"GOLDEN SCREW....DRIVERS"

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I guess we've all run across these guys, and today was yet another chance to see how dense some people are.

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Example No.1 - I'm working on some video editing, listening to channel 38 LSB when some DX floats in from Colorado Springs Colorado. About 15 minutes into their conversation I hear someone whistling into their microphone. This goes on for about 20 minutes until one of the fellows asks "Who they heck is that??"

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Turns out it someone in the Houston area (ed. - we'll just call him "cbBuddy") who is apparently tuning either his rig or amp, or both....who knows. The Colorado group is polite, and "cbBuddy" apologizes with the excuse that he didn't know the channel was in use. (ed. - less whistling, and more listening)

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Example No.2

Later this evening, on another channel, our hapless self-taught tech "cbBuddy" is waaaaay off frequency. He's got some Houston locals talking in the background and it pretty much goes like:

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Local conversation

cbBuddy: "Wahh-wah....wahh-wah"

Locals: "Too low" (and he was)

Local conversation

cbBuddy: "Blah-blah-blah-blah"

Locals: "Too high"

Local conversation

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And I'm thinking to myself - "He was on frequency earlier, just annoying with the whistle, so obviously he's inside the rig". The wahh-wah/blah-blah goes on (with appropriate pauses while the locals talk and he screws with the rig for about half an hour. Finally he's on frequency and he briefly tells them he has several rigs to take in for repair now and he's down to his last one.

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ADVICE:

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1. If you don't have a meter, a second rig/receiver and a dummy load - take it somewhere where they do.
2. If you don't know what you're doing, don't do it, and especially don't do it ON-THE-AIR.
3. Repeat step No.1
4. Even if it seems funny to you about how many rigs you blow up, don't admit to it....and if you do, there's always AM.
5. Never lead off a transmission with "I think Cherokee is a GREAT radio".
6. Repeat step No.1 AND donate all small screwdrivers to a Hurrican relief fund.

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Woody