Minnesota DX Club
Next Meetings
For now meeting will be held with Google Meet.
An e-mail will be sent out with the link to join.
Joining the club
For information on joining the contact James Dale at jd2dale@gmail.com
Address for the club.
James Dale
15732 27th Ave N
Plymouth MN, 55447
The Club was founded in March 1973
Club Founding
How The MDXC Came To Be
By Larry Lundberg from the March 11, 1983 newsletter.
In 1971 or 1972 area short-wave enthusiasts heard of each other via Keith Glover’s Mailbag program on Radio Australia. Getting in touch with each other by phone, they soon found that they were calling each other quite often and later someone said “Instead of calling each other all the time. Lets get together in person!” These get-togethers led in March 1973 to the founding of The Minnesota DX Club. Originally, the meetings were held on Saturdays. John Schaefer used to bicycle from his home in Austin to attend meetings, stay over at Larry’s and pedal back the next day – a 2X100 mile trip! Now that’s dedication!! Larry summed up his reminiscences with the observation “I may have been a part in starting our club, but you’ve all had a large part in keeping it going,” Thanks to you and John for helping to start the MDXC so that there became a club for all of us to become a part of! Being a modest person. John Schaefer, when asked about his early days with the club, just said the reason he became one of the first members of the was “I just happened to be there!” I’m sure that Johns contributions were vital to the fledgling club!
Further thoughts by Larry.
At our March meeting we celebrated the 10th Anniversary of our club. I am sure that there is not another club of our type that can boast such a record. (And it still stands. Jim)
During the years 1971,1972, and 1973, all of the original members met each other Keith Glovers Mail Bag and Club Forum programs over R. Australia. He did a lot for the club in those early days when we strived for existence
All of the original members used to call each other up an exchange DX tips and other miscellaneous information. Jim Peterson and Myself used visit each other quite frequently. I told Jim of my experiences with the MDXA (Minnesota DXer’s Alliance) back in the late 1930’s. He said “Why not form a similar club with the people we are acquainted with?” This we did, and on March 10th, 1973 the first meeting was held on a Saturday afternoon from 2-5 PM at the home of Jim Peterson. Jim acted as chairman, and yours truly took the minutes of the meeting. We had a great time with each one telling about himself and his DX experiences. We decided on the club name an that we would have monthly meetings at each others home. Seven members attended that first meeting: Jim Peterson, Jim Schwarz, Jim Chorn, Chuck Gooden, Jim Dubois, Peter Bonucci, and Larry Lundberg. (I guess that you could not ask for Jim by first name. Jim D) John Schaefer and Mark Carlson were unable to attend that first meeting. We made up a cassette for Keith Glover which was broadcast over Radio Australia. Mrs. Peterson served refreshments. The only original members left are John Schaefer and Yours truly. John biked all the way one Saturday from Austin to pay me a visit and stay overnight. The club had its ups and downs over the years. However, the present membership consists of real solid people. There are so many people to thank who have worked to help our club survive to its present status that I hesitate to name all of them. I may have been a part of starting the MDXC, but it is all of you who have kept it going. The Social part of the Club has, and will, keep me a member as long as I live. Keep up the good work gang! All of you can say “A JOB WELL DONE” – Larry Lundberg
Club Activities
The Minnesota DX Club holds monthly meetings on the second Saturday of the month, we do skip some months. The meeting has an informal format. We do an online meeting with Google Meet in the winter months. In the summer we try in persons meeting. We usually talk about radio first before the meeting starts with what ever topic is brought up. At some meeting we do have a topic that we talk about. We then have the Round Robin where members talk about what they have been doing in radio. If there is time left at the end of the meeting there is another gab session about radio.
The club also has a group.io group that is open to members.
Besides the monthly meeting the Minnesota DX Club has many activities through out the year.
Summer DXpedition
In the Summer the Club has a UHF/VHF DXpedition at Frontenac State Park by Red Wing Minnesota. It is located on a bluff 400 feet above the Mississippi River. He we primarily DX the FM, TV and UHF/VHF scanner bands. The NOAA weather radio stations from out of the state are also a specialty of some of the members. With the river and railroads nearby those bands are also monitored.
Summer Picnic
Each Summer the Club holds a picnic. This can be held at a members home or at various parks in the Twin Cities area. This is usually a social event but members are free to bring their radios for other members to try. The talk is usually radio and the day politics. We grill up burgers, bratwurst, dogs and have the all the other fixings of a picnic.
Christmas Dinner
Every December the club hold a Christmas Dinner. This is held at different restaurants in the Twin Cities area. This is like a regular meeting only we take full advantage of the all you can eat spread that they provide.