(73, de VK3KRO)




Uncle Mike's Index
of Amateur Radio Magazine
"Please Read Me" File


Site Home Page Back to the site Home Page
Ham Radio Back to the "Amateur Radio" Page
Giving Back to the World Back to "Giving Back To The World"
AR Index Back to the AR Main Index Page



"Please Read Me" File for Uncle Mike's Index to "Amateur Radio"
Magazine of the Wireless Institute of Australia
The World's Oldest Amateur Radio Society
Founded in 1910
Volume 1 (October 1945 to December 1967)
Version 1.0

The Complete Index to Amateur Radio (AR) from the VERY BEGINNING to December 1967
Starts with the first ever issue, October 1933.

This Release : Volume 1 (October 1945 to December 1967) Version 1.0
Available Soon : Volume 2 (October 1933 to September 1945)

Please note : This index is a labour of love.
The availability of Vol. 2 is critically dependent on support for Vol. 1.
Please register !!!

 An Index to AR for January 1968 to the present has been compiled by the WIA.
Copies of that index are now available from Amateur Radio Magazine
Contact : The Editor AR, c/o WIA Federal Office
10/229 Balaclava Road
Caulfield,Vic 3161
Australia.
Phone/Fax : (03) 9528 59629584 8928
Mobile : (03) 9523 8191


Features :

  • This index includes nearly 5,000 line entries, and required about 300 hours of hard work to set up.
  • The index features a listing of ALL articles in AR over the indicated period.
  • This includes all technical articles and the topic (where indicated by a headline) of all editorials.
  • For each line entry, the reference includes :
    the date of the issue, the page of the article, the title, the author and a subject category.


    • Data and Media Format :

    The index is presented in the following formats (the original was prepared in MS EXCEL for Windows [TM] Version 4.0) :

  • DOS [TM] ASCII text format, AR1.TXT (file size = 353,358 bytes)
  • DOS [TM] Comma-Separated Values format, AR1.CSV (file size = 353,358 bytes)
  • MS Word for Windows [TM] Version 6.0 format, AR1.DOC (file size = 414,720 bytes)
  • Word Perfect for Windows [TM] Version 6.0 format, AR1.WP (file size = 784,474 bytes)
  • MS EXCEL [TM] Version 4.0 format, AR1.XLS (file size = 754,556 bytes)
  • DBase [TM] Version 4.0 format, AR1.DBF (file size = 20,286,284 bytes) [Really !]

    • for immediate use or direct importing into other applications such as
    text browsers, word processors, spreadsheets and databases.

    Files supplied as a self-extracting packed PKZIP[tm] file, called AR1.EXE.
    Please note file sizes (minimum disk space). Sorry, IBM-compatible format only at this time.
    The index is provided on 3.5 inch, 1.44 MB floppies only.

    (No printout, as this would take over 50 pages for each type of sorted list - nearly 54,000 words !).


    Installation :

    PLEASE NOTE : READ THE FOLLOWING MATERIAL !!!
    IF YOU COPY THESE DATA FILES ON TOP OF SOMETHING YOU WANTED TO KEEP,
    PLEASE DON'T RING TO ABUSE ME !!!
    FOLLOWING THE STEPS BELOW IS A SAFE PROCEDURE WHICH WILL ENSURE SUCCESSFUL
    INSTALLATION OF THE DATA FILES ON YOUR DISK :

    This file is in plain text, so you can read it without too much trouble.
    The data files are so huge that I had to compress them to fit them on the disk !
    The data files are contained in one self-extracting PKZIP[TM]-compressed file called AR1.EXE.
    The files are so big that you will need a hard disk to store them on.
    They cannot be run from the floppy.


    Step-by-step Guide to Installation :

    Please follow the steps below.

    VERY CAREFULLY !

    Step 0.
    Before you do anything else : MAKE A BACKUP COPY !!!
    I strongly recommend making a backup copy of your program disk.
    Keep the master copy in a safe place and use the backup disk for program installation.

    Step 1.
    Check the amount of space left on the hard disk on which you intend to install these data files.
    See above for the actual file size for each format.

    NOTE : You will need 24 MB to extract the file.

    (The file ZIPFILE.TXT shows the contents of the file AR1.EXE).

    Step 2.
    Choose an appropriate name for the subdirectory on your hard disk in which you will store this data.
    Make sure that a subdirectory with this name does not already exist.

    Step 3.
    Copy the file AR1.EXE into the subdirectory you have just created.
    (Get help if you are not sure how to do this).

    Step 4.
    Make the subdirectory into which you have just copied the AR1.EXE file your default directory.
    For instance, if you created C:\AR, and copied AR1.EXE into it, change to drive C: and type CD \AR.

    Step 5.
    Type "AR1" (without the quotation marks).
    This will cause the data files to be expanded.
    You can now use the version of data file you want to work with.

    Step 6.
    Have fun !!!


    Capitalisation and Punctuation Scheme :

    Capitalisation in this index may appear to be random. I have tried to follow, as best I could, the scheme in the original text.
    As far as punctuation is concerned, I have tried to simplify the text by adhering to modern convention
    and omitting unnecessary punctuation. For instance, I have used SSB, not S.S.B.


