Should I?

[kl7aj]

Most of y'all know I'm a dedicated boat anchor sort of guy....I'm just trying to determine HOW dedicated I am.

I need an Amphenol 9-pin "octal" type plug for a Johnson Ranger I just restored. I have located the component in question at Leeds Radio in New York. I notice that Leeds offers a FREE component to anyone who rides a bicycle to the shop. It's just over 3700 miles by bicycle from Fairbanks to Leeds Radio.

My question is this. Should I make the 3700 mile trip by bicycle for a FREE Amphenol connector, or should I just pay the nine bucks and have them ship it to me?

It's just this sort of heart-wrenching decision that makes ham radio so frustrating. :)

Please help me decide.


Eric

[KC7UP]

If your weather is anything like ours in Montana Eric--pay the nine bucks.
Curt

[ab1ga]

Well, are you likely to get into trouble along the way wearing those Spandex britches?

:D

[kl7aj]

Most of y'all know I'm a dedicated boat anchor sort of guy....I'm just trying to determine HOW dedicated I am.

I need an Amphenol 9-pin "octal" type plug for a Johnson Ranger I just restored. I have located the component in question at Leeds Radio in New York. I notice that Leeds offers a FREE component to anyone who rides a bicycle to the shop. It's just over 3700 miles by bicycle from Fairbanks to Leeds Radio.

My question is this. Should I make the 3700 mile trip by bicycle for a FREE Amphenol connector, or should I just pay the nine bucks and have them ship it to me?

It's just this sort of heart-wrenching decision that makes ham radio so frustrating. :)

Please help me decide.


Eric

Actually my calculations were a bit off. I used a tape measure on a globe for that 3700 mile figure...but according to Google Maps, it's 4,236 miles.

[N8CPA]

Years ago in parochial school, I learned about Baptism of Desire. If you were in a desert, no water, no priest, and you really, really, really prayed to be baptised, you'd experience the Baptism of Desire and be accorded the full Catholic treatment at the Gates of Heaven.

I suggest you plead a Bicycle ride of desire. Tell them you'd like to get there by bicycle, but the distance is so great and you're such an OF that the bicycle exhaust trail would leave a bigger carbon footprint than an empty
747; not to mention the methane component, and the potential for particulate pollution.:D

[kl7aj]

Years ago in parochial school, I learned about Baptism of Desire. If you were in a desert, no water, no priest, and you really, really, really prayed to be baptised, you'd experience the Baptism of Desire and be accorded the full Catholic treatment at the Gates of Heaven.

I suggest you plead a Bicycle ride of desire. Tell them you'd like to get there by bicycle, but the distance is so great and you're such an OF that the bicycle exhaust trail would leave a bigger carbon footprint than an empty
747; not to mention the methane component, and the potential for particulate pollution.:D

Does this work if you're a Protestant?

[N8CPA]

Does this work if you're a Protestant?

Leeds willing!

[KD6NIG]

Hams are notoriously cheap. Grab the HT and take the ride :)

Either that or like at a hamfest, see if you can haggle the shipping price down to a crisp fiver...

[kl7aj]

Hams are notoriously cheap. Grab the HT and take the ride :)

Either that or like at a hamfest, see if you can haggle the shipping price down to a crisp fiver...


I've been sorta leanin' that direction. :)

[KD6NIG]

I've been sorta leanin' that direction. :)

The reason why I said that is because I went to a 'fest once where a guy was selling a HF rig. He had a large cardboard sign with his asking price, and FIRM taking up probably 3/4 of the sign. I believe he was asking $600 or so, and people kept walking up to him while I was talking to him about a TNC he had for sale.

The offers were, frankly, insulting. $200 cash was heard a lot as well as $300. Every time he would reply "$600, firm, like the sign says." I don't know if he ever got that or if someone finally got him to "unfirm."

But heck, at a hamfest, especially near closing time, anything is negotiable. :D

[ka0use]

should be a good ride if you wait until spring thaw. technically, it's downhill all the way and prevailing winds will be at your back

at least until kansas, then no matter what direction you ride the wind will be in your face.

i'd suggest hiring a motorboat to cross the missoura and mis'sippi rivers- more romantic/adventurous than a bridge. safer, too 'cepting for the barges.

put your bike on a bus for the trip home. we'll need a photo of the connector for verification of the trip.

have a good trip and if you run out of money......call those guys who posted before me!

[WA4TM]

Actually my calculations were a bit off. I used a tape measure on a globe for that 3700 mile figure...but according to Google Maps, it's 4,236 miles.


I believe I would just cough up the $9.00 and be done with it.. Would be much cheaper than the RC Cola and Moon Pies to hold you for the trip!!:D

[k3wrv]

Heck- Doesn't your local Radio Shak have them? And why do you need a 9 pin job. 8 pins was enough for most of us (except Collins needed 12 - superior engineering).

