Author Archives: Frederick Vobbe

About Frederick Vobbe

I’m presently employed as Director of Engineering for Block Communications, Inc., and I’m Vice President and Chief Operator for the a group of television stations in Lima, Ohio. On the amateur radio side I’m the trustee for the KT8APR repeaters on 53.630, & 145.370. These repeaters are analog, IRLP. I was the long time editor of the DX Audio Service, a non-profit radio magazine on audio cassette devoted to the medium wave DX hobby. The magazine ran from April 1985 till the National Radio Club shut it down in April 2015, I’m a member of B.P.O.E. #54, Eagles #370, past Salvation Army board of directors, past member of the Lima Host Lions Club where I served as President, VP, and on the board of directors. I hold the Melvin Jones Award, one of Lions Club top honors. In my nearly 50 plus year broadcast career I’ve worked at recording studios, radio, and television stations. One of my other hobbies is collecting “oldies” from the years 1955 to 1990 that charted in the radio industry in the Whitburn/Billboard charts for Rock and C&W. I have my own automation system & Part 15 radio station where I can listen to “good” music. I also restore old recordings of radio jingles, airchecks, and production music from tape and records. Another hobby is designing circuits and home-brewing equipment such as audio processors, tube compressors, switcher & control systems, audio distribution amplifiers, and audio mixers. Originally from Toledo, Ohio, my ham radio call sign, W8HDU, was granted via the vanity callsign program, and was my grandfather’s call. He worked at Western Union during the days and at night he operated on 80 meters from his home in Toledo using a home brew transmitter and receiver, working the CW mode.