[AMRadio] Comment about comments

[CL in NC]

One fellow mentioned folks getting mad now-a-days when you try to comment on the quality of their signals, I learned that in most cases this is just not worth the grief anymore.  I have an old GE Progline  2 meter rig that I have had for almost 40 years, rack mounted, runs on AC from a converted mobile power supply, tuned with a GLB synthesizer.  I also installed a discriminator meter cal'd in amount of deviation to +/- 3khz in it when I put it all together in '72, and I regularly check alignment for it's accuracy. I usually say nothing at up to 1.5K off but after that, nothing has gotten me in more fruitless conversation than to comment that a particular fellows rig was high or low in freq on 2 meters, which amazingly, alot of rideboxes are.  First they want to know how I know, then they want to know what a discriminator meter is.  Usually ends of with disparaging comments on my ancient tube 2 meter rig.  They also ship alot of those riceboxes with the
 deviation set to 1.5khz, as I noted many times listening to the input of our local repeater with a comm monitor.  That's another lessen in frustration when you comment on their narrow deviation being the reason folks have a hard time hearing them.  Sometimes you just have to keep your mouth shut because you know you are going to get a load of crap when you say something, even when you are just trying to help.  Never, ever make a comment to a sideband station who has all kinds of audio gizmos and equalizers, you will be there until uranium decays before he gets it all set. When you finally have to go QRT, just tell them all that audio stuff he bought is just to try and make his SSB rig sound like your 55 year old AM tube rig.

Charlie, W4MEC in NC