NJ2X

Science is what we know, and philosophy is what we don't know. — Bertrand Russell

The aims of scientific thought are to see the general in the particular and the eternal in the transitory. ― Alfred North Whitehead

In the conditions of modern life the rule is absolute, the race which does not value trained intelligence is doomed. ― Alfred North Whitehead

“Nature is probably quite indifferent to the aesthetic preferences of mathematicians.” ― Alfred North Whitehead

It that time again, the Perseids meteor shower will return August 10-13, 2014.  Be sure to keep an eye on the sky.

Good DX and 73, NJ2X

On a recent trip to Disneyland we spotted this rather adventurous looking listening post in line for the Jungle Cruise attraction.  We really loved the way the canoe has been transformed and repurposed as a bookshelf with all manner of adventurous paraphernalia including two vintage shortwave radios.

The radio inside the canoe-bookcase with the black cabinet is a Hallicrafters model S-53A general purpose receiver covering 540 Khz to 54.5 Mhz in 5 bands (circa 1951 to 1959).  Like its contemporaries, the S-53A was designed to use tubes including the 6BA6 (mixer, 1st & 2nd IF amplifiers), 6H6 (detector), 6C4 (oscillator), 6K6GT (AF output), 6CS7 (AF amplifier, BFO), and 5Y3GT (rectifier).  The original price when this radio was introduced in 1951 was $89.50.  At nearly 20 lbs, this would have been a tough piece of gear to lug around the jungle (other than on a boat).

The grey radio on the desk is a National Radio model NC-125 receiver (circa 1950 to 1956).  This AM/CW/SSB radio recei…

“Not ignorance, but ignorance of ignorance is the death of knowledge.” ― Alfred North Whitehead