You Know You Are Old When

[masscity]

Our antenna was next to the west upstairs window, one channel, but the wind would sometimes move the antenna. Me being

the oldest I would adjust the pipe holding the antenna. My Dad would stand at the base of the stairs while I had the pipe

wrench on the pipe turning until we had a picture. Of course in the winter and its 20 below or maybe a blizzard made it fun.

 

[WinterDeere]

Thinking back to the 1970's, mom had us unplug the TV every time where was a major storm, having had a few acquaintances who lost TV's during storms. I was just a young kid, so did as I was told.

But I think she missed the issue, as it seems the point of entry for a lightning strike is more likely the aerial standing on your chimney or attic, than the power mains. We never disconnected the antenna.

 

[masscity]

I live in the house I grew up in and I still have two lightning rods on the house.

 

[Runner]

I kept the TV on for tornado detection:

The “Weller Method” of TV-Tornado Detection - IowaWeather.com

Learn more about this technique that used to identify tornadoes by comparing the strength of TV signals on two channels.

iowaweather.com

However, I think this has pretty much been disproved now.

 

[Oaktree]

Many years ago radio/TV repeaters were installed on the mountain summits and as long as there is a clear line of site to the mountain, TV reception is great.

I was wondering if that might have been the case. I've noticed on road trips out west many FM stations list a whole bunch of repeaters when they do their hourly ID.
There used to be a couple tv stations that broadcast from Mt. Washington, but they moved years ago.

 

[WinterDeere]

I was wondering if that might have been the case. I've noticed on road trips out west many FM stations list a whole bunch of repeaters when they do their hourly ID.
There used to be a couple tv stations that broadcast from Mt. Washington, but they moved years ago.

I accidentally pressed the damn Sirius button on my car stereo yesterday, by accident, I don't maintain a subscription. But it got me thinking, "how are they even still in business?"

My thinking or assumption was that, with unlimited cellular and smart phones, anyone can stream any content they want from any streaming service, without paying a few hundred dollars per year to Sirius. I think the last quote I had from them was something like $300 per year to cover our three vehicles, which is highway robbery, esp. since they advertise at least as much as free FM radio these days.

But I'm working from a northeastern US perspective, the probably most densely-populated corner of our continent, where you're never far from a good WiFi or HD FM signal. I'd forgotten about the western states, where I guess you could go miles or hours without reliable high-speed reception. Are Sirius or other satellite services more popular, out there?

 

[JethroB]

I accidentally pressed the damn Sirius button on my car stereo yesterday, by accident, I don't maintain a subscription. But it got me thinking, "how are they even still in business?"

My thinking or assumption was that, with unlimited cellular and smart phones, anyone can stream any content they want from any streaming service, without paying a few hundred dollars per year to Sirius. I think the last quote I had from them was something like $300 per year to cover our three vehicles, which is highway robbery, esp. since they advertise at least as much as free FM radio these days.

But I'm working from a northeastern US perspective, the probably most densely-populated corner of our continent, where you're never far from a good WiFi or HD FM signal. I'd forgotten about the western states, where I guess you could go miles or hours without reliable high-speed reception. Are Sirius or other satellite services more popular, out there?

Maybe because Sirius makes it nearly impossible to cancel their service. Crooks almost.

 

[deserteagle71]

I was wondering if that might have been the case. I've noticed on road trips out west many FM stations list a whole bunch of repeaters when they do their hourly ID.
There used to be a couple tv stations that broadcast from Mt. Washington, but they moved years ago.

Exactly! Here is a list of the PBS mountaintop repeaters (they call them Translators) for just my section of northern Nevada. But the PBS station itself is on the University of Nevada campus in Reno.

 

[LouNY]

I accidentally pressed the damn Sirius button on my car stereo yesterday, by accident, I don't maintain a subscription. But it got me thinking, "how are they even still in business?"

My thinking or assumption was that, with unlimited cellular and smart phones, anyone can stream any content they want from any streaming service, without paying a few hundred dollars per year to Sirius. I think the last quote I had from them was something like $300 per year to cover our three vehicles, which is highway robbery, esp. since they advertise at least as much as free FM radio these days.

But I'm working from a northeastern US perspective, the probably most densely-populated corner of our continent, where you're never far from a good WiFi or HD FM signal. I'd forgotten about the western states, where I guess you could go miles or hours without reliable high-speed reception. Are Sirius or other satellite services more popular, out there?

I use the Sirius XM in my truck all the time and my wife uses hers in her vehicle.
Streaming is very problematic in my area of the Northeast with lots of dead and drop out areas. Even the Sirius has a few small drop out areas.

