[AMRadio] Maine visit

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

On Sun, Mar 24, 2013 at 12:22 PM, Geoff <w5omr at att.net> wrote:

> On 03/18/2013 12:19 PM, Steve WA1QIX wrote:
>
>
>  The worst weather * I've * ever seen personally was in Houston TX.  I
>> could NOT believe the humidity combined with the heat.  How do people live
>> there??  :-) (they say the same thing about New England during the winter,
>> I'm sure!).
>>
>
> Air conditioning... swimming pools (when it's above 85) swamp coolers (in
> arid SW locations) - many ways to stay cooler than melting here in the
> summer time...  including sitting in an air-conditioned shack, sipping
> sweet iced-tea and operating some 10m AM on a Saturday morning...
>

As someone who recently (late 2008) moved south from the Great White North,
I can shed some additional clarity. NC, while not *quite* as bad heat and
humidity-wise as places like Florida, TX, or other points south, it still
gets beyond century mark numerous times here in the north-central part of
the state with withering humidity over 90%. As Geoff says, you stay in the
A/C on the bad days and get in the pool if you have one. I chuckled at the
one that came with this house, but can't imagine not having it now -
despite the work involved (alot!)

In reality, you're just swapping the extremes - more A/C days here, more
heating days up there. You get acclimated to some extent to the the heat
and your ability to tolerate it while working outside, though you need to
be very aware of dehydration and the possibility of heat exhaustion/heat
stroke. Up north you just add more layers and keep moving when its -20F or
so and stay aware of possible frostbite or exposure.

The one BIG asset to the northern states over the south from an AM
perspective is.....STATIC SEASON! Good God, what a difference down here.
Far fewer nights available for quiet or even moderately quiet conditions.
Even yesterday afternoon when it was in the 50s here, there was
considerable static on 40, and in the evening 80m was a constant S9 peaking
to +20 at times. Combined with the fact that my station isn't yet completed
as far as insulation or climate control and my 'good' radio nights are much
more limited than they were in New England.

I'm just glad we didn't end up in Tampa as originally planned, the
lightning capital of North America. And comparatively constant humidity,
which doesn't do the equipment any good.

~ Todd/KAQ