Incredible winds

[Bill, KD0HG]

For those who might think broadcast engineering is a walk in the park!

Yesterday and all night, the Colorado Front Range (Boulder/Denver area) experienced some of the worst winds I've ever seen.

At tower site #1 (9,000' in the foothills) I was walking to my truck and the wind knocked me down to my hands and knees. Sucked the air out of my lungs. It imploded and shattered the rear glass window on my pickup. I'd guess that gust was near 150 MPH as the local wind gauge was stuck at 90. Trees down everywhere. I had been repairing a control card on the site generator, an 80 KW job and got it done right before the place blacked out.

At Lookout Mountain, west of Denver where more of our FM are located, the wind blew down a transmission line, which caused a brush fire and a power outage. The  site UPS failed open, which killed the site remote controls and transmitter exciters. The fire department refused to let anyone up to the tower site for some time, even with an escort.

Meanwhile, flames are encroaching on the west side of Boulder from a 1,300 acre fire started by another downed power line. Something like 1,100 homes have been evacuated.

At my home, my wife saw the wind picking up our dog off the porch and tossed her into the yard. The tower and antennas did survive. Dog is fine, but she did take a leak on the kitchen floor afterwards.

I'm at the tower right now, baby sitting the transmitters and generator and eating freeze dried MREs, LOL. Got 3 left, Chicken Stew and Veggies, Mashed Potatoes & Gravy with Beef and Lasagna with Meat and Sauce. Mmmm

bill

[flintstone mop]

Thanks Bill, for sending those high winds towards Western Pa.
We are having high wind bouts lately and the 60+ MPH storms are knocking trees over in my neighbor's yard.
My 70 foot utility pole with the VEE and Yagi are doing fine so far.

Fred

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

Wow. Glad you are OK.

[W1DAN]

Hi:

Gusts to at least 30MPH when i was walking to work this AM.

BTW, how long are MRE's good for? I have one from Katrina.

73,
Dan
W1DAN

[WB3JOK]

They are probably good nearly forever. No self-respecting bacterium would eat an MRE, let alone multiply 

Meal Ready to Eat - three lies in one!

[W1EUJ]

http://www.mreinfo.com/reviews/mre/1982-pork-patty.html

Somebody located and samples a 1982 MRE 'Pork Patty':

To rehydrate the entree, I elected to use my hotel room's coffee pot. I ran some hot water through the coffee pot and then opened up the pork patty and set it in there. It just kind of floated on the top. I kept trying to sink it but it would just float back up to the top.

After I dropped it in the water, I could definitely start smelling it - it smelled kind of like wet pork rinds. It wasn't a bad smell - just a pork-smell. I let it rehydrate for about 10-15 minutes and finally took it out to try.

The finished product looked pretty much like it does in this picture - just wet and slightly more plump than it was before it went into the water. I took a couple of bites and chewed on it for a bit (no swallowing of the 23 year old pork!). It tasted "ok" - it certainly didn't taste rancid or foul - but there was nothing special or endearing about it. It would be like eating a hamburger patty without the condiments or cheese or buns - edible but not very enjoyable. I can now see why the soldiers at the patties dry - because it wasn't worth the time it takes to rehydrate them - they didn't get much better.

As soon as I cut into the pouch of cheese spread, I knew there was no way I was tasting any of it. Imagine for a moment how bad you think 23 year old might smell. Ok...done imagining? That's exactly how it smells. It wasn't "evacuate the room" bad but it was strong and it was past its time...

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

It's Meals Rejected by Ethiopians.  Heard that one when I was in Panama in 1989.

They are probably good nearly forever. No self-respecting bacterium would eat an MRE, let alone multiply 

Meal Ready to Eat - three lies in one!

[WD8BIL]

In basic they said it'll keep you alive, if you taste anything that's an extra.

[Bill, KD0HG]

Buddly, my only other option was to jump on the back of a mule deer and do it in with my 2" blade pocket knife or a box cutter. Then boil or grill the pieces on an electric hot plate. No frying pan, right on the burner.

Any tips?

