I am in an interesting little Yahoo group

I wanted to learn a little more about my radio and someone sent me in the direction of the Yahoo! groups department and lo and behold there is a group that is into the PRC 320 radio.

I joined.

Now, the radio set I have was made in the UK, and has recently hit the surplus market and because of that quite a number of the Brits have snapped these rigs up and are as I write constantly swapping notes on these fine sets.

So I am presently in a group consisting of Brits which is somewhat interesting. I believe there are about three of us colonists in the group. One guy I believe lives in Tennessee and there is also an Eastern Massachusetts police officer.

When I joined the group I found out that I was in well over my head as I ama aham only because I managed to pass a test. The rest of the group I think are a bunch of rocket scientists or electronic engineers. These guys are sharp. Real sharp. In fact they are about as sharp as I am ignorant and that says a lot in itself, as I am about as dumb about these sets as a box of rocks.

Well, maybe not THAT bad. Try about as dumb as a hemlock stump. That's about right. Yeah. A hemlock stump sounds about right.

As with enthusiasts everywhere, be it shooting, rados, cars or whatever there is generally an enthusiasm in the subjet that is infectous. The enthusiasts are generally more than willing to help the new guys along and this group is no exception. These guys are incredibly helpful.

Of course, I am well in over my head, but that is how you learn to swim.

Still, I find a few things mildly amusing.

Winston Churchill, the man I consider to be 'Man of the 2th Century' once wryly commented that the relationship between the UK and the States was 'Two peoples seperated by a common language'.

While I try to be an observer of things, I do note that there was at least a small germ of truth to that statement. Some of the posts I read have subtle differences in terminology here and there that take me a second or two to figure out. Some of them make me smile, a few make me chuckle.

On the other hand, I suppose the inverse it true, and when you couple it with my tongue in cheek sense of humor I would imagine that I am a hard one to figure out.

All and all, I am grateful that these guys answer my newbie questions and are just so damned helpful.

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In other news.

Because the rig is a British one, I have to deal with a few dealers in the UK. I recently exchanged a couple of emails.

Here is a synopsis:

1.Do you have this part?
2.Do you have that part?
3.If you have both, how much to ship them to the States?
4. What is the rate of flight of an unladen swallow?

I recieved the following answer:

1: I have this part
2:I have that part
3: Shipped to the States will cost you X number of pounds.
4. 30 meters per second per second.

I read the answer to my shipmate and he scowled.

"That ain't no Brit," he said."He's gotta be some kind of communist off- brand type or somethin', maybe a Russian mafia type that is using a typical Brit name to do business with. If he was a Brit he would have given you the right answer to the rate of flight of an unladen swallow question!"

I tend to agree with my shipmate.



I have added this edit to say that if you DO know the official answer to "What is the rate of flight of an unladen swallow?" you are invited to post it in the comments section. First correct answer wins 276 internet points. Act now! Operators are standing by!





my other blog is: http://officerpiccolo.blogspot.com/ http://piccolosbutler.blogspot.com/