[ARC5] Diesel and steam and radios

[Geoff]

And open rack ham transmitters/amps with all that RF and HV exposed.
Since I cant own a locomotive at least I can build some old style amps and 
modulators to ride the radio waves.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "D C _Mac_ Macdonald" <k2gkk at hotmail.com>
To: <radiocompass at yahoo.com>; "ARC-5 Mail List" <arc5 at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Wednesday, December 19, 2012 10:19 PM
Subject: Re: [ARC5] Diesel and steam and radios


>
> Some have compared the appeal of the steam locomotive (with most
> of its parts out in the open for all to see) to that of similarly
> and perpetually elemental Harley-Davidson motorcycles.
>
> * * * * * * * * * * *
> * 73 - Mac, K2GKK/5 *
> * (Since 30 Nov 53) *
> * k2gkk at hotmail.com *
> * Oklahoma City, OK *
> * USAF & FAA (Ret.) *
> * * * * * * * * * * *
> (2000 FLTRSEI Screamin' Eagle Roadglide)
>
>
>
>> Date: Wed, 19 Dec 2012 16:39:19 -0800
>> From: radiocompass at yahoo.com
>> To: arc5 at mailman.qth.net
>> Subject: [ARC5] Diesel and steam and radios
>>
>> Here is an analogy of railroading to radio....
>>
>> "Dismals" have no "Soul".... just like solid state radios have none.
>>
>> Steam locomotives, and tube radios, on the other hand, have plenty of 
>> "Soul."
>>
>> In fact it has often been stated by the Literary Lights of the Steel 
>> Rail, such as Lucius Beebe, David P. Morgan, Ron Zeil and more that a 
>> steam locomotive is like a living creature.
>>
>> I for one would much rather cruise the bands with my BC-348 or National 
>> NC-173, than button-push a YaZoo box covered with an acne of buttons so 
>> small I can't even see 'em, and if I hit the wrong one the results are 
>> worse than bumping the operating desk with a Hallicrafters SX-99 sitting 
>> on top, tuned to 15 meters....
>>
>> Tests were run during the late 1940s and through the mid 1950s in 
>> particular by the New York Central, and the Norfolk & Western, which 
>> proved that in certain types of service the steam locomotive was more 
>> efficient, less costly, etc. In other types of service, the results were 
>> a "draw."
>>
>> But one big thing did in modern steam power was the shrinking 
>> availability of appliances like air pumps, feedwater heaters, injectors, 
>> etc which were unique to steam locomotives. As the "big three" steam 
>> builders, Baldwin, Alco and Lima, exited locomotive manufacturing, demand 
>> for these things slowed to a crawl. The N&W built their last steam 
>> engines in 1952, and one reason no more were turned out was that it just 
>> wasn't economical to home-brew the appliances... plus, there were patent 
>> issues. (Yes, that's right.)
>>
>> Something else that did in steam -- and has crippled railroading in 
>> general -- was the Interstate Highway System.
>>
>> Hmm... parallels... radios and the Internet?
>>
>> Steam, HF skip, and 1625s forever...!
>>
>> 73
>>
>> Mike
>> W4DSE
>
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