Collins Collections Update

Get started now – Share your collection with other members and
help us build our virtual museum of Collins gear.

For some time many of us on the board have worked on a way for members to share their shack pictures (Collins Collections), with the rest of the group. We decided to create a separate website, Collins Collections (http://collections.collinsradio.org/). After much thought, it was decided that simple is better. The site is a series of posts, each one titled with the member’s call sign, a brief bio and then pictures of his or her shack & collection. The most recent posts show up first on the list.

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Further, the site is searchable from the front “Collections” page via name, call sign or equipment. If you wanted to see Bill Carns’ pictures, then you would could enter N7OTQ (or Carns) in the search bar. What is exciting is that you can also enter the name of any piece of Collins gear, e.g.  ….  75S-2 and see all the shacks with pictures of that piece of equipment. We are going to start drawing on this resource for the “In the Shack” column in the Signal Magazine. Each member whose pictures are picked for that quarters “In the Shack” will receive one year’s free membership in the CCA, or a ticket to the CCA banquet of their choice.

This new CCA Facebook page and Collins Collections centric process will allow the CCA to create a searchable virtual museum of Collins gear that is out in the real world and being used or displayed. Through the magic of Facebook, you can follow the changes and share with your friends.

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So how do you get your shack on the site? It is as easy as sending me an email with just SHACK in the subject line. This email should include your Name, Call Sign, a brief Biographical sketch about you and then some pictures of your shack. You should also a list the equipment pictured in your photos, such as 75S-2, 32V-3, etc. This makes your equipment searchable. I will then format the posts each week and put them up on the site. Also if you move or add a new piece of gear just drop me a line with the new pictures or data and I can get your post changed.

Now for the fun details. I have created a Facebook destination that links to both of the CCA sites (Collections and Website). Just search for “Collins Collectors Association” in Facebook and then click on follow or click on the like button at http://collections.collinsradio.org/. When an important announcement is made to the CCA (website or reflector), or when a new shack is added to the collection, then the CCA Facebook page will automatically be updated with that information and will then show up in your Facebook timeline with a link to the new shack or announcement. Also, if a member adds a new piece of gear and sends me the picture, then when the post for their shack is updated, within seconds each Facebook follower will then be able to see the new pictures.

So, take a moment to look at the new site and look us up on Facebook. Then get out the camera or smartphone and send me an email with some pictures!  SNAP….  It’s that easy!

When you take the photos, don’t forget to not only give us an overview, but some close-ups of that special piece that you are proud of.

73,  Scott
Scott Kerr, KE1RR
President, Collins Collectors