Of course, you could just drop a bunch of money on an airline ticket and rent a bike in NYC. But it would probably get stolen anyway and then you'd really be out of luck.

[kl7aj]

[QUOTE=k3wrv;1145684]Heck- Doesn't your local Radio Shak have them? QUOTE]


This....directly from the Opus.......

Now, this brings us to another modern-day dilemma. It’s not as easy to find radio parts as it once was. For example, a certain well-known chain of “electronics” stores whose very namesake arose from their historic dedication to radio amateurs and other electronics enthusiasts now carries zero basic electronic components. Notice we said “historic” dedication. Nowadays, if you were to walk into one of these particular electronics outlets whose very namesake would seem to indicate that they have radio amateurs and electronics enthusiasts in mind, and ask the proprietor thereof for a capacitor, you would be greeted with a deer-in-the-headlights response.
Recently, I entered our local electronics store whose very namesake would indicate that their business is dedicated to the radio amateur/electronics enthusiast, and asked the sub-minimum-wage “salesman” behind the counter for a microammeter, an extremely common instrument. He went to the back room, rummaged around for a while, and came back with some kind of portable battery tester. “This is the smallest ammeter we’ve got,” he announced. The tragic, horrifying part was he wasn’t trying to be witty.
Needless to say, that was the very last time I entered our local electronics store whose very namesake would seem to indicate that their business has something to do with radio amateurs/electronics enthusiasts.
Now it could be that in your particular neck of the woods, your local electronics store, whose very namesake would seem to indicate that they would cater to your needs as a radio amateur/electronics enthusiast, is staffed by an army of informed, considerate, helpful, and consummately professional electronics experts.
Fat chance. In all likelihood the person behind the counter will have a brain that can be quite adequately duplicated with three transistors and a relay...except for the fact that they don’t have three transistors and a relay anywhere in the store.

[WA4TM]

As far as Rat Shack goes.. Around here the answer is: AT&T? Sprint? Verison? No matter what the question was...

[k3wrv]

Eric-

Oh ye of little faith! Just because the lad didn't know about micrameters is no indication that he doesn't know about 9 pin octal sockets.

I think I actually had some of those a few years back. Built much of a rig out of them, but never could get the tubes to fit in them properly. I hope I threw all of them out so as never to face that kind of confusion again! LOL... Pretty sure I picked them up as Collins surplus. Maybe Collins sold their supply to Johnson?

de Bob

[kl7aj]

Eric-

Oh ye of little faith! Just because the lad didn't know about micrameters is no indication that he doesn't know about 9 pin octal sockets.

I think I actually had some of those a few years back. Built much of a rig out of them, but never could get the tubes to fit in them properly. I hope I threw all of them out so as never to face that kind of confusion again! LOL... Pretty sure I picked them up as Collins surplus. Maybe Collins sold their supply to Johnson?

de Bob



Alas....tis a fact. Our local outlet, whose very name would seem to indicate that they have something to do with electronics or radio....or even SHACKS....has absolutely ZERO...count 'em.....NO electronics components whatsoever.

Tis sad indeed.


Eric

[KD6NIG]

Went in to a RS one day looking for snap on Ferrite chokes. The guy behind the counter was baffled until another customer walked up to the other Cellular Salesperson looking for a power cord for his phone. It had one of those snap on ones on the end of it.

I pointed to his cord and said "THAT."

He thought for a second and went to the back and brought out a box of them. I think there was maybe 20 of them in this case. I told him I only needed 2, and he told me that they were closing them out, it was the last case he had, and he'd let me have them for 50 cents apiece.

SOLD!

The funny thing is, I went in to that very same RS about 4 months later to buy an older scanner they had on close out. It was $129 (conventional with old style trunking, they haven't gone modern around here, so perfect) so after I bought it, just for giggles, I went over to the parts bin and looked to see if they still had the snap on ferrites.

They did. All the drawers were full.

So I'm wondering what they did to that guy since they normally sold for $4.50 and he gave me 20 for fifty cents......

That same place, when I went in once for a 50' box of coax (Scanner again, don't care if its leaky, I want it to receive signal anyway) I brought it up to the front and the guy asked me if I needed more than one box. I told him no, he brought 2 of them out from the back and handed them to me and told me to keep them and charged me for the one I had grabbed already only. Those haven't returned though-I've looked. 2 friends of mine got new scanner feedline and were able to take the good stuff they were using to feed them and put it to use elsewhere in their station. And for Scanners, you can't beat that stuff-it picks up everything. Probably because its one huge wick...could probably disconnect the antenna and still hear everything :)

So sometimes not having answers and only knowing cellphones pays off. My tally is 3 boxes of cheap coax for the price of one and 20 ferrite snap ons for the price of 2, roughly....

