Steve Bonine wrote:
(Attributions removed since it doesn't matter.)

Why not use standard phonetics?
Because it's not as much fun..!
The fact is that the cutesy phonetics don't always get the job done.

Depends on the job that needs doing.

If you're trying to get your call through during a hectic contest or
when conditions are poor, cutesy phonetics are not appropriate.

If you're just having a good time and conditions aren't an issue then
cutesy phonetics can provide a pleasant chuckle.

Different tools for different jobs . . .

73, Steve KB9X

Gentlemen,

It appears some background is in order: once you know the history of my
brother's ham radio involvement, this will make a lot more sense.

In the 1970's, when my brother was the Resident Host of the Friends
center in San Francisco, he went to an estate sale being held on behalf
of a Silent Key. He purchased, for _incredibly_ short money, a Drake
TR-4, AC-4, RV-4, and MS-4.

At the time, he was not a ham operator, and so his dear brother, who had
held a ham license since he was Fourteen, naturally assumed that the
aforementioned equipment would, in the natural course of events, make
its way to the East coast and into the loving and grateful arms of the
aforementioned sibling, who was struggling to stay on the air with very
ugly Motorola Twin-V units modified for two meters.

Said sibling, being innocent and trusting, did not see the need to lobby
for the natural course of events to take place: after all, what was his
brother going to do with the radio except listen to W1AW's code
practice? A quiet word in the right quarter, that was all that happened,
and the sibling sat back and dreamed of the soon-to-be-state-of-the-art
ham shack he would enjoy in short order. He was, in short order,
disappointed.

The State of California intervened: it seemed that the executor of the
estate had sold a lot of things for incredibly short money, not just the
ham radio gear, and the state chose to disqualify said executor and
request all involved to return the goodies for a refund. My brother,
being that kind of a guy, even though he was legally in possession of
the Drake-station-of-my-dreams and did not have to do anything, chose to
accept the state's offer and take a refund. The equipment was promptly
on its way to South America for use by the religious organization which
was the primary beneficiary of the estate.

Which left me cursing Ghod and the fates and the State of California and
my brother, not necessarily in that order.

But, I got over it, sort of, after a very, very, very long time. I made
it a point to ask my brother how his Drake station was doing at various
family gatherings during the ensuing years - although not at his
wedding, even though I was tempted and had flown cross-country twice in
twenty-four hours to attend it - but certainly at other times.

Time, as they say, heals all wounds. Thanks to the Internet and Ebay and
rec.radio.amateur.boatanchors, I now have a VERY nice TR-4, and a VERY
nice RV-4, and a VERY nice MS-4 with a VERY nice AC-4 inside it. They
say anything that doesn't cause a cerebral hemorrhage makes you
stronger, and they're right, but I'm wondering at this moment if I
didn't suffer one after all, because I've had occasions of insanity
which could not be explained any other way - such as the time I promised
my VERY nice TR-4 etc. to my brother if he ever obtained a ham license.

Let's hear some _really_ imaginative ideas here, folks. I want whatever
small amount of payback I can get.

W1AC


--
73,

Bill W1AC

(Remove "73" and change top level domain for direct replies)