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Wed Jul 09, 2025 9:10 am

CB's were too expensive when I was growing up so we would hang out around the HAM radio and listen and talk to people across the Pond mainly, but a number of other places too. No pics though as I moved away at 19 so just memories.

Wed Jul 09, 2025 9:49 am

The last time I used my CB was after the 1994 Northridge earthquake. So many bridges and roads were out or crowded for months, but listening to the truckers gave me the best routes at any moment.

Wed Jul 09, 2025 6:00 pm

I have my Aunt Trish's Zenith Trans-Oceanic Shortwave Radio - we used it for years up on Mt. Hood. It was amazing the places we could pick up.

The cabin was sold (and torn down. :( old log cabins aren't as cool as 4000 sqft ski palaces).

The SW doesn't work so well down on the flats, but there's a shop called Burlingame TV & Repair that's been in business for 70+ years that refurbished it quite easily (needed a new tube) - another cool old thing.

Wed Jul 09, 2025 8:24 pm

Everything's better with Blue Bonnet on it.

Thu Jul 10, 2025 7:21 am

scottyrocks wrote: Everything's better with Blue Bonnet on it.

Thu Jul 10, 2025 10:55 am

My CB was basic but had a buddy that had "upper/lower sideband". On cloudy nights we'd chat with others in Florida.

Next door neighbor growing up - his father had HAM radio set up in a converted room. Lots of dials, switches, & vacuum tubes with the 3pole triangular antenna mast.Very eye opening being a kid & being escorted in there (no kids allowed without parental escort) & owner had a Cheshire Cat grin everytime. Easy to get up on their roof. He kept in touch during weather disasters - esp Hurricane Celia which almost wiped Corpus Christi, Tx off the map circa 1970. I was three & remember the eye passing over the house.
They also had EVERY piece of Tupperware.
From the huge party bowl to the popsicle mold & everything in between.

"I can't believe it's not butter"
Actually scared me with that clap of thunder whenever that ad aired.

Adjoining houses had figs, peaches, grapefruit, loquat, honeysuckle, & pomegranate. Some days our blood sugar had to be 600. lol

Gentle blessings ... stay safe

jinx

PS :
I met Clara Peller in Austin, Tx (1987) at an HEB promoting National Beef Week.
"WHERE'S THE BEEF " ? ! !

Thu Jul 10, 2025 11:52 am

These weren't dangerous at all for a 60's kid. :shock:

Vintage Chemistry Sets
I had this one and I'm apparently still here. :D

Thu Jul 10, 2025 12:30 pm

67rustavenger wrote: These weren't dangerous at all for a 60's kid. :shock:

Vintage Chemistry Sets
I had this one and I'm apparently still here. :D

I had a similar set. I have B.S. Chemistry and worked as industrial analytical chemist for over 4 decades.

Thu Jul 10, 2025 3:20 pm

The set we played with as kids included saltpeter, charcoal, sulfer... no danger there! :lol:

Thu Jul 10, 2025 3:58 pm

KTPhil wrote: THe set we played with as kids included saltpeter, charcoal, sulfer... no danger there! :lol:
Hmmm, Gun powder. Yup no harm to be had there. :D

Thu Jul 10, 2025 5:20 pm

I had a Gilbert Chemistry set. And not far from my house was Peninsula Scientific, which sold all sorts of chemicals, glassware, microscopes and such, kids could pop their money on the counter and buy just about anything.

A while ago for my work I went to a lab supply place to buy some glassware, they required a driver license ID cause the law says that they must require it, cause of drug labs using it to make illegal stuff. Criminals spoil everything. :cry:

Now days some one under 18 cant even purchase a can of spray paint, and forget about being ten years old and filling up a gallon can of gasoline at the service station for your lawn mowing job, most service stations wont allow that either.

Criminals, lawyers and nanny laws ruin life

Thu Jul 10, 2025 5:34 pm

Here is a WW2 era short wave receiver, it is fully functional. I used to listen to broadcasts from around the world at night on this thing, via 50 foot long aerial strung up on a redwood tree. Radios such as this, along with the head set seen were used in American bombers during that war.

The Bug on top of the radio is a metal toy that I have had for a while

That radio was found at a dump near Tucson Arizona, (not far from the AirForce airplane bone yard) My uncle found a pile of them, these radios were being tossed out of an Air Force truck, and each one was hit with a sledge hammer, but two didnt get hit, so my uncle took them home, they had the vacuum tubes removed before being dumped. My Dad got them from Uncle, and he bought the needed tubes, and made it work, He did this some fifty years ago or so. I spent a lot of time listening to broadcasts on it.

