I first met Bill Pasternak in the early 1970s on a very popular 2-meter repeater while I was working as a DJ in New York City. We quickly discovered we shared many hobbies and interests. Bill was deeply interested in broadcasting and was also an accomplished multi-engine pilot. He and Sharon were newlyweds at the time, and my family enjoyed spending time with them at many social events organized by our local ham radio group.
But, as is typical in broadcasting, our careers took us in different directions and to different cities. Maybe it was karma, but both Bill and I eventually landed in Los Angeles—he had secured a job at the Fox TV station, and I joined KHJ Radio. It was wonderful to reconnect with my old friend.
Bill was incredibly ambitious. He had more hobbies than fingers and toes! He shared with me his vision of creating a newscast for the amateur radio community. In 1977, he brought that vision to life with the launch of the WestLink Amateur Radio News. Bill invited me to be one of the presenters. Little did I know that would be the start of a 36-year journey with what would eventually become Amateur Radio Newsline.
Over the next three decades, my career took me to many cities—Dallas, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles (again), Charleston, West Virginia, Daytona Beach, Grand Rapids, Long Branch, New Jersey, back to Daytona, then Sarasota, and finally Vero Beach. I had Mayflower Van Lines on speed dial!
In those early days during the ’70s, Bill would gather the news, write a script, and call me on the phone (remember when long-distance was expensive?). He’d read the script aloud, and I’d type it as he spoke. Once finished, I’d head to a production studio to record and edit the script. Then I’d drive to the post office to air mail a 7-inch reel of tape to Los Angeles. Bill would splice in the actualities and transfer the final version to a 20-minute cartridge tape. That tape machine was set to auto-answer the phone line at Bill Ornstein’s home, distributing the news to the ham community.
As technology evolved, so did we. In 1981, Bill and I each bought Commodore 64 computers. With the addition of a telephone handset modem, we reduced the scripting process from hours to minutes. Reels of tape gave way to cassettes, and a decade later, digital audio revolutionized how Amateur Radio Newsline was shared on the Internet. While the delivery systems changed, one thing remained constant: our friendship and Bill’s unwavering commitment to this project.
This week marks the 10th anniversary of Bill’s passing. His legacy continues to resonate throughout the amateur radio community. Bill was a deeply spiritual man, and I believe he would be honored to know that the Amateur Radio Newslineteam continues to deliver this weekly missive with the same passion and purpose he instilled in it from the beginning.
They say we are known by the company we keep, and in Bill’s case, his presence and contributions to our hobby are truly enduring. I was personally honored to be part of his vision for 36 consecutive years.
This is my first time back behind the microphone since his passing. I find it poetic that Bill left us at age 73. In our world, that’s no coincidence.
73, my friend.
This is Jim Davis, W2JKD