My Updated Shack Picture

[n0iu]

I was inspired by Steve KA9MOT, so I took a panoramic shot of my shack with my iPhone.

http://i676.photobucket.com/albums/vv124/scottaschultz/shack_zpse79b6ff3.jpg

Starting at the left (partially obscured by the door) is an autographed poster of Kinky Friedman when he was in concert here in St. Louis.

Below that is a copy of Webster's New Universal Unabridged Dictionary Deluxe Second Edition published in 1983. That was one of the was we used to look stuff up before Al Gore invented the Internet

Eventually we come to the operating position itself (after having passed the DXCC and WAS certificates) which is an Icom IC-7410 with an MFJ 949-E Deluxe Versatuner II on the shelf above it. I guess that calling something "deluxe", whether it is a dictionary or a tuner makes it better than the "standard" version.

Above the "deluxe" tuner is an external speaker and the official ARRL US Amateur Radio Band chart. Its the color version so I guess it is the deluxe version.

There is also an empty tapioca container in front of the radio. I guess I should have cleaned up a little before taking the picture!

Under the window is my big white teddy bear. I guess I should have taken the box off of his back before taking the picture. Although it may appear as if the bear is attempting to pleasure himself, I assure you he is merely sleeping... really!

The rest of it is pretty boring except for the top shelf of the bookshelf on the right. I know it is hard to tell from this picture, but there are two urns that contain the ashes of two of my beloved puppies who passed away. They will always be near their daddy.

Oh, and the person in the oval picture next to the bookshelf, that's my father when he was 4 years old. That picture was taken in 1916.

Thanks for letting me share this with you.

[KA9MOT]

Wow! That's cool! Do you have a close-up picture of your station?

[KG4CGC]

Wow! That's cool! Do you have a close-up picture of your station?
WHS.
Thank You.

[KK4AMI]

Now that is what I call a "Man Cave"!

[KA9MOT]

When I fist saw that bear, I thought the box covered her head and her boobs were on her belly... reminded me of an old girlfriend.........

[n0iu]

Wow! That's cool! Do you have a close-up picture of your station?

Ask and ye shall receive!

http://i676.photobucket.com/albums/vv124/scottaschultz/shack_zps3ba8618a.jpg

Of course, the obligatory coffee cup!

OK, this is how cheap I am... The microphone stand was actually converted from an old swing arm lamp. Yeah, I know Bob Heil makes a really swell swing arm for $120 and a "budget" model for $70, but I think that lamp cost about $10 at Wal-Mart and I already had the desk mount.

The picture on the shelf above the band chart is an autographed picture of the Three Wise Men, aka the Three Stooges (with Larry, Moe and Curly Joe DeRita). This was a promotional picture from when they appeared on "The Captain 11 Show" on Channel 11 in St. Louis in the 60's. The really amazing thing about this picture? It belongs to my wife! I knew I married her for a reason!

The background picture on my monitor is our collie/sheltie mix. Her real name is Honey, but we call her "Bark! Bark! Bark!", because that's her favorite hobby!

Below the monitor is my Ham Key Iambic paddle set (under a plexiglass cover) made by the Ham Radio Center in St. Louis back in the 70's.

[ka4dpo]

Very nice, and I like the mic stand that's very creative and functional. I also see that you have much nicer furniture than MHZ has. He just got an FTdx5000 you would think he could have popped for new chair to go with it.

[KG4CGC]

you would think he could have popped for new chair to go with it.
NEVAH!

[WA4TM]

Very nice, and I like the mic stand that's very creative and functional. I also see that you have much nicer furniture than MHZ has. He just got an FTdx5000 you would think he could have popped for new chair to go with it.

Hell no! Those things are a LUXURY!! (in Pats words) :lol: You can't be throwing money around on trivial things like furniture!

[KG4CGC]

Hell no! Those things are a LUXURY!! (in Pats words) :lol: You can't be throwing money around on trivial things like furniture!

Or food.

[VE3FMC]

Hell no! Those things are a LUXURY!! (in Pats words) :lol: You can't be throwing money around on trivial things like furniture!

