(Re-post)
I'm no techie, but one of the advantages of keeping this blog going is that people with more tech experience than I, like Russ, give me good mod tips. I explained to Russ, also the owner of a Sangean U3, that it's my favorite radio but that for indoor use I wish it had a more versatile FM antenna. Its 6-inch rubber one doesn't rotate and in spite of the FM tuner's strong sensitivity, I need to rotate the FM antenna from time to time, as one would do with any radio, even my amazing Sony ICF-5900.
Russ explained I'd have to take out the rubber antenna and replace with a washer, a screw and a dipole wire antenna. The only thing to do was get the measurements. Russ found out. Use a quarter inch 4mm (metric) screw. That's it. The cost of the materials? About $5. I paid nothing since Russ was kind enough to send me the bundle.
The result is excellent. All my FM stations come in loud and clear. Now I can workout with my U3 on with MAXIMUM STRENGTH. In case you don't know this, my U3 delivers better AM than any radio I've used. Go get one and use the mod for indoor use.
Cheers.
One of my students, recently back from a study abroad course in Paris, complained that everyone was rude to her and her classmates. Perhaps a group of rambunctious youth proved chafing because one reader, "KE7CYT," writes:
My wife, Son and I spent a memorable Christmas 2006 in Paris and the locals, from shopkeepers, gendarmes, and a wonderful stranger who helped us find our hotel (hotel Castix) were uniformly considerate and kind. I'd be in Paris right now if I had paying Sys Admin work there.
Were there any threats? Yup. In order:
1) Somali grifters outside Sacré-Coeur. Tried to stop us to tie bogus "Friendship Bracelets" on us while groping for our wallets. We gave them the "Parisian glare" and said "No!". We kept our money and moved on.
2) Kurdish beggars on the perimeter of the Eiffel Tower. Showed us pictures of a brother that was in hospital and needed their money. We left behind a couple Euro for the quality of their performance.
3) French dark rum. Sweet, musky and unforgettable. The worst threat of all, it caused the three of us to lose several hours we'll never get back. Still have a duty-free bottle of it awaiting our son's college graduation or other occasion of equal magnitude.
Sadly, all of Europe - and Scandinavia - is dealing with a new Muslim Conquest that will forever define the regions' history and culture. It's already happened across the Pacific Rim; us Americans were occupied with the Soviet Threat while that happened so we're only now appreciating it's extent.
Unfortunately, wherever you have angry, poorly educated people ready to be exploited by a mullah/pastor/rabbi with ambitions there'll be bloodshed. This situation hasn't changed in millenia.
One can only hope that a rational, civilized minority will prevail.