Dumpster Divers Anonymous Club

[w0tdh]

No dues, Membership or meetings http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

My contribution was saving many pieces of Romax from the dump es making 160 mtr doublet es a two element 40 mtr wire beam.

Have you rescued anything from the dumpster es made it into Ham stuff ?

Tom - K0PJG

The 12 or 14g wire from Romex makes good solder gun tips. TOM K8ERV

Matt must still be in the dumpster, with the lid closed. TOM K8ERV

[WA7KKP]

I once retrieved about 500' of #12 copperweld wire from the dumpster. I helped an old friend clean out his shop and he was going to throw it away -- Ma Bell had left it behind.

That's what I call a nice haul.

Gary Hildebrand WA7KKP

[w9ass]

I was lucky enough to score an old satellite dish from back in the day, and I am trying to use it for a homebrew 1200 mhz band project. Right now I have taken a break from it because the plans are a little rough, as I am not an electronics wiz. Oh well, gotta keep pluggin'

73,

KC9DGM

[KD7WHQ]

Dumpster diving can be an artform.
While I haven't made anything ham related from the bounties retrieved, I did do a good upgrade on my computer some years back.
Someone had tossed a file server in the dumpster. I actually had a permit to retrieve it, and scored a hard drive and several 6v gel cells, three of which were functional.
Serious score on that copperweld though ;)

73,

Will

[KD7LDH]

I really like the apples I get out of the dumpster from behind the fry's food and Drug Store......





-KD7LDH

[kf7qq]

sometimes the maggots, on those apples, are good tooo!
http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif 73

How about highway diving? Here, in the fall, they overload trucks with onions, going somewhere. Some fall off on the turns. I like free onions. TOM K8ERV

[N0WVA]

I once made a receiver out of the tubes I pulled from a radio that had been lying in a ditch for what must have been 50 years.Chassis was rusted to pieces, not much left but tubes and variable capacitor plates. It was an old dump site I played around when I was a kid. Cleaned em up and deciphered the base pin-out. Dang things still worked.

[kg6pcf]

Living in CA, dumpster diving is a part of life. You get taxed on evertything to support everybody who doesnt contribute or belong (sorry PC Gods). If I didnt work so late to provide for my family, I could beat these vermin to the sacred aluminum can at 4:30am when the working folk are trying to sleep.

This may sound OT but, you couldnt find anything of value in an "open source" flea market such as a dumpster. People steal aluminum guardrails off the highway to recycle. Copper wire or pipes forget it, CALTRANS is constantly fighting to preserve these tax paid items from the bums (PC...Homeless, Junkies, drunks, undocumented - all protected species)

Anyhoo..Im ranting cause I just got paid and realized how much I pay in taxes for causes that blow...

Mike

[w0tdh]

I can hear the engine rev up es truck connect to the dumpster with a LOUD clang ! Glad they heard you !
Still chuckling http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
Just got back from Shelby, NC hamfest. Great day.
Lots of stuff. Managed to get every thing on my list plus a few items that were not. S.A.R.C does a FB job.

Tom - K0PJG

[KG4ROT]

Got 2 great dogs from behind ther dumpster. Once we cleared up the mange and got some hair growing on them, they turned out pretty well. AKC could be so lucky. No radio stuff though....
w4rot

[K8YS]

and all those dumpster treasures show up at the next Hamvention.

[KD5VHF]

Last Thursday I saved a #complete computer system with a Pentium II Processor, CD drive, color monitor, and mouse. It was 2 ft from being thrown in the dumpster because the key board went bad. Should work nice for packet, log book, etc. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[n7wsb]

That microwave dish story reminded me of something funny. I used to have like 8 tv satellite dishes - reason being is I was into watching satellite TV as a kid http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif - and I had collected several dishes since I needed the parts from one and another - I really only had one dish in the end with a rotator to switch satellites. I was too poor to buy a system so I built my own - and it worked. Anyhow after moving out the dish's went unmaintained and eventually my parents had me come down and dispose of them - luckily I found a local ham who took all of them - apparently he had enough space and parts to set up every since dish on his property...

I believe I still have a box off C-Band lnb's and lna's somewhere actually...

Were those dogs KG4ROTTWEILERS? http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

TOM K8ERV

[k4kyv]

They have a great idea at the dump in Sandwich MA. Someone donated an abandoned 2-room house that was moved to the dump site. When people bring stuff to the dump, they are encouraged to place items that might be useful in the house, for interested parties to "recycle". Mostly you find clothes, furniture and appliances, but occasionally other goodies. They have a disclaimer, saying you enter at your own risk and they are not responsible for personal injury.