Plus within a week it would be covered in cat hair and other stuff. :sick:

That is a good looking shack Scott.

[KG4CGC]

Plus within a week it would be covered in cat hair and other stuff. :sick:

That is a good looking shack Scott.

During my short stint in college, in my Ancient Textiles class one woman brought in a sweater she made/knit out of shedded dog fur and a tunic made from kudzu.

[wa6mhz]

Furniture is useless!!! Anything with FABRIC on it will just be clawed to SHREDS by the Cats!

[KC2UGV]

Or food.

Or family.

[NQ6U]

There is also an empty tapioca container in front of the radio.

Was it the deluxe tapioca?

[wa6mhz]

My wife won't let me have Tapioca anymore. She thinks it is too FATTENNING!

[K7SGJ]

My wife won't let me have Tapioca anymore. She thinks it is too FATTENNING!

Probably fewer calories and better for you than Ramen.

[VE3FMC]

Furniture is useless!!! Anything with FABRIC on it will just be clawed to SHREDS by the Cats!

Keep the cats out of the radio room. Or is that the only time you get to see some pussy? :-D

[n0iu]

Plus within a week it would be covered in cat hair and other stuff. :sick:

That is a good looking shack Scott.
Pfffft! At our house, dog hair is a condiment!

Oh, and thanks for the compliment. I am allowed to "decorate" (and I use the term loosely) one room of the house all by myself and this is what I came up with.

[n0iu]

Was it the deluxe tapioca?

No, but I think it was gourment tapioca... which is culinary-speak for "deluxe"!

[K7SGJ]

Pfffft! At our house, dog hair is a condiment!

Oh, and thanks for the compliment. I am allowed to "decorate" (and I use the term loosely) one room of the house all by myself and this is what I came up with.

Yeah, at our house, too. If the food doesn't already have some dog hair in it, we add it.

[n6hcm]

My wife won't let me have Tapioca anymore. She thinks it is too FATTENNING!

at least it isn't too expensive ...

[WA4TM]

With a Husky and a Malamute, we have dog hair to spare. Anyone need some?:-D

[wa6mhz]

We have one of those Stick tape rollers we go over the bed with each morning to pick up the cat hair off of the blanket. Then, when we go to work, the cats get back on the bed and fill it up again. It will get lots worse when we get to Spring. The warmer weather will cause them to start shedding the thick winter coat of fur, so it will be NUTS until they are down to their summer coat.

[n0iu]

With a Husky and a Malamute, we have dog hair to spare. Anyone need some?:-D

http://i676.photobucket.com/albums/vv124/scottaschultz/Kodiak_and_Sitka.jpg
"Did someone say Husky???"

These are my 2 boys, Kodiak on the left and Sitka on the right. Yeah, I know... Siberian dogs with Alaskan names. Sorta messed up, huh? We also had a female Siberian named Juneau! (Hey, at least we are consistent!) And it gets worse... we had a female Malamute named Yukon!

http://i676.photobucket.com/albums/vv124/scottaschultz/kodiak.jpg
"Oy vey!", says Kodiak. "This is making my head hurt! I'm gonna take a nap."

[WA4TM]

Not the best shot ever, but it's hard to get them both still long enough to snap a picture.

8519

Demon on the left, Sheeba on the right.

[N8YX]

We have one of those Stick tape rollers we go over the bed with each morning to pick up the cat hair off of the blanket. Then, when we go to work, the cats get back on the bed and fill it up again. It will get lots worse when we get to Spring. The warmer weather will cause them to start shedding the thick winter coat of fur, so it will be NUTS until they are down to their summer coat.

You haven't lived until you've owned a Siberian - and had to shave it in the hot weather. Most groomers and vets will sedate the critter before attempting the chore, but our 20lb bad-ass gets the clipper treatment with eyes wide open.

Welder's gloves and a welder's apron help ease the pain. Damn, that thing can scratch! :shock:

Picture is representative of the breed. Ours likes to hide in boxes and on shelves, so it's hard to get a good snapshot of him.

