A Note

[W3WN]

Prelude:
Under the US Flag flying in front of the house(don't tell anyone that the flagpole is really an HF vertical, at least not until I get the coax run fixed), we've been flying a secondary flag. Normally, it's a Pittsburgh Pirates "Raise the Jolly Roger" flag -- as some of you may recall, my wife is a (baseball) Pirates fanatic.

However: For several months now, since shortly after the end of the 2020 season (and prior to the election), we've been flying a different flag. Little Miss Field Day asked if we could do so, in large part to counter the many pro-Drumpf signs, banners, and flags that several of our neighbors (including some whom I thought knew better, but I digress, and this isn't the political sub-forum).

It's a Pride flag. Specifically, the Bisexual Pride Flag. I'm sure I don't have to explain to most why that flag means a lot to her.

She anticipated some backlash, or at least, some comments from the neighbors (along with some other visible things, but again, I will not digress). Silence. Not a word. Nada.

Until...

Today

LMFD was visiting today, as it was her day off... and her car was getting it's annual inspection at the garage down the street. (Necessary digression: She moved into her own place in January; yes, the Boss and I have the house to ourselves again. Yes, we miss her, but it was time.) She noticed something in the mailbox, hours ahead of our usual late afternoon mail delivery.

A note. Written in a young person's hand; we're guessing middle school or high school at the oldest.

It read:

Hello to the person that reads this note. I just wanted to tell you that the Bi flag in front of our house means a so much to me, and I can look at that flag, and think "it'll get better". I'll have one of these someday. Thank you.

We have no idea who put this there. There's a few young boys up the street, living with their dad in the grandmother's and aunt's house; another boy across the street from them, and a young lady next door. A few more walk up past the house to the next street up. And the school bus passes by, a few times a day, coming and going. So it could be anyone. It could have been a visitor to someone. Who knows?

We're just floored that such a little gesture had a big impact.

Sadly... LMFD is planning to retrieve the flag for use at her new place sometime soon, and with Spring Training around the corner, the RTJR flag should be going back up. That was the plan, at lest. After this note, though... we'll see.

Thought a few of you around here would appreciate the note.

73

[KG4CGC]

Bravo :)

[PA5COR]

Get another flag and put it up.
Good for you ;)

[WZ7U]

Agreed. Get LMFD a brand new one and fly both of yours on the antenna, um, flag pole.

[kb2vxa]

Wow, just wow. Giving NSLMFD (Not So Little Miss Field Day now) a new flag and you flying her old one is a good idea, that's what I would do. If I were a Pirates fan I'd fly one that says Pittsburgh on it, here at the shore only cornballs fly the Jolly Roger, the bats wouldn't always be clearly visible. As far as the American flag is concerned, I see several houses that may legally be fired on, I kid you not. I stopped flying the Battle Ensign quite some time ago. THIS is the flag I display proudly, you should too, it's the US Civil Flag aka the Peace Flag, I call it the Patriot's Flag.

17416

[WZ7U]

Maybe you need two flag poles Ron.

[W3WN]

Maybe you need two flag poles Ron.
Well, there is the experimental (hopefully) 45 foot 160 vertical in the backyard...

[N8YX]

Derailing the thread ever so slightly:

My primary PSK/FT8 antenna is a Hustler 6BTV. This design readily lends itself to being encapsulated in a PVC pipe radome and thus becomes a flagpole. Plans are to put one of these up in my front yard and use it to fly Old Glory.

But what of our state flag? I have several BTVs in pieces in the garage and am planning to construct one that will give me 11/12/17/60 - and possibly 160, centered right on the FT8 section of the band. Both the FC-75AT tuner and the FL-7000 amplifier have provisions to automatically select an antenna per band, and I may use either with the digi-modes FT-980 portion of the station. Two flagpoles, 11 bands. The antennas can serve as a backup to the station's main arrays if anything were to happen to them.

Back on thread: I had the unfortunate task of playing pallbearer for 'DSG's mother a couple of Fridays ago. Her partner was another, and she lost her grandfather last Friday. A sad time all around for both of them.

