Radio matters
blow up your television
blow up your television
"You see, wire telegraph is a kind of a very, very long cat. You pull his tail in New York and his head is meowing in Los Angeles. Do you understand this? And radio operates exactly the same way: You send signals here, they receive them there. The only difference is that there is no cat." —Albert Einstein
An admission: I've been annoyed with television for years. With each new channel of idiocy the cable companies add and new "reality" programs being introduced at an alarming rate, my repulsion grows stronger. So when I suggest blowing up your television, I'm not kidding!
Radio is my preferred form of electronic entertainment. I've been enthralled with radio since I was a very young child building crystal sets and listening to winter school closings on the AM band. The fascination hasn't waned. From witnessing new stations popping up on FM to getting immersed in amateur (ham) radio, The Radio has been a constant companion.
The following are a collection of essays, stories, and observations pulled from the Off Frequency radio files. Sit down, tune in and relax.
SBARC Hamfest 2022 - an alternative to Dayton
Go Box Suggestion - an interesting alternative
Field Day 2016 - just some lazy fun for this year
Field Day 2015 - the least half-assed WN1MB/1 ever
New Antenna Tuner at WN1MB - new twist for the venerable L-network
Field Day 2014 - keeping the tradition half-assed
Back on the Air - coming home to a hobby
Well that took long enough - on returning to a long lost hobby
Mosley TA-53-M Multiband Yagi Antenna - product review from November 1992 QST
Beacon Hunting from Northwest Connecticut - sidebar to article from November 1993 QST
Terlin Outbacker JR8 HF Mobile Antenna - product review from April 1993 QST
Tejas RF Technology Backpacker II Model TRFT-550 Single-Band Transceiver - product review from November 1993 QST
SGC Inc Model SG-230 "Smartuner" Automatic Antenna Tuner - product review from November 1993 QST
Sirius Seriously Sucks - don't buy into the media hype and propaganda
Name Game - on uncovering the real person behind the voice
New Toy Report - after the bills are paid, an extra $40 to blow can buy a LOT of radio enjoyment; even in 2004!
Hiroshima - A recently unearthed relic from my days at WAPJ - 88.5 FM
AM Press/Exchange #69 - circa March, 1989. From the ham radio adventures of WA1MBK, reporter on the scene at the Hosstraders flea market. Scroll down 2/3 down the page and look for "Miscellaneous Ramblings"
AM Press/Exchange #66 - circa November 1988. Another submission the editor of the AM Press/exchange foolishly approved for print. Article starts as "Miscellaneous Ramblings ..." 2/3 down the page. And in all fairness, I'll have to add this plug for my ex-wife's radio restoration piece, entitled "Beauty Cream For Plastics."
AM Press/Exchange #64 - circa September, 1988. A heads up for a great deal at Radio Shack; and "Requiem for the AM Connection" on the demise of an entertaining newsletter.