Yesterday, my calendar was pretty full. Not an uncommon thing these days. I needed a break from all of the running around town, so I set aside the better part of an hour to play radio.
I packed up my Panasonic RF-B65 and the latest copy of the WRTH. (I didn’t plan to actually reference the WRTH’s schedules for this outing, but I do enjoy reading through the station listings while I tune around.)
I found a local park en route to my next appointment and set up my kit on a picnic table only moments after light rain had moved through the area.
I didn’t know what propagation would be like, and frankly I didn’t care. Sometimes, it’s just nice to tune through the bands and see what’s there.
I call this a “radio therapy” session because, for a small portion of the day, the ritual takes my mind off of everything else around me. I get some of the same benefit from mountain biking and reading a good book (although, not at the same time).
Everything was going according to plan: the weather was pleasant, I had the whole park to myself, and Hazel (my canine companion) noted each and every squirrel within a 50 meter radius of our picnic table.
My bliss was cut short by two things.
First of all, the batteries in my Panasonic were running low. I had forgotten to charge them. (Doh!) Oh well. That didn’t really matter because secondly, a landscaping company brought their crew by to mow the grass…starting at my side of the park!
That’s okay–I still managed to get a good twenty minutes of radio therapy and Hazel counted at least 47 squirrels to harass on a future visit.
Hazel thinking, “Seriously? Another pack?”
I’ve also been evaluating a soon-to-be-released pack manufactured in Montana by Red Oxx. Turns out, it’s the perfect size to protect my RF-B65 and still have room for a copy of the WRTH, a wire antenna and–had I thought about it in advance–four spare AA batteries. Since I’m also a certified pack geek, expect to see a review of this mystery bag soon!
Anyone else planning a little radio therapy soon? Please comment!