Fri Jul 11, 2025 1:16 am

calvinater wrote:

Side note: It’s funny this name has endured multiple iterations of wokeness throughout the last 100 years. No matter how 3M wants to spin it, it’s pretty xenophobic/ethnocentric

I’m too old to get the feels over stuff like this. It’s just funny what we as a herd decide to be outraged over. There’s so many words you can’t say anymore but somehow underhandedly calling Scottish people cheap and weak is ok? Lol

Fri Jul 11, 2025 9:21 am

Malokin Martin wrote: calvinater wrote:

Side note: It’s funny this name has endured multiple iterations of wokeness throughout the last 100 years. No matter how 3M wants to spin it, it’s pretty xenophobic/ethnocentric

I’m too old to get the feels over stuff like this. It’s just funny what we as a herd decide to be outraged over. There’s so many words you can’t say anymore but somehow underhandedly calling Scottish people cheap and weak is ok? Lol

Dont bother me nor does german measles, i am half German. Nor the Minnesota vikings I am about 1/4 Norwegian :roll: Oh and American cheese, I am American too. I will stick with white glue too.

Fri Jul 11, 2025 9:33 am

Malokin Martin wrote: calvinater wrote:

Side note: It’s funny this name has endured multiple iterations of wokeness throughout the last 100 years. No matter how 3M wants to spin it, it’s pretty xenophobic/ethnocentric

I’m too old to get the feels over stuff like this. It’s just funny what we as a herd decide to be outraged over. There’s so many words you can’t say anymore but somehow underhandedly calling Scottish people cheap and weak is ok? Lol

Interesting. I've always had the impression of Scotch Tape being more reliable, stronger, and more expensive than the competitor tapes. My Grandparents who were born in England, wouldn't buy anything else.

Fri Jul 11, 2025 9:59 am

Shonandb wrote:
Interesting. I've always had the impression of Scotch Tape being more reliable, stronger, and more expensive than the competitor tapes. My Grandparents who were born in England, wouldn't buy anything else.

I got you Shonandb. Richard Drew the inventor of masking tape for 3m created it for auto painting. It was to help painting two tone cars popular in the 1920’s. Wikipedia has good history of it.

“According to 3M company history, Drew attempted to apply adhesive to only the edges of the tape to prevent it from adhering too strongly. When that version failed in testing, a shop floor told Drew to, “go tell his Scotch bosses that they shouldn’t be so cheap with the adhesive and put it on all the way!” In those days, to say someone was being “Scotch” meant they were penny-pinching or miserly. The successful product would be named "Scotch" brand masking tape in 1925 and later evolved the product to be transparent.”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotch_tape

Fri Jul 11, 2025 10:04 am

Scotch. I consider being thrifty a good trait.

Fri Jul 11, 2025 10:21 am

Xevin wrote: Shonandb wrote:
Interesting. I've always had the impression of Scotch Tape being more reliable, stronger, and more expensive than the competitor tapes. My Grandparents who were born in England, wouldn't buy anything else.

I got you Shonandb. Richard Drew the inventor of masking tape for 3m created it for auto painting. It was to help painting two tone cars popular in the 1920’s. Wikipedia has good history of it.

“According to 3M company history, Drew attempted to apply adhesive to only the edges of the tape to prevent it from adhering too strongly. When that version failed in testing, a shop floor told Drew to, “go tell his Scotch bosses that they shouldn’t be so cheap with the adhesive and put it on all the way!” In those days, to say someone was being “Scotch” meant they were penny-pinching or miserly. The successful product would be named "Scotch" brand masking tape in 1925 and later evolved the product to be transparent.”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotch_tape

Thanks for sharing the backstory Xevin! My only other image of Scotch is Scotch Whiskey and it's usually at a premium/unattainable price.

Fri Jul 11, 2025 12:29 pm

I had that exact chemistry set. It was a hand me down from my uncle. As we’re all my dangerous sharp metal toys. A kid from down the street wanted to play with the chemicals. He took a cap off, blew inside and got some chemical in his eyes. He freaked out crying and ran home.

Mon Jul 14, 2025 9:22 am

The original Erector Set had an AC motor that could easily slice off a finger if you made a guillotine-like configuration. Later changed to a battery 12V wimpy motor.