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Subject:
From:
Pat Byrne <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
For blind ham radio operators <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Sun, 7 Dec 2008 10:11:16 -0600
Content-Type:
text/plain
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text/plain (35 lines)
Sometimes we're right and it feels so damned good and more important, 
isn't it great that little kids think we can do anything.
Pat, K9JAUAt 11:20 PM 12/6/2008, you wrote:
>Well, this isn't exactly a ham radio experience, but it does involve
>electronics.  First, a little background might be in order.  I had just
>gotten married and my wife had two kids, a daughter 7 and a boy ten.  The
>daughter and I hit it off right from the start and we're still close
>today.  Anyhow, the county I lived in only had a population of about 2000
>people, and I had lived there all of my life, so everyone knew me and
>certainly should have known my capabilities.  But, you know most sighted
>people think we're incredibly stupid and helpless.
>
>The movie theater was in a town about ten miles away, and an aunt and
>uncle came by and picked us all up to go to a movie.  The movie didn't
>start, and after a long wait, I asked what the problem was.  They said
>they couldn't get the sound to work so they were going to cancel the show.
>I said I'd be glad to take a look, but was told there wasn't any need as
>they already had 3 or 4 people take a look at the amp, including the guy
>who use to run the theater.  I was told, "if they couldn't fix the
>problem, there is no way you can."  My daughter said, "my dad will fix it,
>just wait and see.  They reluctantly took me up to the balcony where the
>projector and amp was.  Now, this was an old tube amp, which I knew as I'd
>been up there before.  I don't recall the number, but most of these tubes
>were the old 8 pin jobs with a grid cap on top.  I started touching grid
>caps and when I found one that didn't make a hum in the speaker, I said,
>"give me this one."  The guy said, "it isn't a tube, we checked all of
>them in a tube tester."  I insisted, and as soon as I plugged in the new
>tube, we had sound.  The guy never said a word.  When we walked back down
>stairs, my daughter said, "See, I told you my dad could fix it!"  One of
>those moments fun to remember.
>
>They had already sent everyone else home, there were just the six of us.
>The guy asked if we wanted to see the movie, and I said we certainly did,
>so they ran the show.

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