 

[ultrarunner]

Maybe because Sirius makes it nearly impossible to cancel their service. Crooks almost.

Friend is nerve deaf and Sirius won't leave him alone...

It was in the new car he bought and he told sales not to sign him up for free trial but someone at the Dealer did...

 

[WM75Guy]

I have XM in all three of our vehicles. We listen to it or play music from the phone while driving. I also stream it from my phone when working in the shop, on a tractor, or on the mower using headphones. Very rarely listen to a local station, too far away to get good reception.

 

[WinterDeere]

Even the Sirius has a few small drop out areas.

Really? Unless you have sky cover (eg. in a tunnel or absolutely massive storm system), Sirius should really never drop out. That's the beauty of satellite-based systems.

Of course satellite TV has a fatal flaw, in that it's bandwidth becomes limited when the weather is bad. You know what most people like to do when the weather is bad? Oh yeah... sit home and watch TV! Hey, it works great when it's beautiful and sunny outside... you know, when you're at the beach or in the garden.

 

[Jstpssng]

Really? Unless you have sky cover (eg. in a tunnel or absolutely massive storm system), Sirius should really never drop out. That's the beauty of satellite-based systems.

Of course satellite TV has a fatal flaw, in that it's bandwidth becomes limited when the weather is bad. You know what most people like to do when the weather is bad? Oh yeah... sit home and watch TV! Hey, it works great when it's beautiful and sunny outside... you know, when you're at the beach or in the garden.

Sirius dropped out constantly when I had it. Go behind a hill or under tree canopy and they were gone.

 

[DarkBlack]

"There is no reason for any individual to have a computer in his home." -- Ken Olsen, founder of DEC, speaking to the World Future Society in 1977.

Loud buzzer sound…Wrong answer Ken

 

[DarkBlack]

I had the largest combo VHF-UHF Winegard made on a rotor and got over 60 stations here years ago.

I had Radio Shack’s largest antenna. It was really big, like 10 to 12 feet front to back. Mounted on two 8’ or 10’ extension poles (can’t remember) on top of my roof (16-20’ above the roof peak), with guy wires to stabilize the whole contraption. Plus a rotor box and amplifier. All so I could get Boston stations from central NH. It always got comments.
I remember, vhf /uhf antennas was one area , Radio Shack seemed to have good electronics design experience in

 

[WinterDeere]

I had Radio Shack’s largest antenna. It was really big, like 10 to 12 feet front to back. Mounted on two 8’ or 10’ extension poles (can’t remember) on top of my roof (16-20’ above the roof peak), with guy wires to stabilize the whole contraption. Plus a rotor box and amplifier. All so I could get Boston stations from central NH. It always got comments.
I remember, vhf /uhf antennas was one area , Radio Shack seemed to have good electronics design experience in

I think Radio Shack actually private-labeled those antennas from other manufacturers, such as Arrow. The largest one they carried in the mid-1990's was several times larger than the one you mention here, but they discontinued it ca.1998.

 

[John0829]

Sirius dropped out constantly when I had it. Go behind a hill or under tree canopy and they were gone.

We have Sirius in all our vehicles and the only drop out is if we pass under a long line of sky cover. Our radios somehow download and store several minutes and keep on playing unless as I said it is a long bit of cover. One time in our Honda I noticed the radio had saved over 10 minutes of broadcast to be played back, which is nice in that if you get a phone call it will start the play back at the point you were at when the call came in. It always seem a call comes in right in the middle of a favorite song. I don't believe the trucks have as much capacity.

We have it simply because all the local stations (except PBS) are wall to wall commercials with the occasional bit of music played.

 

[WinterDeere]

We have Sirius in all our vehicles and the only drop out is if we pass under a long line of sky cover. Our radios somehow download and store several minutes and keep on playing unless as I said it is a long bit of cover.

Same. Back when I had it, it would never cut out, unless I was under continuous cover for at least a good fraction of a minute. I think the radio cached at least 20-30 seconds of play time, to deal with momentary interruptions.

I think the service is pretty good, and shouldn't cut out anywhere, no matter how remote. But maybe not all implementations of the receiver are as good, as another. Maybe some cars lack the ability to cache enough of the program to span momentary interruptions, and thus cut out.

 

[not2old]

Where I live the satellite radio cuts out for about ten of the first thirty minutes. I had to get rude to get them to stop spamming me.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

I'm trying to figure out how I can get Fox news on my phone. Mainly we want Stuart Varney in morning and Hannity, Laura Ingram, etc in evening. I have a smart TV so I can stream phone to TV.
I understand it's not free.