Bill Milne – A Profile

Bill Milne c. 1952Taken from the pages of the November 1952 DX Times:

William S. Milne resides at 77 Lowe Street, Invercargill and although not far removed from the industrial area of the city has proved his worth as a DXer. Bill began DXing in 1942 when at 45 Bowmont St, Invercargill and became a member of the New Zealand DX Club. His receiver is a HMV 7-valve “World Tourer” model and those who follow Bill’s notes in “The Times” will know how well the radio lives up to its name… but we wont say whether the credit is due to his master’s voice or to the ability and perseverance Bill puts into the hobby. 599 stations are verified on the broadcast band and 834 on shortwave. Veries of most interest are WBAY (1490) 250 Watts in Coral Gables, Florida and XECC (6185) a 50W Mexican. He also possesses the most Europeans verified in the League and we believe in New Zealand, in the broadcast listings by continents. He held the positions of printer and also circulation manager of “The New Zealand DX-tra” staff. He has been a member of the League since its inception and is serving his second term on the Board of Directors. As a member of the Magazine Committee he holds the jobs of Assistant S.W. Editor, Competition Editor, and secretary of the recently inaugurated Stamp Supply Bureau. Bill is also a member of the Newark News Radio Club and the Universal Radio DX Club.

Bill is employed as a boilerman-cleaner for the New Zealand Government being attached to the local branch of the Internal Affairs Department and stationed at the Public Trust Office. He is 44 years old, of medium height and build, has a charming wife who is most interested in his DXing, but no family. His other hobbies are stamp collecting and as a visit to his allotment would show, gardening, He is a vice-president of the Southland Branch of the NZRDXL and takes an active part in branch affairs. In fact, Bill’s interest in DXing is very real… we know that the hobby has been of benefit to Bill and he has been a big help to it. Southland has an excellent team of senior DXers and long may Bill Milne remain one of them. (Editorial note: “DXquisite” had to be inquisite to get the above biography and has followed instructions of “no boloney”).

Extracts from Southland Branch DX Digests

Pertaining to Bill Milne:

November 1950 – ……. William (Hayfever) Milne how does your aerial grow. What with rope at one end and wire at the other Mrs W. Milne does not know if it is a cloths-line or not. (Were going to hang out the washing on Bill’s line, have you any dirty D.X. lads.) ……….

December 1952- ………… The latest Eddystone addict is Bill Milne of Lowe Street, who has been seen in the small hours, dxing in the back room by candlelight- you’ll certainly get plenty of Greece there

October 1953- ….. Bill Milne has been seen going home at 7-00pm quite a lot. We thought the Trust knock off serving at 6-00pm.

March 1954- …….. Did you know that the League runs a stamp Bureau? President Bill Milne runs this and has a supply of stamps on hand. If you want American stamps to send with your report, see Bill and he will be glad to fix you up.

William Stewart Milne, born 1924, died 1991