Haven't been in that one for a long time. Maybe its closed by now, I probably put them out of business. Well, their staff did at least....

[kl7aj]

Went in to a RS one day looking for snap on Ferrite chokes. The guy behind the counter was baffled until another customer walked up to the other Cellular Salesperson looking for a power cord for his phone. It had one of those snap on ones on the end of it.

I pointed to his cord and said "THAT."

He thought for a second and went to the back and brought out a box of them. I think there was maybe 20 of them in this case. I told him I only needed 2, and he told me that they were closing them out, it was the last case he had, and he'd let me have them for 50 cents apiece.

SOLD!

The funny thing is, I went in to that very same RS about 4 months later to buy an older scanner they had on close out. It was $129 (conventional with old style trunking, they haven't gone modern around here, so perfect) so after I bought it, just for giggles, I went over to the parts bin and looked to see if they still had the snap on ferrites.

They did. All the drawers were full.

So I'm wondering what they did to that guy since they normally sold for $4.50 and he gave me 20 for fifty cents......

That same place, when I went in once for a 50' box of coax (Scanner again, don't care if its leaky, I want it to receive signal anyway) I brought it up to the front and the guy asked me if I needed more than one box. I told him no, he brought 2 of them out from the back and handed them to me and told me to keep them and charged me for the one I had grabbed already only. Those haven't returned though-I've looked. 2 friends of mine got new scanner feedline and were able to take the good stuff they were using to feed them and put it to use elsewhere in their station. And for Scanners, you can't beat that stuff-it picks up everything. Probably because its one huge wick...could probably disconnect the antenna and still hear everything :)

So sometimes not having answers and only knowing cellphones pays off. My tally is 3 boxes of cheap coax for the price of one and 20 ferrite snap ons for the price of 2, roughly....

Haven't been in that one for a long time. Maybe its closed by now, I probably put them out of business. Well, their staff did at least....

I'm glad to see you got what you wanted by grunting and pointing. You must have gotten one of the really SMART R/S employees!

[ab8ma]

Eric, lets assume you can make it to the North Pole Highschool.

Lets see if this works.

[ab8ma]

1: Start out going WEST on 8TH AVE toward HOLIDAY RD. <0.1 miles Map

2: Turn LEFT onto HOLIDAY RD. <0.1 miles Map

3: Turn LEFT onto N P H S BLVD. 0.2 miles Map

4: N P H S BLVD becomes E 8TH AVE. 0.4 miles Map

5: Turn LEFT onto BLANKET BLVD. 0.1 miles Map

6: Turn RIGHT onto E 5TH AVE. 0.1 miles Map

7: Turn RIGHT onto RICHARDSON HWY / AK-2 S / INTERSTATE A2 S. Continue to follow AK-2 S / INTERSTATE A2 S (Crossing into *CANADA* YUKON TERRITORY). 278.2 miles Map

8: AK-2 S / INTERSTATE A2 S becomes ALASKA HWY E / PROVINCIAL ROUTE 1 E. 201.1 miles Map

9: Turn LEFT onto ALASKA HWY / PROVINCIAL ROUTE 1. Continue to follow ALASKA HWY E (Passing through BRITISH COLUMBIA- YUKON TERRITORY- BRITISH COLUMBIA- YUKON TERRITORY- BRITISH COLUMBIA- YUKON TERRITORY- BRITISH COLUMBIA- and YUKON TERRITORY- then crossing into BRITISH COLUMBIA). 968.7 miles Map

10: Enter next roundabout and take 1st exit onto PROVINCIAL ROUTE 2 S. 6.2 miles Map

11: Turn LEFT onto 50 AVE / PROVINCIAL ROUTE 2. Continue to follow PROVINCIAL ROUTE 2 (Crossing into ALBERTA). 18.2 miles Map

12: PROVINCIAL ROUTE 2 becomes PROVINCIAL ROUTE 43 E. 55.5 miles Map

13: Turn LEFT onto 108 ST. 0.9 miles Map

14: 108 ST becomes PROVINCIAL ROUTE 43 E. 0.9 miles Map

15: Turn LEFT onto PROVINCIAL ROUTE 43 E / 100 ST. 2.5 miles Map

16: Take the HWY-43 E ramp toward EDMONTON. 0.5 miles Map

17: Stay STRAIGHT to go onto PROVINCIAL ROUTE 43 E. 248.3 miles Map

18: Turn SLIGHT LEFT to take the HWY-16 E / TRANS CANADA HWY EAST ramp toward EDMONTON. 0.1 miles Map

19: Merge onto PROVINCIAL ROUTE 16 E / TRANS CANADA HWY E toward EDMONTON (Crossing into SASKATCHEWAN). 351.5 miles Map

20: Take the CIRCLE DRIVE / HWY-16 E / TRANS CANADA HWY EAST ramp toward HWY-7 W / HWY-14 W. 0.2 miles Map

