Last night at 8:00, I checked into the hospital for a long-scheduled overnight stay for tests related to sleep disturbances, etc. I've done this once before since we have been back in Oklahoma. They connect about 20 sensors to various parts of your body and you go to bed in what looks like a nice motel room. You are allowed to read, watch TV, etc. until you are sleepy. They monitor you all night from a control room next door with all sorts of sensors, along with two-way audio and a live video feed. You are supposed to "behave normally," go to sleep and wake up the next AM, with the techs having all sorts of data on your sleep patterns.
Last evening as I left the house, I saw my SRF-59 laying there, with the stock little headphones attached, and I said.... "WHY NOT!" So I put it in my overnight bag and trundled on over to the hospital. I was on the third floor of the hospital tower, in a room with a big picture window facing south and an amazing amount of medical electronics. After they had me all hooked up and I was settled in, wearing a breathing mask and 20 sensors, I took that '59 out of the bag (left it in range of the bedside), put it on my chest, the headphones on my head and started DXing like mad. I half-expected to hear nothing but electronic buzzes and chirps, with alla the technology around.... and being in a concrete and steel high-rise building..... but, NO, the SRF-59 came through like a champ. There were buzzes and clicks all right, but there were LOTS of stations, too. I hadn't been at the dials too long, laying there, rotating the radio on my chest and using my patented "two hands approach" to managing the tuning dial, when in charged the Head Nurse, wanting to know just what in the Blue Blazes I was doing!!!!! Well, I couldn't speak too clearly, with this thing like a gas mask on my face... and then there were the Sony headphones and all of the sensors on my eyes, head, shoulders, etc. I must have looked a nightmare, for sure. I tried to explain DXing for a little while.... that really upset and confused her, so I "admitted" that I just had to listen to some rock and roll before sleep every night and she went away somewhat mollified. Loggings, you ask??? Well, I really couldn't keep a log under those circumstances, but this little radio is a true wonder.... I heard WOAI-1200 San Antinio (loudest on the dial), several Chicago stations, what I think was WSB, Atlanta and quite a few others... Denver, Louisville. That big south-facing window must have been working, too, because I had a lot of Spanish across the dial. When we have our first UltraLight Contest, I may have to check back into the hospital (and get a south-facing room!) Does Medicare cover UltraLight DXing? Of course, the ability to DX almost any time, any where with these little pocket rockets is a big part of the fun! As I lay there, it got me to thinking that maybe we should have a Records category or maybe a special section in our Awards Program for DXing from the most unusual locations.... On horseback, while river rafting, above 20,000 feet, etc... as I began to fall asleep, my mind wandered quite far as I pondered the possibilities for DXing in unusual venues.... maybe we could have a Kamasutra Category! Well, maybe not...................... Anyway, I did finally fall asleep and am now back home. I hope to DX more conventionally this evening! John B. Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA Rcvrs: WiNRADiO 313e, Eton e1, NRD-535(kiwa-mods) Antennas: 700' NE/SW mini-Bev, Wellbrook Phased Array (pre-production version) _______________________________________________ IRCA mailing list [email protected] http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/irca Opinions expressed in messages on this mailing list are those of the original contributors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the IRCA, its editors, publishing staff, or officers For more information: http://www.ircaonline.org To Post a message: [email protected]
