"I'll LEARN CODE WHEN RUBBER DUCKS FLOAT"

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A lot of code bashing has been going on for years now, with two opposing forces:

• Those for keeping the code requirement
• Those for dropping the code requirement

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But learning Morse Code isn't really that hard - it just takes time and determination. My "Elmer", Dave, is a CW maniac! It doesn't matter how fast the code is coming in, he can understand what they're saying, without pad and pencil, as if it were just another language. And, while off topic, if there was a Guinesses Book of Records for most Ham rigs operated, he'd win - no contest.

So at LEAST consider to try to learn code, it will reach out when SSB won't, and ya never know when it might come in handy!

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"HUNT FOR THE DEAD ANTENNA ROTOR BURIAL GROUNDS"

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I was at a local swapfest and noticed that there were many Rotor control boxes for sale, but no rotors. As I pulled on the hairs of my beard, I mused outloud

"I wonder what happens to the rotors?"

At the same time, a group of youthful beggars approached me...

"Hey Mister, would you like to buy a map?"

"What kind of map?" I asked.

"OH", he said (his eyes getting bigger), "I have a map to the sacred rotator burial grounds", he paused, "It's where antenna rotors go to die!!"

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Now THIS caught my attention! I've probably seen thousands of auctions for the rotor control box, but very rarely, the rotor, and always wondered where the second half was. I'd heard of stories about the fabled rotor grave yard - some secluded place with rotors piled fifty feet high! The legendary place where, when worn out, the failing rotors would slowly rotate along a given path, tumbling their way to the burial grounds, and, and finally die......

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"How much for the map?" I asked

"Fifty dollars" he replied.

Using my finely honed skills at bargaining, I quickly countered with "Seventy-Five Dollars, and not a penny less"

"One hundred dollars" he shot back

"DEAL!!" I shouted with glee, patting myself on the back for coming out ahead in the deal.

Naturally I found this to be a great bargain and the transaction was quickly made! Word spread like wildfire, and before I could say "Burnt Bearings" I had assembled a large group radio operators (actually just 3 others: My Elmer "CW Dave", "Silent Doug", and "Red Langley" from Clute.....all of us, eager to find the legendary burial grounds.

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According to the map's instructions we had to buy a vintage rotor control box (easily found on Ebay, at garage sales, or in dumpsters) which would act as a directional compass.

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So, after consulting the rotor control box we headed in the direction it advised - "North", which of course was the only direction it would point to because it was broken (actually, it was semi-working when we purchased it, but a fuse kept blowing. CW Dave, drawing on his vast history of trouble-shooting pulled a gem of an idea from the 80's)

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"Does anyone have a paperclip?" CW Dave asked

"I do" replied the normally "Silent Doug"

Pulling the blown fuse out, Dave stuck a paperclip in it's place! With what could only be described as a crafty look, he explained:

"We'll trim some time with this paperclip. Once powered up the Rotor control box will keep power running through the circuit and the first thing that blows is our culprit".....

We soon had one smoked control box.

Several months later (and many pounds less) we arrived at a hidden Oasis, our minds racing just one thought:

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"Would we finally find the Antenna Rotor Burial Grounds"

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With excitement, hunger, and perhaps some dementia, we pushed our way through the thick brush, and the further we went, the better we could see big mounds of "Something" metal! Staggering into a clearing our jaws dropped at the sight of the huge piles! Indeed, they were over fifty feet in height, but sadly, this was not the sacred rotor burial grounds.....Instead, we had found the "Sacred walkie-talkie antenna tip burial grounds". Yes, we were disappointed, tired, and broke, but at least we learned where all those missing antenna tips had gone, and knowing that THIS existed only confirmed our belief that someday, we would find the Rotator Burial grounds...

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WOODY

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