Friday, February 03, 2006

FEB. 1st, 2006 'Nuff Said
(part two)
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If you're a frequent tire kicker at EBay you'll recognize this picture as it seems to be the most popular picture used from my website for other peoples auctions. If you see this picture, and it's not "TheStonerGuy" selling it, then you can assume it's not the actual photo of the rig forsale!!

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It's one thing to use one of my photo's with a disclaimer like "This isn't the actual picture of the radio for sale", but most time's they don't do it. I feel bad for the buyer....

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"FROM THE SILENT KEY DEPT."

Rumor has it that "104 North Florida" passed away. May his past transmissions live on forever.

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"PET PEEVE DEPT."

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EBay pet peeve No. 2103 - When the seller gives you a complete description of the radio forsale, complete with pictures (fuzzy focused), but doesn't tell you what the model number of the rig is....

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"FROM THE I'M Sooooooo STUPID DEPT."

Before the Federal Communications Commission Washington, D.C. 20554 In the Matter of ) ) Gene A. Fricke ) EB-04-BS-085 ) ) NAL/Acct. No. Nashua, New Hampshire ) 200632260001 ) FRN No. 0014204622

On July 6, 2005, in response to complaints regarding Fricke's CB station, agents from the Boston Office monitored CB radio operations in the Nashua, New Hampshire area.3 Using direction-finding equipment, the agents determined that a signal emitting a constant carrier on the frequency 27.195 MHz was emanating from Fricke's residence. The agents conducted an inspection of Fricke's CB station and found three CB transmitters that were set up and connected to outdoor antennas on Fricke's residence. By conducting on/off tests, the agents confirmed that one of the transmitters was emitting a one-way communication in the form of a constant carrier on the frequency 27.195 MHz, a frequency that is not authorized for use by CB stations. The agents further determined that the other two transmitters set up in Fricke's residence were capable of operating in excess of the four-watt power limitations. One measured ten watts, the other measured eight watts. (ed. - I'm surprised the locals didn't take care of this problem....)

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"THE BEATING MY HEAD AGAINST THE WALL DEPT."

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I'm going to keep bringing this up, from time-to-time, until I get a good freaking answer: Why, with 40 channels to use, do truckers jump from 19 and use channel 38?? Why can't they go down a few channels, say for instance 1-6?? Even when I drop down to AM and ask them, I get silence....are they just so freaking stupid that they can't take a hint? Or, maybe they don't hear me with their RF gain control set to Zero, their Squelch turned up, and a 400 watt amplifier keeping contact with the truck that's about 1/4 of a mile away. I'll admit, I run into a few "good guys" who, when asked, move to a lower frequency, but lately it seems to be getting worse - not better.

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My guns are now turning towards ham radio manufacturers......(Thanks to Dave H. and the fact I'm experiencing it right now), but why is it that Ham Radio Manufacturers can put the latest and greatest technology into a small box, charge $1000 (or more), yet they can't seem to come up with a decent noise blanker?? (like in a Uniden Grant or Cobra 2000).

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Some of these are halfway decent, and some are pure crap (like the Alinco DX-70, which actually adds noise when you turn the NB "ON"), but (on a receive only of course) test, the ham rig might have a 7/8 noise level, but flip on a Cobra 2000 and "Hey, it's quiet and you can actually hear people" (ed. - what a novel idea). So......ICOM, YAESU, are you listening???? How hard is it for you to do a Noise Blanker right??? and I'm not talking DSP, adjustable this and that, I'm talking about a freaking noise blanker that you just flip the switch and ----------silence. As far as Alinco goes, well, I'm not sure how they still manage to sell the overpriced HF+6 rig with noise creating noise blankers.......

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OPERATION "SUITSAT-1"

Astronauts in the International Space Station and stuffing an old space suit full of rags, etc. along with a transmitter and pushing it out the door! Ham radio operators (or anyone with a scanner for that matter) can pick up it's transmission's every day (in the U.S. between midnight and 4a.m.) on frequency 145.990. It's expected the signal will be received for several days before it re-enters the atmosphere. It's whereabouts can also be tracked on the space station website.

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"IN THE NEW RADIO DEPT."

  • Reports of a few glitches, but otherwise the Cobra 200 seems fairly reliable (3rd party sources)
  • The "Stryker" radios are now available
  • Icom IC-7000 is on the market too, and many-a-ham are walking around with erect wallets...

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Hey! I here some DX!!!!

'Nuff Said

Woody

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