Messages

3856

Bacon, BBQ, Beef, And More / Re: Don't believe the American Heart Assn.

« on: July 29, 2017, 1557 UTC »

I have epilepsy. When I was diagnosed with it I was advised to give up alcohol except in small occasional amounts. I did. When hospitalized after a massive seizure and suspected mini-stroke, eleven years ago, I was told I was borderline diabetic and needed to lose weight and consume less sugar. I did. I switched from from chugging large amounts cola to chugging large amounts of diet which I'd previously drank only if there was nothing else before that time. In a matter of months I'd dropped roughly sixty pounds and I haven't had a seizure since. My blood sugar is normal, I don't take meds for it, I wasn't affected by the stroke, and I'm as healthy as a horse. Yet I've run through at least a two liter a day of diet soda every day in that period, as have serious caffeine habit and I can't stand coffee.

What I want to know, if I have the preexisting conditions that this sweetener is said to be the most likely to cause, why am I not six feet under? My type of seizure disorder has one in twenty five chance of killing me each time their triggered. If aspartame caused what those articles claim I'd either be dead or on an insulin drip? I can assure you neither has occurred.

Someone fetch me a Coke Zero!

I wonder if aspartame was responsible for Al's case of brain bubbles? Alas, he's left for his trip to the Hollow Earth and won't be back for week. Maybe he'll find Amelia down there along with Belinda's short-lived good looks? We'll just have to wait to find out.

3857

North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: Pee Wee 6930 USB 0129 UTC 7-29-2017

« on: July 29, 2017, 1456 UTC »

We would have to have the crap knocked of us here by thunderstorms yesterday! And I missed the Penguin!

3858

North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: Pirate Radio Boston 6850.5 AM 2345 UTC July 28, 2017

« on: July 29, 2017, 1446 UTC »

We all call it quits sooner or later, but it's loads of fun while it lasts, isn't it? Sorry I missed the broadcast, everything was unhooked due to nasty thunderstorms.

3859

Huh? / Re: This Guy Is Looking For Radio Illuminati !

« on: July 29, 2017, 1433 UTC »

Only in Philly!

He must have got there extra early for Winterfest.

3860

For Sale / Wanted / Barter / Re: Philco 46-1209 at Goodwill Wallingford, CT

« on: July 28, 2017, 1335 UTC »

A buddy has one in his upstairs hall that is pretty rough shape, but I put him on to a guy who lives near me who, get this, likes to work on those things for fun and does it for free! The same caveat applies to him as to your buddy, CT, it will get done, but good luck on when.

Back in the mid 90's at was at the estate sale of wealthy older lady. There was a 46-1209 in absolute mint condition, my guess it had been polished daily by the help since she and her husband got the thing. If they hadn't wanted over three hundred dollars for, and more importantly, if my wife hadn't been with me, it would still be sitting in my house.

I liked the comments on the one in the link, especially the one about cranking Led Zep on it. A lifelong friend's Grandpa owned a local junk store and had one that was beat up, but still worked fine, so he let Jim have it. It took a crew of three of us and a borrowed dolly to get that behemoth the 70 yards to Jim's house and into his basement lair. I don't remember any Led Zep being blasted, but a lot of other stuff was. That thing would literally make the house shake if you cranked it all the way up.

3861

Bacon, BBQ, Beef, And More / Re: Don't believe the American Heart Assn.

« on: July 27, 2017, 1949 UTC »

Which sweetener is it that goes in diet soda? The one is supposed to make your spinal fluid turn to grey sludge?  It made me cut back to only one two liter a day. And oddly,I haven't gained any weight in my years of chugging the stuff since a medical condition tore me away from dear friend Beer. I lost weight after I quit drinking beer and switched to the soda, though. Could what I've been hearing about diet soda making you gain weight be wrong? These are confusing times and the country is led by a confused man. What could more fitting?

3862

Bacon, BBQ, Beef, And More / Re: Don't believe the American Heart Assn.

« on: July 27, 2017, 0852 UTC »

Well, if Al says it, it's bound to be true. I generally follow the advice of the Chinese, "Eat everything that doesn't eat you first." 1.3 billion people can't be wrong.

