I'm Radioactive

[koØm]

I filled out a survey online for my Health Care provider and they provided me with a $25.00 Amazon gift certificate. "What to buy, what to buy?"

14704

I bought a Baofeng. Then, I purchased all the accessories; extra battery, "protective" case, external speaker-Mic (DOA -returned same day) and, a programming cable (amazingly, it came with the correct driver). Total was $30.00 (minus the gift card) and the shipping was free.

I read up on CHIRP, made a list of the frequencies and repeaters and, "I went for it." Except for some of the tone / tone squelch in some memory slots, I did pretty good, I can "kerchunk" all the important repeaters in the area.

I got it programmed just in time to hear some of the locals spouting political views that totally differed from mine. I listened to the Quite-Stupid-operators until the point came that I almost micturated on the Baofeng.

However, instead of confronting the "gentlemen" on the radio, I turned the radio sideways and, began to poke myself in the head with the Rubber Duck Antenna while, at the same time asking myself, "You wanna get into this part of radio?"

It was a cathartic episode.

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[KG4CGC]

Amazing, innit?

[KJ3N]

Being a Liberal in ham radio is like being a Pilgrim in an unholy land. :scared:

[WZ7U]

You guys obviously can't hear west coast on 75. Maybe it's a 2 meter thing?

[KJ3N]

You guys obviously can't hear west coast on 75. Maybe it's a 2 meter thing?

I've heard more than enough of 75 on the East Coast. :hand:

[KC2UGV]

Being a Liberal in ham radio is like being a Pilgrim in an unholy land. :scared:

Thankfully, this is why I stick to digital modes. Not as much of that nonsense.

[N8YX]

Being a Liberal in ham radio is like being a Pilgrim in an unholy land. :scared:

Or like being on 14.313...wait, what?

Mel, as Riley opined: "Spin the big knob". To the satellite sub-band. Then put together or buy a suitable antenna (not all that hard to do) and work the birds.

Most of the remaining repeaters in the area are home to 'radio' discussions these days - I rarely hear politics or other controversial cr@p being brought up.

[koØm]

Or like being on 14.313...wait, what?

Mel, as Riley opined: "Spin the big knob". To the satellite sub-band. Then put together or buy a suitable antenna (not all that hard to do) and work the birds.

Most of the remaining repeaters in the area are home to 'radio' discussions these days - I rarely hear politics or other controversial cr@p being brought up.

There's only one knob on the Baofeng, that's the On/Off-Volume on the top and, yes, I did spin it, completely counter-clockwise!

Back in my 11 meter days, if a station was "Ten-Twelving" through town, he attempted to make contact and say "Hello" to as many stations as possible; we all knew this and, did not tie up the traveler in a Rag chews, we said hello and cleared with him so he could move to the next station.

After I turned the radio back on, an amateur driving a commercial truck ID'ed and started making contacts; everyone said "Hello" and cleared with him but, one "ASS-i-nine" operator who would not clear with the station even after the station signed off with him and tried to move on to the next calling station. The local ASS continued to try to rag chew with the guy until he passed out of "Line-of-sight" over the horizon; the arse-hole wanted to see how far HE could "get out"; Fuskin arse-hool.

I got you Fred, there are different modes and frequencies and, different people on them.

.

[N8YX]

I got you Fred, there are different modes and frequencies and, different people on them.

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At one time the area repeaters were chock-full of bloviation. Many outside the "old boys circle" migrated to FM simplex, SSB or AM at the low end of the bands...we even did AFSK RTTY on 6 and 2. I found the S/N ratio went way up.

You wanna talk 'nonsense'? Try being SysOp of one of the biggest packet radio BBS/gateways in the state. If I wasn't offending one side of the political spectrum by putting their copypasta diatribes in the BBS Budlist I was offending another segment by informing them they couldn't use the chat nodes for sexting purposes.

(True story, dat. When you get a call at work from one of your fellow SysOps stating that something's fucky, the next course of action is to modem into the remote port and kill the gateway after issuing a few stern warnings. Of course, I'M now the enemy...)

Idiots are going to idiot, regardless of which side of the aisle they sit on.

[WZ7U]

Idiots are going to idiot, regardless of which side of the aisle they sit on.

Ain't that the quuckin truth!