[W3WN]

Please pass on my condolences to 'DSG. Very sorry to hear this.

[kb2vxa]

Same here. Ron, I've mentioned the grounded vertical folded unipole before and how AM broadcast stations use it to get the signal out farther with a shorter tower. Since you're experimenting with a 160M vertical that's WAY too short to be efficient, why not extend the radiator to 60 ft and make it into the afore mentioned grounded vertical? You'll not only have a far better radiator for good nighttime DX and it works well on 75-80M and 40M as well, above that tuning gets too narrow and critical. Of course you'll need a remote tuner at the base, and being grounded you don't have to worry about lightning.

[n6hcm]

Hello to the person that reads this note. I just wanted to tell you that the Bi flag in front of our house means a so much to me, and I can look at that flag, and think "it'll get better". I'll have one of these someday. Thank you.


it's huge. so many of these kids grow up hearing how awful "those people" are (knowing they're one of them) and until they see stuff like this they feel so absolutely alone.

so yes, this is an awesome thing.

[kb2vxa]

I've had friends from every walk of life from outlaw biker gangs to the LGBTABCXYZ Community because it's all about mutual RESPECT. You know the song "R-E-S-P-E-C-T (you) don't know what it means to me.". Socket Toomie, plug me in, light me up. You're ____, I'm straight, that's cool, the band's name wasn't The Kinks for nothing.

Growing up is only a small part of the heartache. I'll never forget what our now ex Islander Kelly went through becoming and living as a transsexual, and the dirty bastard also ex Islanders that forced her to leave and then most unfortunately leave finally. I kept in touch for a while via e-mail until something happened and she said goodbye, all of her addys went dead. I went through all of the school troubles, bullies and name calling, kids can be so cruel, and then some kids never grow up, they should be hanged. The Darwin Award isn't the only way to chlorinate the gene pool.

[W3WN]

it's huge. so many of these kids grow up hearing how awful "those people" are (knowing they're one of them) and until they see stuff like this they feel so absolutely alone.

so yes, this is an awesome thing.
Update:

We had dinner the other night with Little Miss Field Day at her new place, and this came up in conversation. She wants and is going to get the flag back, but... there are other flags (basically on the "we support" type) available, and some other ways to put them up, so that's the plan for the near future.

Between the three of us, we still don't know who left the note. And maybe it's ultimately not important... but if the kid (or whomever) needs someone to talk to, or other help, she wants to be available. So we'll just have to play it by ear until we find out more.

[kb2vxa]

Shouldn't that read "unless we find out more"? It was left in secret, I'm sure the person has a reason for anonymity. A good part of respect is respecting that person's reason, yes? One of the thoughts running through my head has to do with leaving sleeping dogs lie so they don't bite. There's a short story behind that.

Some years ago a friend and I were hitchhiking at night and I had to pee real bad. We came across a closed diner, I went around back and let loose. Looking down I saw a battleship chain at my feet, I heard it clink, UH OH! Wasting no time turning around I ran backward as fast as I could as this huge black shape lunged out of the dark and chomped down on my thigh THAT close to the family jewels. Back out on the highway under the light I saw a big rip in my bloody jeans, the pocket was hanging out, so I took out my key ring attached to a small pocket knife badly dented. Besides keys on the ring I had a TO3 germanium power transistor from the rear of a hybrid car radio, a penny flattened by the JFK funeral train as it passed slowly through my home town, and a small folding scissors I bought from a homeless man. BTW they served me well time and time again. I still have those items on a different key ring, this is the souvenir of The Night Of The Wet Angry Dog. ('->)

17447

[W3WN]

Shouldn't that read "unless we find out more"? It was left in secret, I'm sure the person has a reason for anonymity. A good part of respect is respecting that person's reason, yes?
< snip >
Picky, picky, picky.

I suspect that over time we may find out more. We may not. We will deal with that situation if and when it happens.

LMFD is a good listener. If the person in question every reveals themselves, she will be able to get them any help or assistance they need, even if it's just a friendly shoulder to confide in.

