“Radio Stuff” / Slight Change in Plans

Something was in the back of my head about the “Chameleon” antenna – just before ordering I read the specs/reviews/YouTube etc. again – and I changed my order to the DX Engineering RF-PRO-1B® Active Magnetic Loop Antennas DXE-RF-PRO-1B – which should better serve the purpose – a LOT more ( mucho more ) pricey – but in all the “stuff” I could find? – overall a LOT better performer – noise vs signal and such – we shall see . . .

Oh my dog daddy – you get the neatest stuff – it smells like it’s been everywhere!

i help open daddy! – Thanks Oliver . . . LMAO!

Curtis be like – the smells just keep getting better daddy!

come on over here oliver and get a snoot full – it’s wonderful . . .

Comes with everything ( except mast and coax ) you need to get it going . . .

With a yardstick to give you an idea of the size . . .

Now I need to do it all one step at a time – mount the antenna and amplifier on a 2 foot piece of 1 1/4 inch mast – mount the rotator on the 4×4 mast – mount the long wire “stuff” on the 4×4 mast – mount the loop assembly on the rotator – mount the 4×4 mast on the deck – pound a ground rod in – run rotator control cable and coax cables and ground wires – and start listening on it – Oh Boy!

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Meanwhile back at the ranch bench I just about have a decent build completed on a portable mount for the MLA 30+ – added washers to the bolts and still want to use nylock nuts instead of acorn nuts . . .

( GE Super Radios are like potato chips – bet you can’t eat just one! – LOL! )

Now I just need to fine tune the length of the “arms” and figure out a base for it – and there you go – a portable AND small set up for your MLA 30+. Going to the campsite? Set it up and put your feet up and enjoy some listening to some GOOD radio . . .

When I get it done I will post everything for you folks and you can stick one together yourself – I may even be willing to build these and peddle them if all y’all don’t want to screw with building one and just want one done and sent to your humble abode – I would have to figure out labor/parts/shipping etc. but it should be fairly reasonable depending on what I come up with for a base – a short camera tripod or something along those lines – it could be done with a nut in the end of the bottom arm and you supply the tripod as an option – any ideas out there?

Hope to get the loop/long wire thing put together and running in the next 1 to 2 weeks – I’ll take some pics and get that install up here for you folks . . .

Have Fun! – Run the Gun! – and remember – Fish Heads are Cheap!!

Could These Creepy Short Wave Radio Messages End The World?

From Ringway Manchester . . .

Been listening to shortwave ( and this “stuff” ) since 1963 – and still have never came close to figuring any of this ( the military stuff ) coded stuff out. There used to be a lot of autovon traffic heard on various frequencies – the only one that comes to mind at the moment is “Quebec” – 6.761 usb – once contact was made the parties involved would normally change freqs and continue the conversation – think of 6761 as a party line – a lot of it was an aircraft with an issue talking to “factory”/maint. people type reps – long distance trouble shooting while still keeping the plane in the air – Do I need this system or that system to continue? – and they would work through various “checklist” type routines – most of it involved work around solutions until they got back on the ground where an issue could be resolved – most of that traffic went away in the mid 90’s – my assumption is to vhf/uhf or maybe satellites . . .

Have Fun! – Run the Gun! – and remember – Fish Heads are Cheap!!

Snubbies are Stupid! – GUNS Magazine Podcast #233

From the description :

The keyboard warriors on social media and discussion forums frequently claim, “Snubbies are stupid!” But if they are, why do so many well-known professionals carry a snub-nose revolver instead of something else? In this episode, Darryl Bolke explains why small revolvers are his CCW of choice.

I may carry a semi-auto now and again ( usually a 1911 in God’s Caliber – LOL! ) – BUT – I always have 2 snubbies and 2 reloads on me – from the time I crawl out of bed to the time I crawl into bed – every day – Every. Single. Day. . . .

Have Fun! – Run the Gun! – and remember – Fish Heads are Cheap!!

Beretta 92X – update/correction

If you pick up a 92X without the wraparound grip adapter on it – it feels very 1911-ish . . . Gee – I wonder if that was intentional?

Now this is considered a full size handgun – THIS IS CONSIDERED A COMPACT – 4.3 VS 4.9 INCH BARREL FOR THE FULL SIZE / THE VERTEC-STYLE GRIPS MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE and compared to a 92 without the vertec-style frame – it feels smaller/points better/almost a nimble feel – and it’s just a wee bit smaller than a government model 1911 – feels a lot smaller but points very similar . . .

Flared magwell – Beretta added a rail for a light or laser if that’s your thing . . .

Front and back strap machining is just impeccable – Beretta quality all the way . . .

Take down is so simple – push the button – hold it in – and . . .

Turn the lever – off comes the slide and there you go . . .

Simple to take down for cleaning – Note – the guide rod is not captured – don’t let it get away – they will hide anywhere!

Beretta includes this “wrap around” grip if you want to ruin the feel and point-ability of the little darling by making into a 92 without the frame upgrade . . .

Enough already Bruce! – How does it shoot??

Actually had a few minutes to get by Gary’s Gun Shop and run it just a bit – your basic point and bang thing . . .

And I ran it with what I plan on carrying in it – if it won’t run it – I’ll toss it in the pile and take it out once every so often to plink with full metal jacket . . .

First round of fire @ 10 yards . . .

Second round of fire @ 10 yards . . .

I forgot my UpLULA loader – so the second round of fire was 1 mag and a partial – to say the magazine springs were stiff is an understatement – I actually brought 2 boxes of the 124 grain HST with me but my thumbs were just not up to it . . .

Not really using sights – just your basic bring it up and shoot – bang bang – and it runs pretty much like a 1911 for me – pretty much point and shoot – And in case you are wondering – it ran through the 124 grain HST flawlessly . . .

A bunch of stuff to do – will definitely TRY to get back to the range with this and run a couple hundred rounds of FMJ through it for shits and grins – it is a good shooter!

If you are Beretta curious but could never get past the hump back grip thing – and you run across one of these at a price that works for you? – By all means snatch one up – and let’s be honest here folks – YOU really did not expect ME to tell YOU to NOT buy a gun – did YOU?

And if you can’t decide between two different guns? Take my advice – buy them both. And if your Chief Financial Officer raises a fuss about it? You tell her ( or him! ) that I gave you permission to buy both and they ain’t mad about it! – LMAO!!

Busy as all get out but I am trying to get more “live” posts up – get away from the YouTube grab and post stuff as much as I can – but there are only so many hours in a day.

Have Fun! – Run the Gun! – and remember – Fish Heads are Cheap!!

The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell

Mitchell showed the powers that be where the battleship’s future was going – but when your whole road show is vested in them – it’s very difficult to even perceive that YOUR battleship “may” be vulnerable to anything – least of all to an airplane . . .

Have Fun! – Run the Gun! – and remember – Fish Heads are Cheap!!

How to Get Started In Short Wave Listening, Radios and SDRs – Livestream

Bruce – how do I actually do this SWL (Short Wave Listening ) thing? . . . I mean you throw a lot of “stuff” out here – but I just want to get started – I am resistant to doing the YouTube thingy – so you get “it” in kibbles and bits – one of the disadvantages of a “static” post . . .

BUT – I ran across this video – yes it’s a live stream and if you are not a fan of live streams there’s that – but if you can put up with an hour plus of live stream there is 20 or maybe 30 minutes of good information here to get you started . . .

Have Fun! – Run the Gun! – and remember – Fish Heads are Cheap!!