21: Turn LEFT onto PROVINCIAL ROUTE 16 E / CIRCLE DR E / TRANS CANADA HWY E / YELLOWHEAD HWY E. Continue to follow PROVINCIAL ROUTE 16 E / TRANS CANADA HWY E / YELLOWHEAD HWY E. 6.9 miles Map

22: Merge onto PROVINCIAL ROUTE 16 E / TRANS CANADA HWY E / YELLOWHEAD HWY E toward YORKTON. 93.3 miles Map

23: Turn RIGHT onto PROVINCIAL ROUTE 16 / PROVINCIAL ROUTE 6 / CANAM HWY / TRANS CANADA HWY / YELLOWHEAD HWY. 3.2 miles Map

24: Turn LEFT onto PROVINCIAL ROUTE 16 / TRANS CANADA HWY / YELLOWHEAD HWY. 103.0 miles Map

25: Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto PROVINCIAL ROUTE 16 E / PROVINCIAL ROUTE 9 S / TRANS CANADA HWY E / YELLOWHEAD HWY E. 2.0 miles Map

26: Turn LEFT onto PROVINCIAL ROUTE 16 / TRANS CANADA HWY / YELLOWHEAD HWY. Continue to follow PROVINCIAL ROUTE 16 / TRANS CANADA HWY (Crossing into MANITOBA). 141.7 miles Map

27: Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto PROVINCIAL ROUTE 10 S / PROVINCIAL ROUTE 16 E / TRANS CANADA HWY E / YELLOWHEAD HWY E. 3.8 miles Map

28: Turn LEFT onto PROVINCIAL ROUTE 16 / TRANS CANADA HWY / YELLOWHEAD HWY. 71.9 miles Map

29: Turn LEFT onto PROVINCIAL ROUTE 1 E / TRANS CANADA HWY E / YELLOWHEAD HWY E. 53.1 miles Map

30: Merge onto PROVINCIAL ROUTE 100 S / PERIMETER HWY / TRANS CANADA HWY E / WINNIPEG BYPS toward KENORA. 14.8 miles Map

31: Take the HWY-75 S ramp toward EMERSON. 0.1 miles Map

32: Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto LORD SELKIRK HWY S / PEMBINA HWY / PROVINCIAL ROUTE 75 S / RTE-42 S. Continue to follow LORD SELKIRK HWY S (Crossing into *UNITED STATES* NORTH DAKOTA). 58.0 miles Map

33: LORD SELKIRK HWY S becomes I-29 S. 153.9 miles Map

34: Merge onto I-94 E / US-52 E via EXIT 63A toward MINNEAPOLIS (Crossing into MINNESOTA). 227.2 miles Map

35: Merge onto I-694 E via the exit on the LEFT. 23.8 miles Map

36: Merge onto I-94 E via EXIT 58B toward MADISON (Crossing into WISCONSIN). 248.6 miles Map

37: I-94 E becomes I-90 E (Portions toll) (Crossing into ILLINOIS). 150.3 miles Map

38: Keep LEFT to take I-90 E via EXIT 59A toward INDIANA TOLL RD (Portions toll) (Passing through INDIANA- then crossing into OHIO). 306.0 miles Map

39: Merge onto I-80 E (Portions toll). 76.2 miles Map

40: Merge onto I-80 E via EXIT 218 toward YOUNGSTOWN (Passing through PENNSYLVANIA- then crossing into NEW JERSEY). 373.6 miles Map

41: Keep LEFT to take I-80 EXPRESS LN E via EXIT 45. 1.9 miles Map

42: Merge onto I-280 E via EXIT 47A on the LEFT toward THE ORANGES / NEWARK. 16.5 miles Map

43: Merge onto CR-508 E via EXIT 17A toward JERSEY CITY. 1.8 miles Map

44: CR-508 E becomes NEWARK-JERSEY CITY TURNPIKE. 1.0 miles Map

45: NEWARK-JERSEY CITY TURNPIKE becomes NJ-7 E. 0.3 miles Map

46: NJ-7 E becomes US-1 9 TRUCK / US-1 TRUCK / US-9 TRUCK / US-1 & 9-TRUCK. 0.4 miles Map

47: Merge onto NJ-139 E. 1.3 miles Map

48: NJ-139 E becomes 12TH ST. 0.2 miles Map

49: 12TH ST becomes BOYLE PLZ (Portions toll). <0.1 miles Map

50: BOYLE PLZ becomes HOLLAND TUNNEL (Crossing into NEW YORK). 1.8 miles Map

51: Turn SLIGHT LEFT to stay on HOLLAND TUNNEL. 0.1 miles Map

52: Take EXIT 5 on the LEFT toward CANAL ST EAST. <0.1 miles Map

53: Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto LAIGHT ST. <0.1 miles Map

