Bonfire History

In the decades before cellphones were practical, W5AC played a crucial part in the yearly construction of Bonfire. Cut sites up to 70 miles from campus could only reach main campus via HF amateur radio — even ambulances might be outside the range of line-of-sight radios at "cut," making ham radio the fastest way to get medical attention to anyone injured there.

Beginning in 1978, W5AC hosted a special event — "CQ Bonfire" — during the burning of Bonfire itself, which attracted many former students back on the air.

After the Bonfire Collapse in 1999, the club no longer assisted with communication for the event.

Standing on the right on the ground is Glen Reid, then K5HGB. On the ladder is Brian Derx, then WB2HEY. I am sitting on the box. Can't ID the two other guys in the commo van. In the background is the Duncan Dining Hall loading dock. Back then the Bonfire was built in the then empty field south of Duncan (behind the camera). This could be from Bonfire '67 or '68 (I think Glen Reid had graduated by '69).