[WA4TM]

CAT BATHING AS A MARTIAL ART :lol:

1. Know that although the kitty cat has the advantage of quickness and lack of concern for human life, you have the advantage of strength. Capitalize on that advantage by selecting the battlefield. Don't try to bathe him in an open area where he can force you to chase him. Pick a very small bathroom. If your bathroom is more than four feet square, we recommend that you get in the tub with the cat and close the sliding-glass doors as if you were about to take a shower. (A simple shower curtain will not do. A berserk cat can shred a three-ply rubber shower curtain quicker than a politician can shift positions.)

2. Know that a cat has claws and will not hesitate to remove all the skin from your body. Your advantage here is that you are smart and know how to dress to protect yourself. We recommend canvas overalls tucked into high-top construction boots, a pair of steel-mesh gloves, an army helmet, a hockey face-mask, and a long-sleeved flak jacket.

3. Use the element of surprise. Pick up your cat nonchalantly, as if to simply carry him to his supper dish. (Cats will not usually notice your strange attire. They have little or no interest in fashion as a rule.)

4. Once you are inside the bathroom, speed is essential to survival. In a single liquid motion, shut the bathroom door, step into the tub enclosure, slide the glass door shut, dip the cat in the water and squirt him with shampoo. You have now begun one of the wildest 45 seconds of your life.

5. Cats have no handles. Add the fact that he now has soapy fur, and the problem is radically compounded. Do not expect to hold on to him for more than two or three seconds at a time. When you have him, however, you must remember to give him another squirt of shampoo and rub like crazy. He'll then spring free and fall back into the water, thereby rinsing himself off. (The national record for cats is three latherings, so don't expect too much.)

6. Next, the cat must be dried. Novice cat bathers always assume this part will be the most difficult, for humans generally are worn out at this point and the cat is just getting really determined. In fact, the drying is simple compared with what you have just been through. That's because by now the cat is semi-permanently affixed to your right leg.

7. You simply pop the drain plug with your foot, reach for your towel and wait. (Occasionally, however, the cat will end up clinging to the top of your army helmet. If this happens, the best thing you can do is to shake him loose and to encourage him toward your leg.) After all the water is drained from the tub, it is a simple matter to just reach down and dry the cat.
In a few days the cat will relax enough to be removed from your leg. He will usually have nothing to say for about three weeks and will spend a lot of time sitting with his back to you. He might even become psycho ceramic and develop the fixed stare of a plaster figurine.

You will be tempted to assume he is angry. This isn't usually the case. As a rule he is simply plotting ways to get through your defenses and injure you for life the next time you decide to give him a bath. But at least now he smells a lot better.

[N8YX]

:lol:

I have begun to train one of mine to eat his supper in a tub full of water. He used to be afraid of a DRY bathtub; now the screwball likes to play in the shower.

[ka4dpo]

I have never bathed my cats and I never will. They are self cleaning units and I like it that way.

[WA4TM]

Self cleaning, Hell!!! You read my post about giving a cat a bath and it scared the Hell out of you!!!! :lol: :lol:

[kf0rt]

8. While this involves water and a bathtub, never attempt this procedure while nekkid.

[wa6mhz]

it is just NOT POSSIBLE to give Phoebe a bath.

The best procedure I have heard is as follows:
1) Flush toilet
2) pour in some Laundry soap
3) Grab cat by the back neck fur area
4) Quickly place cat in the toilet and CLOSE LID
5) FLUSH TOILET a few times (while STANDING ON LID)
6) Jump off lid and STAND BACK!!
7) Cat will ROCKET out of toilet, and run to points unknown.
8) Maybe the cat will FORGIVE you someday.
4)

[K7SGJ]

it is just NOT POSSIBLE to give Phoebe a bath.

The best procedure I have heard is as follows:
1) Flush toilet
2) pour in some Laundry soap
3) Grab cat by the back neck fur area
4) Quickly place cat in the toilet and CLOSE LID
5) FLUSH TOILET a few times (while STANDING ON LID)
6) Jump off lid and STAND BACK!!
7) Cat will ROCKET out of toilet, and run to points unknown.
8) Maybe the cat will FORGIVE you someday.
4)

That's how I give my wife a bath.