54: Turn RIGHT onto CANAL ST. 0.3 miles Map

55: Turn LEFT onto CENTRE ST. 0.2 miles Map

56: CENTRE ST becomes CLEVELAND PL. <0.1 miles Map

57: Turn RIGHT onto KENMARE ST. 0.1 miles Map

58: KENMARE ST becomes DELANCEY ST. 0.4 miles Map

59: DELANCEY ST becomes WILLIAMSBURG BRIDGE. 1.3 miles Map

60: Take the BWAY WEST ramp toward I-278 W / STATEN ISLAND. <0.1 miles Map

61: Keep RIGHT at the fork to go on BROADWAY. 0.1 miles Map

62: Turn SLIGHT LEFT to stay on BROADWAY. 0.2 miles Map

63: Turn RIGHT onto KENT AVE. 0.7 miles Map

64: Turn RIGHT onto N 7TH ST. <0.1 miles Map

65: End at 68 N 7th St

[kl7aj]

1: Start out going WEST on 8TH AVE toward HOLIDAY RD. <0.1 miles Map

2: Turn LEFT onto HOLIDAY RD. <0.1 miles Map

3: Turn LEFT onto N P H S BLVD. 0.2 miles Map

4: N P H S BLVD becomes E 8TH AVE. 0.4 miles Map

5: Turn LEFT onto BLANKET BLVD. 0.1 miles Map

6: Turn RIGHT onto E 5TH AVE. 0.1 miles Map

7: Turn RIGHT onto RICHARDSON HWY / AK-2 S / INTERSTATE A2 S. Continue to follow AK-2 S / INTERSTATE A2 S (Crossing into *CANADA* YUKON TERRITORY). 278.2 miles Map

8: AK-2 S / INTERSTATE A2 S becomes ALASKA HWY E / PROVINCIAL ROUTE 1 E. 201.1 miles Map

9: Turn LEFT onto ALASKA HWY / PROVINCIAL ROUTE 1. Continue to follow ALASKA HWY E (Passing through BRITISH COLUMBIA- YUKON TERRITORY- BRITISH COLUMBIA- YUKON TERRITORY- BRITISH COLUMBIA- YUKON TERRITORY- BRITISH COLUMBIA- and YUKON TERRITORY- then crossing into BRITISH COLUMBIA). 968.7 miles Map

10: Enter next roundabout and take 1st exit onto PROVINCIAL ROUTE 2 S. 6.2 miles Map

11: Turn LEFT onto 50 AVE / PROVINCIAL ROUTE 2. Continue to follow PROVINCIAL ROUTE 2 (Crossing into ALBERTA). 18.2 miles Map

12: PROVINCIAL ROUTE 2 becomes PROVINCIAL ROUTE 43 E. 55.5 miles Map

13: Turn LEFT onto 108 ST. 0.9 miles Map

14: 108 ST becomes PROVINCIAL ROUTE 43 E. 0.9 miles Map

15: Turn LEFT onto PROVINCIAL ROUTE 43 E / 100 ST. 2.5 miles Map

16: Take the HWY-43 E ramp toward EDMONTON. 0.5 miles Map

17: Stay STRAIGHT to go onto PROVINCIAL ROUTE 43 E. 248.3 miles Map

18: Turn SLIGHT LEFT to take the HWY-16 E / TRANS CANADA HWY EAST ramp toward EDMONTON. 0.1 miles Map

19: Merge onto PROVINCIAL ROUTE 16 E / TRANS CANADA HWY E toward EDMONTON (Crossing into SASKATCHEWAN). 351.5 miles Map

20: Take the CIRCLE DRIVE / HWY-16 E / TRANS CANADA HWY EAST ramp toward HWY-7 W / HWY-14 W. 0.2 miles Map

21: Turn LEFT onto PROVINCIAL ROUTE 16 E / CIRCLE DR E / TRANS CANADA HWY E / YELLOWHEAD HWY E. Continue to follow PROVINCIAL ROUTE 16 E / TRANS CANADA HWY E / YELLOWHEAD HWY E. 6.9 miles Map

22: Merge onto PROVINCIAL ROUTE 16 E / TRANS CANADA HWY E / YELLOWHEAD HWY E toward YORKTON. 93.3 miles Map

23: Turn RIGHT onto PROVINCIAL ROUTE 16 / PROVINCIAL ROUTE 6 / CANAM HWY / TRANS CANADA HWY / YELLOWHEAD HWY. 3.2 miles Map

24: Turn LEFT onto PROVINCIAL ROUTE 16 / TRANS CANADA HWY / YELLOWHEAD HWY. 103.0 miles Map

25: Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto PROVINCIAL ROUTE 16 E / PROVINCIAL ROUTE 9 S / TRANS CANADA HWY E / YELLOWHEAD HWY E. 2.0 miles Map

