K4KUT
This is a callsign acquired by our club in November 2008. We acquired this callsign in memoriam to our Founding member and "mastermind" of the hamfest.
Malcolm E. Spangler - October 14, 1907 - December 21, 1993. In the 1930 census, Malcolm was listed as a laborer at a dry cleaning company. His father was listed as an automobile salesman. Malcolm was enlisted in the Military on August 12, 1943 at Camp Croft, South Carolina.
Who are Malcolm Spangler and Floyd Willis, I realize that most of our club members do not know who they are. I will try to pass along a little about our club and hamfest founders. There were several hams who decided that Shelby should have a hamfest. The ones I remember most are Malcolm and Floyd. I became a member in 1960, meetings were held monthly at member’s homes, as we did not have a regular meeting place.
Malcolm, K4KUT was active on all bands and a great innovator when it came to building antennas and homemade fold over towers. His station always had the latest equipment and kept very neat and clean. He was one of my mentors; I would drive by at night hoping to see the light on in his basement shack. If on, I would knock on the door and spend a couple of hours with him and always felt that I was welcome. The first hamfest was held at Shelby City Park and for a first was very successful, The next year it was moved to Brackett Cedar Park where it continued to grow.
Malcolm put his heart and at times his own money into the hamfest. At that time it was a Sunday only hamfest. He started camping on the grounds in a homemade fold out camper and in order to encourage other hams to camp he would cook hamburgers and hotdogs at no charge on Saturday night for those that stayed late or camped. On Sunday mornings he always had coffee and doughnuts for everyone at no charge. That is how we became a two-day hamfest, and the rest is history.
Malcolm’s interest in ham radio and the hamfest was constant and was always active and excited about ham radio and the Shelby Hamfest.
We should be proud and know about the founders of our club. Malcolm K4KUT was one of those founders. Malcolm owned and operated Spangler Wheel Service on East Marion Street where his son, Gene now operates the business. --Bill Bridges, N4WH