I just read that Wayne Green, W2NSD, passed away this week. May he rest in peace and may light perpetual shine upon him. You can see the ARRL write-up here.
Wayne gave me my first chance in publishing. He was then the publisher of 73 Magazine, which was devoted to amateur radio topics. In one of his editorials, he made a call for books that he could publish as part of an amateur radio library. I wrote to him suggesting a book on the three different methods of Single Sideband. He responded that it was a good idea. He wanted to see a chapter and also suggested that I begin to write some articles for the magazine.
In a relatively short while, I had written the book and had a contract in hand with a whopping signing bonus of $300. I further published a couple of articles in the magazine. This all happened when I was teaching electronics at a community college. From those two activities (teaching and writing) Heathkit hired me as an educational product designer (writer). My first big project was Heathkit’s Amateur Radio General Class License Homestudy Course. Thus, began my career in publishing.
Thank you, Wayne Green, for your pioneering thoughts and efforts — and for your bet on a young writer.