26: Turn LEFT onto PROVINCIAL ROUTE 16 / TRANS CANADA HWY / YELLOWHEAD HWY. Continue to follow PROVINCIAL ROUTE 16 / TRANS CANADA HWY (Crossing into MANITOBA). 141.7 miles Map

27: Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto PROVINCIAL ROUTE 10 S / PROVINCIAL ROUTE 16 E / TRANS CANADA HWY E / YELLOWHEAD HWY E. 3.8 miles Map

28: Turn LEFT onto PROVINCIAL ROUTE 16 / TRANS CANADA HWY / YELLOWHEAD HWY. 71.9 miles Map

29: Turn LEFT onto PROVINCIAL ROUTE 1 E / TRANS CANADA HWY E / YELLOWHEAD HWY E. 53.1 miles Map

30: Merge onto PROVINCIAL ROUTE 100 S / PERIMETER HWY / TRANS CANADA HWY E / WINNIPEG BYPS toward KENORA. 14.8 miles Map

31: Take the HWY-75 S ramp toward EMERSON. 0.1 miles Map

32: Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto LORD SELKIRK HWY S / PEMBINA HWY / PROVINCIAL ROUTE 75 S / RTE-42 S. Continue to follow LORD SELKIRK HWY S (Crossing into *UNITED STATES* NORTH DAKOTA). 58.0 miles Map

33: LORD SELKIRK HWY S becomes I-29 S. 153.9 miles Map

34: Merge onto I-94 E / US-52 E via EXIT 63A toward MINNEAPOLIS (Crossing into MINNESOTA). 227.2 miles Map

35: Merge onto I-694 E via the exit on the LEFT. 23.8 miles Map

36: Merge onto I-94 E via EXIT 58B toward MADISON (Crossing into WISCONSIN). 248.6 miles Map

37: I-94 E becomes I-90 E (Portions toll) (Crossing into ILLINOIS). 150.3 miles Map

38: Keep LEFT to take I-90 E via EXIT 59A toward INDIANA TOLL RD (Portions toll) (Passing through INDIANA- then crossing into OHIO). 306.0 miles Map

39: Merge onto I-80 E (Portions toll). 76.2 miles Map

40: Merge onto I-80 E via EXIT 218 toward YOUNGSTOWN (Passing through PENNSYLVANIA- then crossing into NEW JERSEY). 373.6 miles Map

41: Keep LEFT to take I-80 EXPRESS LN E via EXIT 45. 1.9 miles Map

42: Merge onto I-280 E via EXIT 47A on the LEFT toward THE ORANGES / NEWARK. 16.5 miles Map

43: Merge onto CR-508 E via EXIT 17A toward JERSEY CITY. 1.8 miles Map

44: CR-508 E becomes NEWARK-JERSEY CITY TURNPIKE. 1.0 miles Map

45: NEWARK-JERSEY CITY TURNPIKE becomes NJ-7 E. 0.3 miles Map

46: NJ-7 E becomes US-1 9 TRUCK / US-1 TRUCK / US-9 TRUCK / US-1 & 9-TRUCK. 0.4 miles Map

47: Merge onto NJ-139 E. 1.3 miles Map

48: NJ-139 E becomes 12TH ST. 0.2 miles Map

49: 12TH ST becomes BOYLE PLZ (Portions toll). <0.1 miles Map

50: BOYLE PLZ becomes HOLLAND TUNNEL (Crossing into NEW YORK). 1.8 miles Map

51: Turn SLIGHT LEFT to stay on HOLLAND TUNNEL. 0.1 miles Map

52: Take EXIT 5 on the LEFT toward CANAL ST EAST. <0.1 miles Map

53: Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto LAIGHT ST. <0.1 miles Map

54: Turn RIGHT onto CANAL ST. 0.3 miles Map

55: Turn LEFT onto CENTRE ST. 0.2 miles Map

56: CENTRE ST becomes CLEVELAND PL. <0.1 miles Map

57: Turn RIGHT onto KENMARE ST. 0.1 miles Map

58: KENMARE ST becomes DELANCEY ST. 0.4 miles Map

59: DELANCEY ST becomes WILLIAMSBURG BRIDGE. 1.3 miles Map

60: Take the BWAY WEST ramp toward I-278 W / STATEN ISLAND. <0.1 miles Map

61: Keep RIGHT at the fork to go on BROADWAY. 0.1 miles Map

62: Turn SLIGHT LEFT to stay on BROADWAY. 0.2 miles Map

63: Turn RIGHT onto KENT AVE. 0.7 miles Map

64: Turn RIGHT onto N 7TH ST. <0.1 miles Map

65: End at 68 N 7th St

Ahh. Thank you. I jotted that down on the back of my business card. :)

[ab8ma]

Ahh. Thank you. I jotted that down on the back of my business card. :)

And that was the Bike path. :)

[KI4ITV]

Just ask them to send it via bureau.
:D

[kl7aj]

Just ask them to send it via bureau.
:D

Last time I got a QSL via the Burro, Juan Valdez was riding it.