Al, get a pair of tacky gloves like NFL receivers use for your trip. It will help you get firm ankle grip on your chosen victims for the opening "Dipping of the Geeks" ceremony you preside over.

Snatch Gates if you can. He's been needing a good swirly for decades.

Happy dunking!

3863

Shortwave Broadcast / Re: Malabo, Equatorial Guinea? 6250 AM 2311 UTC July 26, 2017

« on: July 27, 2017, 0725 UTC »

Woo-hoo! One of my all time favorite SW stations back on the air.

Does anyone remember the days when they used to run personal ads and messages for their listeners in West and Central Africa during the breaks? It always reminded me of those dedication nights on AM radio here in the States in the 60's and early 70's. I hope things worked out for that couple in the Cameroon.

3864

North American MW Pirate Radio / Re: 1710 UNID oldies 0136 UTC 7/17/2017

« on: July 25, 2017, 0921 UTC »

A number of antique radio aficionados use a small am tx to send old time sigs to their behemoth zeniths and philcos, so don't be surprised if/when you find them. They typically look for the clearest band segment and might not be using a strictly part 15 antenna or power level.

It's funny you mention that. Boomer told me he was inspired to build the Grenade after reading of an old guy in I believe the Carolina's, who built a small tube AM "phono oscillator" to listen to music out in his workshop. It was being heard up and down the East Coast. The FCC df'd the signal and discovered the thing was outputting about 5 watts out of a short wire antenna. Everyone had been telling Boomer not to mess with low power tx's on MW and SW, it wasn't worth it, but reading about the old guy had shown him that if you could do that with 5 watts and crappy antenna, 10 watts and good one just might do the trick.

Mine was built sometime in the '92-94 period and still kicks out full power, a mighty 14 watts! Thanks Boomer!

3865

Equipment / Re: Dipole help!!!

« on: July 25, 2017, 0856 UTC »

Here's a quick way to utilize those online SDR's this time of year. 20 UTC to 0:00 UTC, in that frequency range, use one 300-500 miles from you. 1:00 UTC on look for ones 500-800 miles away and further as the night progresses.

And get the peak of that antenna above the roof line if possible. Wire mesh, rebar, aluminum siding, and metal roofing are RF eaters, not to mention wire and chain link fences, though the latter can make a dandy ground plane for a wire vertical going up into a tall tree.

Of course, this all for informational purposes only.

3866

General Radio Discussion / Re: As our Sun ages, it's possible we may see fewer sunspots.

« on: July 25, 2017, 0735 UTC »

Usually you get more spots when you age. I would assume that's true for the Sun.

My pal Al is an expert on such matters, he was around when the Sun formed. I'm sure he can explain it.

3867

General Radio Discussion / Re: Arecibo ionosphere HF radio modifcation campaign

« on: July 25, 2017, 0732 UTC »

So if Bill Hicks is Alex Jones does this mean that Pat Buchanan is Andy Kaufman?

3868

General Radio Discussion / Re: Arecibo ionosphere HF radio modifcation campaign

« on: July 24, 2017, 0302 UTC »

Art Bell put the feed up on his show live when it popped up on the Shuttle frequency on 40 meters, thinking the Space Brothers had come. It was off of his site in little over a day.

That and the really scary, spooky crystal skull that was watching Art made him give up the show for the first of many times, taking refuge in the Philippines far from the nefarious forces that were after him in Nevada.

Art seems to get his supply of very young wives from the Philippines, too. He picked up a new one there the last time he was hiding out from the Illuminiod Horde.

I wonder if he and Alex Jones get into fistfights over who has received the most visits from The Men In Black?

3869

Huh? / Re: For Sale: 1989 Classic FBI Surveillance Van - Super low miles/1owner

« on: July 24, 2017, 0243 UTC »

I bet Jello Biafra buys it. He always wanted a police truck.

3870

General Radio Discussion / Re: Arecibo ionosphere HF radio modifcation campaign

« on: July 24, 2017, 0240 UTC »

If they did, you know who would have his CalTech pals there playing the Go-Go's 24/7. We'd never be able to contact other intelligent lifeforms once they hear Belinda caterwauling full blast. We'll be lucky if they don't steer a supernova blast our way to make it stop.