Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Jock Elliott, who shares the following guest post:
How can you tell if you are a radio nerd?
By Jock Elliott, KB2GOM
Jeff Foxworthy made a name for himself with his comedy routine, “You Might Be a Redneck.”
That phrase – you might be a redneck – is always followed by a qualifier, such as: “If you ever financed a tattoo.” My favorite: you might be a redneck if you ever mowed the lawn and found . . . a car.
Taking a cue from Foxworthy, I thought I might help the readers of the SWLing Post determine if they are radio nerds.
You might be a radio nerd, if . . .
- You think DXing NOAA weather radio stations is kinda fun. (That would be me.)
- You made special arrangements with the National Institute of Standards and Technology to visit WWV, the NIST time station in Colorado. (That would be our very own Thomas, Maximum Leader of SWLing.com. Check out this post.)
- You traveled to Newfoundland, Canada, to lay out hundreds of feet of wire to listen to tiny maritime weather stations in Northern Europe. (That would be Don Moore, and if you have not read Don’s posts–this one or this one–you are in for a treat!)
- You see a display of pool “floaty” noodles, and all you can think of is: “Construction materials for ferrite sleeve loop antennas.” (That would be Gary DeBock, with this post and numerous posts on SWLing.com.)
- You think it is fun to get up in the middle of a 10 degree Alaskan night to DX an Australian station 8,000 miles away and then find yourself on an Australian newscast. (That would be Paul Walker.)
- You are constantly thinking about how you might improve reception at your station. (That would be most of us, I think.)
- You have accidentally said your Amateur Radio call sign at the end of a telephone conversation. (Me, again.)
- You find yourself using ham lingo in ordinary conversation: “I’m going to QSY to the kitchen.”
So, are you a radio nerd? If so, present your evidence in the comments below.