[W5HTW]

I checked on my globe and it's only about 4.7 inches. I suggest first you get a smaller world globe. That could save you a lot of pedaling. I know everything is bigger in Alaska, but you are clearly using the wrong size globe.

You could also suggest Leeds meet you halfway, somewhere in the Yukon (14th creek, second polar bear, park and wait for me) and only charge you $4.50.

Or you could modifty the Johnson to a DB25. Then you could connect it to your laptop and have a portable boatanchor station.

Or you could ship the Johnson to me (please pay shipping) and you won't have to deal with that problem any more.

[kb7nmu]

Alas....tis a fact. Our local outlet, whose very name would seem to indicate that they have something to do with electronics or radio....or even SHACKS....has absolutely ZERO...count 'em.....NO electronics components whatsoever.

Tis sad indeed.


Eric

I worked at Radio Shack last century. In my experience the sales associates are only as good as the manager. A good manager attracts good associates. A bad manager attracts ... .... .. _

Most management at Radio Shack is of the bad variety. They have a serious problem with managers stealing associates sales after the fact by splitting the sale in the computer at the end of the day. Such acts make good staff leave.

That being said, I took the certifications (which raises your commission rate), and did quite well until I got one of the bad managers. Also, corporate was more interested in sales gains than profit. I worked at a store that generated 150% profit. They threatened to close it because we didn't have sales gains. They liked the stores with negative to 2% profit and 10% sales gains. You do that by selling cell phones, computers, and long distance, not components.

[kb7nmu]

Went in to a RS one day looking for snap on Ferrite chokes. The guy behind the counter was baffled until another customer walked up to the other Cellular Salesperson looking for a power cord for his phone. It had one of those snap on ones on the end of it.

I pointed to his cord and said "THAT."

He thought for a second and went to the back and brought out a box of them. I think there was maybe 20 of them in this case. I told him I only needed 2, and he told me that they were closing them out, it was the last case he had, and he'd let me have them for 50 cents apiece.

SOLD!


He sold you deval merchandise. Deval is what happens after closeout. Basically they switched suppliers. Your chokes are slightly different from the ones in stock now. Associates get beaucoup commission on deval by the way. Or at least that's how it worked last century.

[k8jd]

Let me clarify the problem, If you had an octal socket , it is likely to have 8 little holes around the circumference and a bigger one in the centre, If you only had a 9 pin plug available try snapping off one of the little metal prongs and try moderate force to reconfigure it into the octal socket.
This advice is from a communications service professional (please don't tell my boss what I advised.)

[kl7aj]

Let me clarify the problem, If you had an octal socket , it is likely to have 8 little holes around the circumference and a bigger one in the centre, If you only had a 9 pin plug available try snapping off one of the little metal prongs and try moderate force to reconfigure it into the octal socket.
This advice is from a communications service professional (please don't tell my boss what I advised.)


Nope...doesn't work. The spacing between pins is different. I tried it.

eric

(By the way, it's a 9 pin socket....I need the plug!

[ad5mb]

Oh, please. No one here has basic problem solving skills?

1) Wrap bike in bubble wrap.
2) Mail to NYC. More than one poster from NYC here.
3) Have NYCer obtain gizmo
4) Duct tape gizmo to bike.
5) NYCer wraps bike in bubble wrap
6) Ship bike back.

Now how hard was that?

[kb7nmu]

Okay, if you are really serious about this bike thing, the first thing you must do is contact Steve Roberts (of "Computing Across America" fame) http://www.microship.com/ and ask him for what he learned while building and operating Winebiko I & II and BEHEMOTH. (I can summarize: Planet is mostly water. Build a boat.) Of course, you could always ride your bike down to Washington State first and consult directly. Though he is in the middle of working on said boat...

Steve is a great guy and lot's of fun to talk to. When I visited his workshop I got to see some of the remains of the various recumbent bikes, though the boats are much cooler.

[WA4TM]

Oh, please. No one here has basic problem solving skills?

1) Wrap bike in bubble wrap.
2) Mail to NYC. More than one poster from NYC here.
3) Have NYCer obtain gizmo
4) Duct tape gizmo to bike.
5) NYCer wraps bike in bubble wrap
6) Ship bike back.

Now how hard was that?

How about a ham in the neighborhood with a bike go get the item, then drop it in the mail.. Simple??

[KL7FZ]

Dogsled. With recent weather may be the best method. Foraging along the way.
Either that or "Homing seal"

KL7FZ

[N8CPA]

Forget it, Eric. Open your wallet--someone nearby has crowbar.
;)

[kf4vgx]

your going to wear your "ball"bearings out .

