[CQ-Contest] Crud-O-Jects

[James Cain]

Mention of the Crud-O-Ject brought back memories. I bought one in the mid-1970s and used it with every radio I owned until I gave everything away 10 years ago. I wish I had mine back. It was an "SSB model," aimed purely at eliminating the aggravating very high frequency audio hiss from most radios.

The name Crud-O-Ject first appears in the literature in August 1957 QST, in an article by G. R. Norberg, W0ORZ. OM Norberg is, according to the QRZ.com lookup, still alive, still W0ORZ, and was born in 1932. He designed his Crud-O-Ject to improve the performance of his WW 2 vintage BC-455.

In 1972, Jerry Hall, K1PLP (K1TD) and Bob Myers, W1FBY (W1XT) designed a new Crud-O-Ject and described it in February, 1972 QST. Curiously, their article did not mention the origin of the name, but they rebirthed "CRUD" as an acronym -- Continuous Unwanted Random Disturbances."  Those were the days when QST had a sense of humor. This was what my physics professor would have called "reverse engineering" -- start with the acronym and find words to fit it.

Bob Myers and Bill Lowry, W1VV, formed "New England Electronics Engineering" and built, for sale, Crud-O-Jects in Bill's basement in Wethersfield, Connecticut. Bill was a professor of economics so I expect they did make a profit. I visited the "factory" once. This is the Crud-O-Ject I once owned. 

Rick Niswander, WA1PID (K7GM) reviewed the NEEE Crud-O-Ject in QST in 1975. 

Oh, all the above-named friends appear in QRZ.com today, I'm happy to report.

Jim Cain, K1TN