Ed,
The NN3SI station at the Smithsonian was slated to be dismantled last year as
part of an overall renovation of the displays there.
It's probably a good thing too. NN3SI was set up in what appeared to be a
small coat room. The bottom half of the door had a small shelf with ham radio
brochures, but the interior was poorly lit.
Perhaps most importantly, the station did not match the historic nature of the
technology display that it led to. The Smithsonian has several nice examples
of vintage, tube-type technology, but the current station trustee is the
onetime AM-hater, Johnny Johnston, the former K3BNS.
He more recently has headed the QCWA, and expressed his willingness to allow
the group's national newsletter to include an article on AM, suitably addressed
to his membership of licensees who've been in the hobby more than 25 years.
But according to an AM-er who had approached him to re-work the station along
lines that would be compatible with the rest of the Smithsonian's display, he
refused to allow the older, functioning equipment to be brought out of storage
and placed back in service. His agenda was like the League's, to show modern
ham radio.
Few visitors stopped by during several trips I made there to observe, and the
visitor's logbook had only a handful across months of time reviewed.
People who discussed whether it's appropriate to have Johnston as the station
trustee, have also been in talks with the new leadership at the Smithsonian.
Although kicking him out would be a fresh start, and would time nicely with
developing a place for NN3SI in the newly designed display, there's a small
problem --
FInding someone to replace him and to staff the station.
SO, the matter is stalled for now.
--Paul/VJB
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