We are near a military base, and goodies often show up at our landfill because soldiers sometimes get orders to ship out, and don't want to bother with all their stuff, so they just dump some of it. I have found good tools, electric appliances, electronic equipment and much more. I always keep an eye out for antiques.

Unfortunately, at many landfills, the safety police have ruined it for everyone. They are so afraid someone will hurt themselves, like cutting their hand, and sue, so they tell you it is prohibited to remove anything from a dumpster. The thing to do in that case is just wait till the attendant is not looking. You could even bring a partner with you, to approach the attendant and use some pretext to get his attention while you load up the goodies.

If I saw a 75A4 lying inside the dump, I would dare anyone to keep me from retrieving it. If they told me to put it back, I'd just drive off. I don't think landfill attendants carry weapons.

Don K4KYV

[n8zux]

I managed to get a clock radio at work once a Zenith , cleaned it w/disinfectant, cleaned the controls, It does work. the rest of the time I wouldn't recommend it for the stuff I throw in off the parkinglot, because of the stuff I have to pick up with nitrile gloves with all of these dieases nowdays, I told a couple people about what goes in and a fellow classmate contracted AIDS for not replacing right away his PPE usually they get the message.

The stuff happens is inappropiate to post of what I find !

http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif

[N8CPA]

Someone mentioned archeology and "midden heap analysis," as it's called. #Do you know how they ascertain the diets of those long dead and gone civilizations? #They very systematically dig where the outhouses were located.

They're even doing it at some of the early American settlement sites. #The scientific specialty is called Coprology. #Of course, some students nowadays call it crapology.

Personally, I always found the surveying aspects of site surveys more fun. Maybe that's why I enjoy Field Day setup so much. #It's better than using a hand brush and soil screen at a "dump" site! #http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Steve

There is some team somewhere who "core" landfills and garbage dumps, like the middens. They find which type of materials degrade the least. Don't remember the results. I think everyone should date everything they discard to make such studies easier. How I date my wife?

http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif

TOM K8ERV

[KG4ROT]

Tom,
They turned out to be ROTWeenees. One is a dachshund(Noah). The other(Ed)..all breeds considered. Noah is the official tail wagger of the ROT Radio dynasty. Ed just wants food.
Re:Date the wife...I am not going to even touch that one.
w4rot

[G0MZS]

We call the skip diggers where i come from. Have not dropped to and passed the poverty line so cant say iv had the pleasure http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif

Do you have to have injections incase of infection?

[KG4ROT]

From what I know..there are two type of mange..Demadectic and Sarcoptic..not running spell check here so pardon. Sarcoptic is the worse cause the mites are hangin below the skin in the follicles. Had to use strong pesticide dips from the vet..careful around the eyes. My wife is a nurse so she does the apps, I just do the solution prep. Need to wear nitrile gloves cause it ain't great for ya, but we ain't planning no more kids.
The metamorphosis is amazing..once the hair starts growing and they have good food in their belly..the tail starts waggin.
We also have the vet clip them sexually, and so far none have held it against us personally.
Any pup that can survive that crap will be a good dog, IMHO.
I guess the skip diggers as well as the homebrew is a good investment in time and money.
Be careful though..if they're turning circles and frothing at the mouth..best to stay away and call the authorities.
Doesn't hurt to take a chance every now and then though.
Good luck..
w4rot

[KL7FZ]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (K8ERV @ Sep. 01 2003,15:33)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">There is some team somewhere who &quot;core&quot; landfills and garbage dumps, like the middens. They find which type of materials degrade the least. Don't remember the results. I think everyone should date everything they discard to make such studies easier. How I date my wife?

http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif

TOM K8ERV[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Don't worry about that. She'll tell them when they dig her up. And tell them. And tell them. And tell them.......And ask why they took so long. And how come they haven't cleaned up the place. And what are they doing digging around in garbage. And why don't they get a real job. And who was that other woman she saw you digging up........Old wives never really die. The guy who does find the proper disposal technique will surely get the Nobel Prize. Or is that the Ignoble Prize?
The Indians call me &quot;He who lives alone with cat&quot;
I'm a Happy ex-married man
#My ex lives with someone else and he will home from the asylum again real soon!
# #Hi!
# KL7FZ

[KD5TKR]

It's all in knowing where to look. I found a bunch of industrial power supplies, optics and lasers in a dumpster once. A friend of mine had found the same dumpster full of Motorola 68HC11 boards the week before. Recycling centers are another good place to try... I picked up my 5V 50A / 12V 15A switching supply at one for $2. Other than having no built in power switch it works great. Happy hunting

73
Charles Blythe
KD5TKR