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The Fixer archives

Guerrilla’s Guide To 2-Way Radio

For my heading, I purposefully modified NC Scout’s bestselling book title that I am discussing in this post. The Guerrilla’s Guide To The Baofeng Radio goes far beyond the make/model amateur radio he recommends in it.

I and a fellow active licensed radio operator (HAM) took a local class from him a few years ago. It was extremely informative and valuable. I expect this book to have much of what we learned in that class, and quite a bit more packed into it.

I have ordered my own copy, so this is a recommendation in advance of being […]

cold snap

Now THAT’s COLD.

At Sunrise (8:17), I threw on a wool coat, insulated gloves and boots for a one-minute outdoor job of opening the chicken door so my flock could get out to their heated water reservoir and food supply.

Whoops. My young back-saving helper yesterday did not close the double gate into / out of the chicken yard after blowing a foot of snow off their scratching yard.

So I did that while I was out there – to keep them in and predators out.

By the time I was back inside, my legs were […]

my toothbrushing compound recipe

I used Tom’s of Maine for many years until the business was sold and went mainstream. The current corporation and its recipes deserve no support. So I went shopping … for my own recipe.

Having tripped over the value of essential oils, they are integral to this. I will make no claims for any of the ingredients, choosing instead to send you off to your own research to discover what led me to these, or to decide for yourself that some other combination works for you.

My essential oil source is Eden’s Garden, but I am not recommending […]

simple pleasures in the workshop

Once in a while I simply get lucky as a photographer. I suppose as a modestly inspired amateur, that will be the only way I get a photo that really tickles me. Below is one of them.

At my skill level, getting the lighting just right to comfortably light the background while focusing attention, and projecting a welcoming feeling has to be totally a lucky shot, but this one speaks volumes for the shop guy, and the car guy in me.

I briefly opened the bay doors to admit the Honda for its overdue wheel swap from summer […]