[G1TWS]

I wondered what happened to Kelli. Her photo looked remarkably similar to a lady who when Covid permits I see to and from work. She lives somewhere close to me, at one time at the weekend I always used to pass her when out and about in the town. She has a name that starts with a K as well and is one of three people that I do not know personally who I see to and from work that I know the name of.

[kb2vxa]

Since no one else replied it falls to me. Unless Kelli moved to merry old England you're thinking of the wrong K. Last I heard from her she lived in Buffalo, New York, not old York UK. Speaking of York, being a rail fan from way back now retired from cooling hot rails, I would just LOVE to spend a week at the National Railway Museum. The display is so large it would take at least that long to see it. Kelli is one, and so are quite a few I miss who have left us for one reason or another. The closest I came to the two hobbies together was when I brought a 2M HT on one of my rail excursions and made a few contacts on the Bear Mountain New York repeater from the KB2VXA 10,000 wheel mobile. I loved when they went "WHAAAAA...???". (;->)

[G1TWS]

Your Kelli does look remarkably like my K. Well not my K as they are a stranger. I do not wish to talk like a radio amateur and dealer who was holding forth on a repeater about a 121 with the CEO of Ofcom's predecessor. He failed to mention that he was attending a conference with 500 other people.

I wish that this site had a bit more traffic. Perhaps we are the only sensible ones left.

[WZ7U]

Someone gets it!

The sensible part, that is. Quality over quantity, that's the mantra on less 'stable' sites so it must be true.



funny I'm considered sensible - must be a glitch in the matrix...

[n6hcm]

Last I heard from her she lived in Buffalo, New York, not old York UK.

still does, at least for a while longer. sold the house, got a bus, customized the bus, lives in the bus. there was a plan to go west, but covid busted that up, and afaik it is now on again ...

[kb2vxa]

That sounds like Night on HLR Mountain (borrowed from a Russian literary work) when Tim's house burned and he set up in "the pus bus", a converted school bus. Thanks for the Kelli update, I miss her so, but unfortunately I lost track of The Timtron. The WA1 Henry Yell R license is still active from the broadcast mountain, but being receiverless where static would drown out everything anyway and not a word on The AM Forum in ages I don't know is he live or is he dead, has he bolts within his head? (Iron Man, Black Sabbath)

Sorry Mr. Dench, I don't understand the 121 but I do remember the infamous R.A. and their fleet of fake unlicensed telly trucks. That's an interesting name, makes me think of Dame Judy, one very talented actress gone from As Time Goes By to M for Moneypenny.

Yes Eric, there is a glitch in The Matrix. Insane CGI on green screen wears thin rather quickly.

[G1TWS]

The telly trucks or TV detector vans are operated by another organisation. The Ofcom vans are completely different and do have equipment in them. Only recently they busted people making malicious communications on Maritime emergency frequencies.

They do also issue on the spot fines for offences. They do not fine someone a stupid amount and then spend over 20 years failing to collect it or take them off the air.

[kb2vxa]

Things have changed since the R.A. daze. When it comes to OFFences OFFcomm takes them OFF right quick unlike the FCC that went from engineering to spectrum auctioneer. It took the Coast Guard to remove Jack Gerritsen, a well known California jammer when he jammed a SAR (Search and Rescue) operation. GOOD LORD MAN, LIVES ARE AT STAKE! Then there was the infamous Glen Baxter we called Glen Bastard jamming the bands with his hours long recorded "bulletins" because he had a problem with the ARRL bulletins and code practice sessions. It took YEARS to get rid of The Monster From Maine who was operating without a license after the FCC refused to renew it! (:-<) The problem as I see it is The commission as such has no law enforcement powers and must rely on a Federal District Court Judge, and that's where the wicket gets sticky.

[KG4CGC]

This has veered waaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyy off topic.

[WZ7U]

More than six degrees it seems... sigh

[kb2vxa]

Earth's axial tilt actually oscillates between 22.1 and 24.5 degrees............