The MREs are 5 years old. I used to keep cans of soup, chili and Chef-Boy-ar-Dee crap on the mountain but someone ate them. No one touched the MREs.

Anyway, I got home this afternoon. Truck window gets replaced tomorrow. It's a beautiful afternoon in town, not a breath of wind, sunny and maybe 65.

My hat off to the area firefighters.

[Jim, W5JO]

BTW, how long are MRE's good for? I have one from Katrina.

73,
Dan
W1DAN

Probably one year less than a package of twinkies.

[KB2WIG]

            spam, spam, baked beans and spam

Also, spam will burn; you  just need a wick and instant dinner by candlelight.....  ..


klc

[W3LSN]

a.k.a " Mostly Regurgitated Excrement"   Heard that while at Fort Eustis.

It's Meals Rejected by Ethiopians.  Heard that one when I was in Panama in 1989.

[WD8BIL]

Any tips?

Ya. Do it on a stick!

[N3DRB The Derb]

but she did take a leak on the kitchen floor afterwards.

I would have too.

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

But I don't like spam!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODshB09FQ8w

            spam, spam, baked beans and spam

Also, spam will burn; you  just need a wick and instant dinner by candlelight.....  ..


klc

[Bill, KD0HG]

I have never eaten Spam, believe it or not.

[The Slab Bacon]

I have never eaten Spam, believe it or not.

It aint like you're missing much!!

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

At my home, my wife saw the wind picking up our dog off the porch and tossed her into the yard. The tower and antennas did survive. Dog is fine, but she did take a leak on the kitchen floor afterwards.

I think I would've too, if I even made it as far as the kitchen! Glad you weren't hurt, Bill.

Was talking with my big bro out in Cody WY last night, he said they averaged 60-70 mph with gusts to 90-120 at times nearby. He sed it rolled down off the mountains like a freight train.

We got gusts into the low 60s here in this part of NC, it's pretty flat with nothing to really break it up. Other than ripping the crap out of the tarp covering the pool (and pulling out the anchor ropes as fast as I could hammer them in), it wasn't too bad. Jen thought it was a tornado at one point because of the noise.

Down around Raleigh there were trees down on houses and power lines. One family got trapped inside because the tree pinned their door shut. I'm guessing they didn't have a back door?

Kinda glad now that the aerials aren't yet up in the air. Stouter rope is definitely in order.

[w1vtp]

I have never eaten Spam, believe it or not.

It aint like you're missing much!!

Then don't visit Hawaii.  It's their favorite treat.  When I was dirt poor as a kid, Spam cubes with fried potatoes was a frequent meal.  Even now I make some up once or twice a year -- it's an acquired taste I guess.  Just use lots of ketchup.

http://www.viamagazine.com/top_stories/articles/hawaiian_food05.asp

Al

[Ralph W3GL]

Strange, I spent a year in Hawaii and didn't see any Spam at all...  Never even noticed it on the shelf in the food market up in Wahiawa

I  do keep a tin in the house here for emergency use if'n I get snowed in or some other catsasstrephy...

Also, did not know it is a substitute for sterno!

[WD8BIL]

Strange, I spent a year in Hawaii and didn't see any Spam at all... 

My guess is he ain't talking 1945 here, Ralph!

[John K5PRO]

Wow Bill, that wind completely missed us, must have crossed the country to the north of us. Thank goodness I got my guy wires up on the tower before the holidays. Now I can sit and ponder about which antenna goes on top.

I prefer Mountain House freeze dried food myself. They even sell it now at some Wally Worlds. Its the only FD that has enough salt and spices in it to be actually enjoyable. Ummm, chili mac is a fav. Also spaghetti. When I camp in winter or in a cave or I can boil water fast and in 9 minutes am eating a 20 oz packet of stuff.

I pulled some MREs out of an emergency cache in a cave in New Mexico, on BLM property. They had been there over 10 years, I was afraid to open them. Plan to pull the rest out next summer maybe, and replace them 'on general principles'. If you want some well aged MREs to put at your site, let me know....

[Bill, KD0HG]

Then don't visit Hawaii.  It's their favorite treat.


Al

With all of that Maui Wowie out there, they'll eat anything!