[AMRadio] Rolling Your Own

[Todd Bigelow - PS]

Tommye & Jim Wilhite wrote:

>Todd:
>
>Yours is the second transmitter to make that pass.  John K5PRO came up to
>Casper last year to pick up a Continental 1KW from Los Alamos, NM and went
>back that way to avoid some traffic.  He pulled a trailer with a 4 cylinder
>Ford Ranger hauling the 850 lbs plus trailer.
>  
>

So I'm not crazy at all, then. Good to know! We made the trip with a 
Ranger also, 4.0L V6 though. Picked up a U-Haul trailer out there and 
loaded it, brought it back. This one is a Collins 300G, so it's only 250 
watts, which really skews the power-to-weight ratio.

>People in the 70s wondered why the western states were so against the 55 mph
>speed limit.  Drives out here are measured in hours and the times your
>brother mentioned are probably at 80 mph or more.  The nearest town that we
>drive through going south is Wheatland and that is 1 1/2 hours from Casper,
>Cheyenne (next town to go through) is 2 1/2 hours.  Cheyenne exit is #7 and
>my Casper exit is 185, long trip at best.  We don't have roadside call boxes
>either.
>
And you have those huge gates to close the highway when it snows, too. 
Pretty good idea, beats the hell outta dumping the tons of salt on the 
roads that they do back here to keep them passable. Sometimes you're 
just better off staying put. I had heard they recently dropped the speed 
limits in Wyoming and Montana, which had no speed limit except at night? 
I understand what you're saying, most folks don't even realize that the 
Interstate Highway system was designed for a constant traffic flow of 75 
mph to facilitate moving troops and supplies from place to place 
rapidly, as well as evacuating people. Add that to your long, open 
expanses and it makes sense to have a higher speed limit. Great idea, 
too bad so few are capable of understanding and respecting it.

>Wonder where your brother is?
>

He was in Cheyenne for a long time at F. E. Warren AFB babysitting all 
those nukes stashed underground around the area. He's out west in 
Kemmerer now. He's been with the highway patrol since getting out of the 
service and they moved him there back in the late 80s/early 90s. Tried 
to get him into radio years back but he's much more interested in 
hunting and fishing. At least he has the place to do it out there.

I almost think you and I talked about that Continental. You had another 
rig too, IIRC. I wouldn't mind finding a 20V-2 but I have my time pretty 
well occupied with the current project. Was hoping to get it finished 
and online for the Heavy Metal Rally on the 27th, but I don't think I'll 
make it. Got the remaining side panel ready to install this weekend, 
then it's on to the iron and other stuff. At least it's on casters now, 
which makes it a lot easier to work on.

73,  Todd  KA1KAQ