A Crummy Commercial

With the recent tornado, mentioned here: https://wb9kzy.blogspot.com/2026/07/tornado_0277261982.html I was wondering where the Olsons lived in 1938 when they went to see the Tom Mix Circus.  Just through dumb luck, I finally found where the Olsons lived in 1938 here: 5th entry: Charles A. OLSON source: https://content.mpl.org/digital/collection/AMP/id/445 By the 1940 census they had moved to Milwaukee and when my Dad was born in 1930 they lived in Portage. Thanks to Google I was able to let my fingers do the walking and found 527 W. Prospect on the map: And using Street View I got a glimpse of the house: hopefully the recent tornado didn't mess things up I remember my Dad saying that they lived on the Fox River - his dog (a collie named Laddie) had the run of the back yard to the railroad tracks.  Grampa had rigged up some kind of overhead wire which allowed Laddie to run free.  Apparently Laddie would periodically escape the wire.  When they moved to Milwaukee Laddi...

At first I wondered if this truck was an AI creation: source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/386817055479827672/ But no, it's way too cool for AI to be involved  :) https://www.hagerty.com/media/automotive-history/are-labatts-streamlined-semis-the-coolest-trucks-ever/ source:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIHLZgkg4ZU I've been reading the book: Scale by Geoffrey West.  I'll have a more complete report when I finish it.  But I thought this point was interesting: Author West is saying that when a designer is told to optimize economy and performance the resulting car will be similar no matter the manufacturer.  They aren't copying each other, they are all moving towards the same goal.  But the results are kinda meh.   "Honest, Sgt. Friday, I can't tell one make of car from another anymore" The streamlining on the Labatt's truck may not have been functional BUT it did catch the eye and that was the main specification for a rolling Labatt beer...

I found this clipping looking for a place to stash a book of matches - it was in a music box: Not sure of the source, probably just filler from a book catalog ? (the back is a blurb for a book called: Lost Gardens of England).  Now that I think about it, there is a bookseller, Bas Bleu (blue-stocking) that used to send this kind of newsprint type catalog: https://www.basbleu.com But I can't really check, the site won't let me in :(  must be the VPN or ?? Answering my own question about the clipping, it was apparently from this book: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/737216/brit-think-ameri-think-by-jane-walmsley/ Here's an updated page of the terms: Maybe the newsprint clipping was an earlier version of the book ?  Anyway I thought it was funny. Best Regards, Chuck, WB9KZY http://wb9kzy.com/ham.htm

One of the items from the most recent electronic assortment purchased on Ebay: https://wb9kzy.blogspot.com/2026/06/buy-first-think-later.html was a Heathkit HD-1410 iambic keyer.  It's a 5 IC TTL keyer with a discrete transistor clock generator, iambic B and a universal keying output for both cathode and grid block rigs.  The design is simpler than the WB4VVF Accu-keyer.  The HD-1410 also has an AC supply built in as well as mechanical paddles, a sidetone and a tune switch - it's a pretty complete design. So I was hoping that it might just work at first try.  I was disappointed :(  One minor problem was that the included AC cord didn't quite fit right.  It will power the unit but if the cord sags or is moved it loses contact.  One way around this might be to replace the chassis AC power connector with an IEC "computer" connector ?  I'll have to think about it.  Similarly the DC power input uses some Molex connector for which I don't have a ma...

An EF-2 tornado rolled through the Fox Cities south of Green Bay on Monday July 27, 2026 midday. like the start of The Wizard Of Oz    source:  https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/2026/07/27/menasha-appleton-grand-chute-see-significant-damage-after-tornado-storm--live/91069036007/ Northeast Wisconsin has seen it's share of tornadoes over the years.  I posted previously about the Tom Mix Circus performance in 1938 which was cut short by a bad storm (bottom of the page): https://wb9kzy.blogspot.com/2023/08/vital-secret-order-decoded.html The Neenah historical Society has an interesting post here about the incident: https://www.facebook.com/neenahhistory/posts/10158291911653225/ before the storm in Neenah The Tom Mix Circus used trucks instead of a train The Olsons lived in nearby Appleton then, Dad would have been almost 8 years old on July 10, 1938.  He and my Grampa attended the Tom Mix circus that night - possibly it was a birthday present ?  Wet can...

Tiger Woods and Tony Romo https://socalgolfer.org/tony-romos-nightmare-day-on-the-golf-course-ends-with-arrest-after-wisconsin-amateur/ The Not so special 6 PM If you're ever in Milwaukee you better drive right you better not swerve, boy you keep your course tight don't mix your drink with driving while cruising south on 43 cause the sheriff's guns will sack you and then you'll be up a tree Let the Midnight Special  shine a light on me Let the Midnight Special  shine it's ever-lovin' light on me With apologies to the legendary Lead Belly, et. al. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midnight_Special_(song) This is probably the version I heard first: source:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbrBAodZvu0 I was trained as an engineer, not a poet :) Best Regards, Chuck, WB9KZY http://wb9kzy.com/ham.htm

A fun video from Ringway Manchester: source:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7y_i0RjRBr0 What caught my eye was the simple power switch used in both designs - very clever.  Good switches are expensive, bulky and attract attention.  This method of using copper tape to bridge two contacts is easy to fabricate, inexpensive and not as obvious as a commercial switch.  And it might have been possible to hide the circuitry below some cardboard with matches on top ? The Radio Shack weather radios are still available (used) on Ebay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/158073241107 There are many "bugs" on the internet - most are in the FM broadcast band but could probably be moved up in frequency fairly easily - here's a slightly more modern design: https://www.electronics-diy.com/electronic_schematic.php?id=989 there weren't any 3 volt lithium coin cells (at least not in common usage) 40 years ago. This design should fit in a matchbox :)   But it probably won't work any bett...