Pay the money !

[ka0use]

[QUOTE=k3wrv;1145684]Heck- Doesn't your local Radio Shak have them? QUOTE]


This....directly from the Opus.......

Now, this brings us to another modern-day dilemma. It’s not as easy to find radio parts as it once was. For example, a certain well-known chain of “electronics” stores whose very namesake arose from their historic dedication to radio amateurs and other electronics enthusiasts now carries zero basic electronic components. Notice we said “historic” dedication. Nowadays, if you were to walk into one of these particular electronics outlets whose very namesake would seem to indicate that they have radio amateurs and electronics enthusiasts in mind, and ask the proprietor thereof for a capacitor, you would be greeted with a deer-in-the-headlights response.
Recently, I entered our local electronics store whose very namesake would indicate that their business is dedicated to the radio amateur/electronics enthusiast, and asked the sub-minimum-wage “salesman” behind the counter for a microammeter, an extremely common instrument. He went to the back room, rummaged around for a while, and came back with some kind of portable battery tester. “This is the smallest ammeter we’ve got,” he announced. The tragic, horrifying part was he wasn’t trying to be witty.
Needless to say, that was the very last time I entered our local electronics store whose very namesake would seem to indicate that their business has something to do with radio amateurs/electronics enthusiasts.
Now it could be that in your particular neck of the woods, your local electronics store, whose very namesake would seem to indicate that they would cater to your needs as a radio amateur/electronics enthusiast, is staffed by an army of informed, considerate, helpful, and consummately professional electronics experts.
Fat chance. In all likelihood the person behind the counter will have a brain that can be quite adequately duplicated with three transistors and a relay...except for the fact that they don’t have three transistors and a relay anywhere in the store.

don't sell the-company-that-must-not-be-named too short. corporate stores have solder, soldering irons, wire, basic hand tools, #47 lamps, meters, AND 2222n transistors (in a chest of drawers that also had the lamps).

i lived in a village that had a western gear store (saddles, tack, rifle scabbards, etc. no clothing, just working gear) and it had a small area in a corner for t-c-t-m-n-b-n. just a selection of stuff that somebody decided would sell best in a rural area. the store also had a similar-sized area for tandy leather.

[WA9SVD]

Most of y'all know I'm a dedicated boat anchor sort of guy....I'm just trying to determine HOW dedicated I am.

I need an Amphenol 9-pin "octal" type plug for a Johnson Ranger I just restored. I have located the component in question at Leeds Radio in New York. I notice that Leeds offers a FREE component to anyone who rides a bicycle to the shop. It's just over 3700 miles by bicycle from Fairbanks to Leeds Radio.

My question is this. Should I make the 3700 mile trip by bicycle for a FREE Amphenol connector, or should I just pay the nine bucks and have them ship it to me?

I

Eric

Definitely take the bike. (You KNOW how "frugal" Amateurs are; isn't that worth an entire chapter in the Opus?:p)

Just be sure to take the SCENIC route, and wave as you go through Southern California...:D

Besides, the trip should be good for at least a couple of chapters in the Opus, if not a short story or even a novel...

[WA9SVD]

How about a ham in the neighborhood with a bike go get the item, then drop it in the mail.. Simple??

THAT would be cheating.:(:D

[WA9SVD]

Actually my calculations were a bit off. I used a tape measure on a globe for that 3700 mile figure...but according to Google Maps, it's 4,236 miles.

Hey, what's a few hundreds of miles amoungst friends and Hams?:D

Besides, you probably measured at low tide, and Google measured at high.

[kl7aj]

Well, I'm afraid I have to bow my head in shame....I'm NOT a dedicated boat anchor guy after all. :( I went and ORDERED the part from Richard. It will be here priority mail next week. Will you respect me in the morning?

Eric

[WA9SVD]

Well, I'm afraid I have to bow my head in shame....I'm NOT a dedicated boat anchor guy after all. :( I went and ORDERED the part from Richard. It will be here priority mail next week. Will you respect me in the morning?

Eric

No more or less than we do now:p

(Just teasing. I was hoping you'd choose the bike ride; about June. Think of all the grid squares you could have worked in the VHF Sweepstakes while bicycle mobile/rover class.)

[vk6zgo]

Geez,Eric you gave in too soon!

I was going to suggest that you get Leeds to sponsor your trip,plus give you a lot of goodies.
An O.F.riding a bike 4000 odd miles ought to be worth a bit of publicity.
We could have set up a progressive map here to see how far you got each day ,etc.

Of course ,the odds are that after you spent about a month on your trip,they'd be out of stock,& say "come back next week".

We had a bloke in VK recently who walked across the country from south to north,coming out at around Darwin in the NT.
He had a HF rig with him,& he was an O.F like us, but a fit O.F .

73 Bryan VK6ZGO