I've been thinking again. This is not always a good thing. Just ask my wife. Be that as it may, I had a thought. What if I could get my test bench back up and running, get some old radios fixed up, seek out old Amateur Radio operators at assisted living homes, and spend the afternoon with them letting them once again tune the dial and talk to folks around the world? My Mom passed away in one such home and, I can tell you, these poor folks, at least the ones I saw, Are bored out of their skulls!
Well, The first thing I did was to put an add in Craigslist looking for old test gear that folks would either give me or let me buy cheap. I am on a serious budget, hence the "cheap". I have been amazed at folks generosity. The Wilson Creek Boys, my little loose-knit group of HAM buddies donated stuff, I got lots of old gear, some I am refurbishing for the bench and some I am selling in order to buy more supplies, i.e. capacitors, resistors, solder, etc. All this before I know if I will even be allowed to go into a home and do this. How wonderful.
I especially want to thank John, K5BOI for the donation of an O'Scope, Dan, W5FRT, for his offer of a tube test to use and all the tubes I want. From Craigslist there was Jack, K1HW. Jack filled up the back of my car with old test gear and didn't charge me a dime. Jonathan, down in Austin gave me a super deal on a Tube tester. Another fellow gave me a variac isolation transformer. I offered to pay these folks but they would not take a dime.
I am so amazed at the selfless generosity of Amateur Radio operators and the public in general. The news would have you believe that there are few good folks left in this world and, a month ago I would have probably agreed with that. But, after the last month, and what I have seen, and the people I have met - total strangers - I now disagree. Thank you all so much!
So what now? Well, once I get the test gear all up and working, I am going to try and find some old shortwave receivers and maybe some old transceivers. They will be restored and then we will see. Can I find some old Hams that would like to spend the day on the radio? Will the homes let me in? I am sure going to try.
Do you have any ideas dear reader? Please, drop me an email or leave a comment here so we can all share. Perhaps I should also look at helping the other in of the spectrum as well. Here, I am talking about new Ham's, Boy Scouts, kids in school. Maybe we can use this project to teach these young folks electronics, help them get their license? What do you think? Am I out of my tree? I would really appreciate any feedback or suggestions any of you might have.
Updates to follow. 73 for now friends!
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