of his funniest stuff ever. Oddly enough every so often I hear him coming out of my mouth.
Loved his radio show in the 50's; listened on WOR from NYC. I was a teenager then and had my novice ticket, KN2OOJ, later WA3THD; and today, my initials, N3ES. Sure wish I could worked ol' Shep. 73, N3ES, Earl Skelton
Poor Shep, I could relate to that N8WAJ
First I've heard this rendition, there's another telling, under the "Live Wires" bit in his 1965 season on WOR. That's a much funnier telling.
This is still good, but that other is a real hoot and you can see Darin McGavin as that father. Great casting in the Christmas Story. 73
THANK YOU very much for posting...I just sub'd your channel....
I saw Jean give a presentation at a local ham fest. He told the story of this "flame thrower" station in Texas. W5HH. The guy thought he was the king of the airwaves until Jean gained access to a high powered commercial transmitter. He said even though it is impossible, he could hear a nervous quiver in HH's fist when the guy meekly attempted to respond to Jean's signal. He was a truly entertaining guy. 73, de Frank - W4FJM.
I would love to have one of his QSL Cards
Gene Shepard was a master monologist. I remember his show about the Chicago White Sox and Mike Crevich; a CWS player. It really Cracked me up ! He was a White Sox fan AND.a ham radio operator. That was reason enough for me to like him immediately.
Shep was the best. Listened for years on WOR New York. Also saw him live in village. Excelsior fathead.
I wish I could ask Shep if he had grounded his antenna or not.
Thanks! Shep was the best when he was in the studio! I have it sent to play all 53. :) I never made it as a ham. Couldn't do code. But did make a low power AM radio station. That was so much fun!
Is there any way to know when this was originally broadcast? I remember hearing the story as a kid- and it is what turned me on to ham radio. I think I was 6 or 7 years old which would have put it late 60's early 70's.
I'll bet this man did more for ham radio than H.P.Maxim ever did.
We had swamp coolers, loved sleeping under it
50 watts from a 6l6.That was really pushing it.Love these old stories,though. de VE9MRH
WHATTA STORY! WOW! I LOVE YA PAL ---- I LOVE YA!
as a kid, my Dad drive me to / from the Lafayette Radio store in Syosset on Long Island - to the ham radio class they sponsored... and listened to Shep on WOR. First licensed as WN2BIJ @ 13, then WB2SMK ever since :) Thanks Shep for the stories, ham and all the rest!
Mark, These are GREAT Stories , by Jean Shepherd.......Finally got my Ticket in my 30's. Thanks to Gordon West and Lorrain McCarthy (taught CW).....Well, I'll sign..... 73's de AA6KM....
Roger, code is no longer required.
Yeah but proves the Big Man (upstairs) liked your QSO attempt....you are here to tell the tales! DE G7JDZ
Every HAM has his stories. Unless you are one or were one you probably wouldn't understand. This was hilarious. I remember my homebrew days. I don't have anything left but my bug. Shep's stories were always hilarious in person if you were lucky enough to meet him at a Hamfest. I miss Shepherd. I hope he's in heaven rag chewing on the lower 20.
SO ENJOYABLE! A Gold Medal Winner in KW ..... errrrr..... CW .... pardon me! Senile old DOnnie REMEMBERS THIS ONE! Diddy-Wop-Diddy-Wop-Diddy-Diddy-Wop-Wop.... or somethin' like that OM! YOU KICKED BUTT! Got ME into ham radio!
OH! That 55WPM is AMAZING! Simply AMAZING! I beat my head to pieces at 20WPM! ENVY ENVY ENVY! Bless you! I was 10 years OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL! Whew!
SEA BREEZE ............ HOT ......... HUMID .......... T-SHIRTS! YOU ARE MY HERO FOREVER! FLIX TAVERN???? Close enough! Ya'll IN SHORTS! Brown in BACK .... YELLOW in front! :)
NO AIR CONDITIONING! ROCK ON! Towers 50 FOOT UP ...... white ..... pride and joy! A ZEP! SWEET! BIG FAT WIRE! 600 OHM feeders! Ceramics! GOT IT! I think I got a boner too! SWEET! AMATEUR RADIO AT THE BEST IT CAN BE; in the 60's!
YA'LL KNEW that TREE was a KILLER! ZAP! ZAP! Holy crap! SCREENS keep the flies OUT! BIG OL' OAK DESK! 500,000 POUNDS! BIG puppy! RACK to the side ..... transmitter all set to rock! DENVER QSO IS ROCKIN'! Kid brother about to be slapped! FOOLIN' with ye old reedio stuff! MOM is gonna kick yo' butt! LIVE WIRE! ROCKIN'! MOM IS TERRIFIED! BAD SON! CANS on the ears! Yack yack yack ...... BIRDS all over the place! (KW FLYIN LIKE KRAZY!) Just out of his MOUTH??? SUDDENLY! KA-BOOM! Yer gonna DIE! FLASH --- BLUE --- HAND GRENADE into room! I'M GONNA DIE!
COming to ...... people screaming .... chair DEMOLISHED! SIX FOOT RACK DESTROYED ..... SMOKE! HOLY SHIT! I must be DEAD! MOM - BRO - WHAT HAPPENED????! I'll never forget THE TRUCK THAT CAME INTO MY ROOM! A BIG OL FREAKING CRACK IS IN MY ROOM! DENVER GUY IS STILL TALKIN'! SHIRT TRASHED! I GOTTA PLAY BALL THE ENXT DAY! I AM SCREWED!
MY OLD MAN MADE ME PAY HELL! He kissed my head and said, "BOY YA'LL BE PAYIN' HELL!"
Love it! de KE4QPF
no lightning rod ?
c'mon Shep - you obviously knew better than that -
being a child prodigy and all.
this whole story is quite possibly another "Shepherd" Brand Flight of Fancy.
be that as it may
my friend Mike from college -
himself a child prodigy radio ham and noted raconteur -
used to love to recount the story of how
Jean Shepherd - in a moment of monumental deviltry -
had actually "keyed the carrier" of WOR-AM -
all 50000 watts of "clear channel" 710 khz sine wave power.
the FCC obviously were not amused.
to my perennial consternation i have never been able to find
independent confirmation of this bizarre incident -
but it made for a great story.
thanks Mike - i miss you.
I wish I could ask Shep if he had grounded his antenna or not. I'm guessing that he was like Twain. He didn't let the truth get in the way of a good story. Twain called himself a professional liar.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA