This webpage maintained by Butch Bridges
08/07/07 "My Daddy, the late, Lloyd R. Benton, was a Ham Radio Operator, call numbers: K5YTW. He died on 25 September 1988. He was a radio and television repairman in the 1940's and until 1956, when he moved to Palmdale, California and went to work in the Civil Service, then transferred to Tinker Air Force Base in 1959. We are from Ringling, Ok. He worked for several TV Repair shops in Ardmore, plus had his own, off and on in Ringling. In April, 1981, my husband lost his mind (to my way of thinking) and transferred from Tinker to the U.S, Postal Service, hired first at Healdton, where we still reside. He was as Distribution Clerk at the Ardmore Post from which he retired in 1996. My parents moved back to the area with us. Daddy went to many meetings at Ardmore. He never missed the Texoma Ham Fest, even when he still lived at Midwest City. My niece sent me an email awhile back, she, like all of his kin thought Lloyd hung the moon. I forwarded it on to a cousin of my Daddy in Kansas City, Mo., who is also a Ham. I added my Daddy's name in places, and his cousin added a little more. His cousin sent copies to every one of his Ham Buddies, I am going to try to send it to you again. Every time I see the magazine, American Radio Relay League or anything pertaining to Hams, I start crying. I have his repeater books and the last badge he wore that gives his name and call letters, and other things, on a table in my bedroom, he was a member of The Mars Net Work out of Tinker. The late Henry Kyker, also from Ringling was a friend of his, plus others at Ardmore. His call letters were retired when he died." -Betty Benton Lyle
07/20/07 Ardmoreite Jack Gant, W5GM, helped organize the Ardmore Radio Club in the 1940s, was active in Civil Defense, was a “storm chaser”, and met with many emergency Nets. He gave tests for amateur licenses to many in this area and taught communication for the University of Oklahoma before enlisting in the Marines for WWII.
Jack died December 6, 2000 at the age of 84. He was former American Radio Relay League (ARRL) West Gulf Director and served as West Gulf Division Vice Director from 1972 to 1976 and as Director from 1977 to 1980. Licensed for 66 years, Gant was an ARRL member and formerly held the call sign W5EGR. He belonged to the Quarter Century Wireless Association. In the 1970s he was active in ARES as Emergency Coordinator for Carter County, Oklahoma. He also served as chairman for the Texhoma Ham-a-Rama Hamfest.
He was an independent oilman and held a private pilot’s license. Evelyn, his wife of 60 years, said there was always room for a “ham shack” in their home, and ham radio was his “first love” before they met.The link below is a photo showing Jack D. Gant, W5GM, with his hand-held as he helped with the Christmas parade in Ardmore, Oklahoma.
04/25/06 George Pretty of Fort Mill, South Caroline sent me a film recorded in 1952 of some local Ham radio operators conducting their "field day" in Ardmore back in 1952. The file is HUGE. About 40 megs, so if you have slow dialup modem, there is no way you can can download this file. If you have high speed broad band, hopefully you can right-click on the link below and save the file to your hard drive for watching later. Right-Click here to download and select "Save Target As".
Every other Tuesday night around 6:30pm, several of us HAM operators in the area met at Howard Robinson's house here in Ardmore for HAM talk, the latest gossip, and just good fellowship. Howard has graciously offered his home up to us for these bi-weekly meetings. Here are a few good pictures of some sitting around on meeting night.
Russell Anoatubby , W5RFX, Ardmore, sitting and relaxing over at Howards.
Here's Ted Spurgeon, K5PJO, of Ardmore, enjoying a good cup of Howard's coffee.
Here's a picture of Howard's antenna with Purple Martins resting all over it. No wonder Howard's signal is weak.
And when things get kinda slow at our meetings, Howard just turns Sam lose, and then it's every man for himself! Sam is our Mascot and loves to play.
A couple times a year, Larry Guthrie invites us all up to his house for food and friendship. Below are some pictures from those meetins.
This is the May 1996 BBQ Feed at Larry's.
This is the March 1997 Burger Feed that was held at Larry's.
Email Addresses:
Chuck Carter - cncarter@brightok.net - WA5BUP
Don Drake - dadrake@cableone.net - N5AO
Larry Guthrie - lguthrie@brightok.net -KI5WJ
Howard Robinson - horomojo@sbcglobal.net - WB5FAJ
Gary Simmons - gsimmons@brightok.net - KC5TDD
Ted Spurgeon - spurgeon@cableone.net - K5PJO
Want to look up a HAM Call of a friend? You can search by Name, by City and State, or by Call Sign. Updated daily.
Silent Key Gene South WA5IJA Memorial Page
Silent Key Henry Kyker N5ABK Memorial Page
Silent Key Charles M. Dibrell W5BLW Memorial Page
