Thursday, April 02, 2015

Michael Is Tired

Oh man, it's cold, windy, snowing and I'm behind the eight ball on GUN STORIES WITH JOE MANTEGNA script. We're doing guns of the Civil War, Union and Confederate…massive massive research! Plus, and maybe this is me, but I'm doing al this research and a little voice inside me says, "Hey Michael…wouldn't it be nice to own a nice 1860 Colt Army? A Dance? An okay Griswold? Okay…a replica Spencer…"

It's like a disease.

Okay, maybe I can compromise…a Quigley Sharps? Two 1860 Conversions in .44 Colt & Russian???


Admit it…the conversions are sweet. Unfortunately for cowboy shooters, the Great Master of  conversions, Bob Munden, has gone on to work on more important projects.

Okay, so the history of arms of the Civil War, Union and Confederate, in 22 minutes, each...

So, instead, I'm sitting in a nice chair  watching FREQUENCY, a movie that I know for a fact will make me cry. It's a father/son thing, I guess. Or looking at that old HeathKit transceiver. It reminds me of the first test when I got my Novice Amateur Radio License. I remember sitting at the big oak table in my parent's small dining room, a local ham administering my test. I was maybe 12, 13 years old, scared spitless. An uncle taught me Morse code, how to tap out code with your fingers on your leg when you're in in a car…see a billboard, tap it out on your leg...I still do that….don't even think about it…driving down the highway, tapping out billboards on my leg.

Weird.

I aced the test, became WN4WXG, later WD4DCD, finally  N2AWX. Which I still am. Maybe N2AWX/0, more correctly, here at the Secret Hidden Bunker II. I'm thinking I might have a station on the air by summer, if I get a little time. Something on my list to do.

The father/son thing is hard (as is, I suspect, the mother/daughter thing). I suspect all of us, or most of us, have a conversation with our father that we wished we'd had, a chance to explain everything to set everything right. Never works that way, though. Anyway, watch FREQUENCY. You might like it. 
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6 comments:

  1. Anonymous8:18 PM

    I like the movie... I received my ham license in 1981..Right out of the military... Ka9mez.. Now Ke9xf... I have an uncle who is a ham loved looking at all the high tech in the 60's... His call is Wa9rwr.... When i was at Fort Gordon in 1980 I met a friend who revived my interest in Ham Radio..Ka0eqm...

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  2. 1akmaninfl7:21 AM

    Michael.... two good references for CW arms I have in my library are:

    "Arms and Equipment of The CW" by Jack Coggins;

    and Chapter 3, Lock & Fire, in William C. Davis's "The Fighting Men of the CW".

    Jim

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  3. James11:43 AM

    I liked Frequency too; it's a little on the mushy side but a quality science fiction premise.

    Did you decide on a HF rig for your shack yet?

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  4. Michael Bane12:48 PM

    I'm sorta thinking a yaesu 857...

    mb

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  5. The Freeholder9:26 PM

    Nice little radio. Makes a lot of sense with your off-grid lifestyle. Once you get it set up we'll need to work up a monthly DRTV net. Now that would be just the time sink you need. :-)

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  6. TommyG5:51 PM

    I lived about 100 yards from the Chickamauga Battlefield growing up. They have the Fuller Gun Collection. I don't know what access they would allow you for your show but it couldn't hurt to ask.Even if they wouldn't let you film there you should visit if your ever able. It's about a 2 hour car ride from the NRA Convention in Nashville.
    http://npplan.com/parks-by-state/georgia/at-a-glance-chickamauga-and-chattanooga-national-military-park/visitor-center-chickamauga-battlefield/

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