    Subject Categories :

    I have tried to follow the indexing scheme presented in the cumulative indexes
    (in Dec 1955 AR for 1945-1955, Dec 1960 AR for 1956-60 and Dec 1965 AR for 1961-1965).
    However, I found some of the categories to be a bit vague, and have modified the scheme.
    In particular, I have tried to avoid the catch-all category "Miscellaneous" as best I could,
    and redistributed these articles among more fitting categories where possible.
    I also created a "History" category for the "Man Bites Dog" stuff.
    I have probably slipped up on a few entries : if so, please advise me, somebody !


    A Note about Editorials :

    Editorials in these issues were generally signed "Federal Executive".
    However, the Fed. Exec. gets plenty of glory in the Federal and Divisional Notes of each issue.
    I therefore decided to credit the Editorials to the Editor, who I always thought was supposed to write Editorials.
    At least this way, the Index is a historical record of who was Editor and when.


    List of Subject Categories used :

    My subject categories for the period 1945 - 1955 are as follows :

  • Antennas / ATUs
  • ATV/TVI/BCI
  • Audio / Modulation
  • Commercial
  • Converters
  • Correspondence
  • Disposals Equipment
  • DX/Contests/Awards
  • Editorial
  • Electronics/Theory
  • FM/PM
  • History
  • Index
  • Miscellaneous
  • Power Supplies
  • Propagation
  • Receiving
  • Recording
  • SWL
  • Test Equipment
  • Transmitting/Linears
  • Valves
  • VFO/Crystal Oscillators
  • VHF/UHF
  • WIA News
  • WICEN/CDEN
  • Workshop/Shack

    • After 1956, the following were added :

  • Mobile/Portable
  • Satellites
  • SSB/DSB
  • YL/XYL
  • YRCS


    Multiple Subject Category Reference :

    Unfortunately, it has not been possible to incorporate references to more than one subject category
    where this was appropriate (some articles, for instance, might deal with both Receiving and Disposals Equipment).
    In such cases, I have picked one subject category only. Since this listing is computer based,
    it would be relatively easy to search on the names of particular types of equipment,
    for instance (such as HRO). Thus the lack of multiple subject listing is probably not so serious.

    Suggestions for improvement are invited.


    The dreary legal stuff :
    Please see the separate files :
    (73, de VK3KRO) LICENSE
    and
    COPYRIGHT
    for important information about your legal rights (and mine).


    Warranty Information :
    Please see the separate file :
    (73, de VK3KRO) WARRANTY
    for important information about warranty provisions.


    Product Registration :
    Please see the separate file :
    (73, de VK3KRO) "REGISTER"
    for important information on how to register this software.


    Packing List :
    Please see the separate files :
    (73, de VK3KRO) PACKING LIST
    and
    ZIP FILE INDEX
    for important information about the files in this package.


    A Plea from Uncle Mike, and YOUR CHANCE TO BE FAMOUS :

    Any mistakes in the current index are all mine.
    If you find some, I'll be very grateful if you can please let me know.
    Contact me at the contact points below.

    Even better would be if someone would offer to help upgrade this index.
    I am painfully aware that there are probably many errors of omission and commission.
    It has been a difficult job to compile this index,
    since the indexes in the magazines themselves were often incorrect, incomplete,
    and on many occasions in random order (!?).

    Only the Lord is perfect.

    If there is sufficient interest in this index, and an expression of need,
    I am happy to incorporate more information in future releases,
    such as details of Correspondence, listing of Silent Keys, Cover Descriptions
    or anything else I am asked for (or preferably helped with).


    YOUR CHANCE TO BE FAMOUS :

    If you find any errors, I would be very grateful if you will please point them out to me.
    Use the Feedback Form included in the file FEEDBACK.FRM .
    I will try to fix the errors in future releases.
    You will be doing yourself and the radio amateur community a service.
    Thank you for your help !
    When the next version of this Index is released, I will put your name on the "Honour Roll" of helpful souls.
    (Uncle Mike's Amateur Radio Hall of Fame!)

    And now it's time for you to check out the index. Enjoy !

    73, de Mike VK3KRO

    Contact Details
    Autoscan Systems Pty. Ltd.
    Street Address : 4/293 Bay Street, Brighton 3186 Victoria Australia
    Postal Address : PO Box 112, Ormond 3204 Victoria Australia
    Telephone : +61 3 9596 8065 / +61 3 9596 8092
    Facsimile : +61 3 9596 8369
    Email :
    Geographic coordinates : Lat. 37 deg. 52 min. South, 145 deg. East
    Melway streetmap reference : 67 F9
    Ham Radio World-Wide Locator (WW-LOC) : QF 22 md
    Webmaster (Mike Krochmal VK3KRO) :
    NEW URL ! : http://www.autoscan.com.au/

    This page developed and best viewed under Netscape 4.72
    This page developed and best viewed under Netscape 4.72
    First Posted : 5 May 1998

    Site Home Page Back to the site Home Page
    Ham Radio Back to the "Amateur Radio" Page
    Giving Back to the World Back to "Giving Back To The World"
    AR Index Back to the AR Main Index Page