[VE3FMC]

Remodeled a little bit the other day. Added the small riser shelf on the main shelf. Put my two remote antenna switches, Icom 7000 and LDG AT200 Pro tuner under the riser shelf. Have the monitor for HRD and digital sitting on that small shelf. Also added some LED strip lights under the shelf to light up the switches etc.

Put the two rotor controls beside the Palstar tuner. Everything is in a better position now. I rarely use the Icom 7000 so having it shit where it is works for me. I have a 7 inch LCD monitor coming which will be connected to the Icom 7000. Then the desk will be full.

86038604860586068607

[KA9MOT]

Remodeled a little bit the other day. Added the small riser shelf on the main shelf. Put my two remote antenna switches, Icom 7000 and LDG AT200 Pro tuner under the riser shelf. Have the monitor for HRD and digital sitting on that small shelf. Also added some LED strip lights under the shelf to light up the switches etc.

Put the two rotor controls beside the Palstar tuner. Everything is in a better position now. I rarely use the Icom 7000 so having it shit where it is works for me. I have a 7 inch LCD monitor coming which will be connected to the Icom 7000. Then the desk will be full.

86038604860586068607

Very nice! :)

[N8YX]

TOO neat. :naughty:

[n0iu]

Well I guess its an OK car... for a Ford (Found On Road Dead), but once Spring gets here (and eventually it will) I will get my 1991 baby out of storage!

http://i676.photobucket.com/albums/vv124/scottaschultz/DSC_0419_small.jpg

[VE3FMC]

Well I guess its an OK car... for a Ford (Found On Road Dead), but once Spring gets here (and eventually it will) I will get my 1991 baby out of storage!

http://i676.photobucket.com/albums/vv124/scottaschultz/DSC_0419_small.jpg

Nice ladies car, I have a lady friend who drives a white Vette. ;) My Cobra eats those for lunch. :-D

[KB3LAZ]

You both need to cut it out! I have not driven a car in over 7 months and its driving me batty. Though, not as batty as I would be if I tried to drive here. Lol.

[n0iu]

"Tastes great!"

[w2amr]

Nice ladies car, I have a lady friend who drives a white Vette. ;)
Ouch.:lol:

[AE1PT]

FINALLY got the Heath SB-303/401 pair on the OP desk and connected up. What a journey getting these rigs running again. Of course the maggot who sold them to me gave profound assurances that they were in perfect working order... That as some know has been a 4 month odyssey. It only took 20 minutes to set them up with the interconnects--over an hour was spent reorganizing the rats nest of existing wiring behind the desk. (Cue MHZ for a photo of the wire jungle he maintains)

On the list--build the planned new OP desk with adjustable shelves. I have run out of space on this little computer desk. The thought was to run the Heath station all the way through the SB-200--but there is no room for it. What it does though through the Amp Supply LK-500 is something to smile about... :cool2:

What a joy to run! First QSO was a 75M informal group, and we settled on the 1964 Astatic DN-HZ dynamic mic as the best sounding. The receiver is rock stable, and a pleasure to listen to even though the the filter is 2.1Khz SSB. I put AADE digital readout in the 303, so there is no doubt where the pair as a transceiver is operating. This was just going to be a ragchew setup--but after chasing DX for an hour on 3.800Mhz and a very nice QSO with I5ZSS it obviously has other potential!

Here is a photo of the OP desk as of the other night. The Bencher BY-2 is jacked into the Icom, and the Nye Speed-X is on the 401. The new 8' desk with adjustable shelves has become a priority, as the Valiant and NC-300 will be coming off the bench in April. The workbench is situated at an ell to the OP desk:

http://ae1pt.com/photos/shack/op13_900px.jpg

http://ae1pt.com/photos/shack/bench_900px.jpg

[KA9MOT]

Looks great Pat!