Buried Treasures: Understanding and Treating Compulsive Hoarding

[Vortex Joe - N3IBX]

I have walls covered in shelves for the radios. Joe has walls MADE of radios.

I resemble that remark!

[Vortex Joe - N3IBX]

Naw

Slab- I don't think of Joe as a compulsive hoarder as the fascinating thing about his place is that there are rarely two things alike....

Now compulsive collector........  I'd go with that but then again Bill Gates is a compulsive collector of $$$$

I'll agree with that. But hot damn, its fun to visit both Joe and his collection. Ham radio is lucky to have him

Anybody who knows me is aware that things do come out of my basement to "see the light of day again". Most are given away to needy BA or AM guys and not sold on evil-bay or similar venues. I do, however, have an occasional swap for a double or something I don't have or could use.

The compliments are appreciated!

Very Best Regards,
                         Joe Cro N3IBX

[Vortex Joe - N3IBX]

Like Mack I ended up with 3 Pierson KP-81 receivers and speaker/power supplies from the same seller; one unmodified, another complete but with the front end loctals replaced with miniature tubes, and the third is a parts unit missing the front end and coil catacomb.  I have one in operation with the Viking 500 and I plan to restore the other one-probably going back to the original loctals.  I also sometimes pick up duplicates either to find a better example of a rig I already have or to provide trading material for the future.

I am sure that a "shrink" would be happy to take my money for treatment but I run into enough psychologists at the university without actually paying to associate with one.  Leaving campus yesterday I saw one of the Psych profs wandering around the quad with a bag gathering acorns-the perfect setup for a Far Side cartoon.  One person's joy/hobby is seen by others as an obsession.  My wife has around 60-75 pairs of shoes and she is happy; if I had to deal with that many shoes I would be too confused to get dressed in the morning.

It is really a statement of our quality of life that we have time to worry about such ridiculous pseudo-problems.  There was an article last week about a Chinese village where roughly 35% of the population has some form of cancer-apparently from water pollution.  The factory responsible provided $200 (for the entire village, not per person) to provide for their "care".  Those people have real problems and no one would pay any attention if one of the citizens decided to start collecting chop sticks.

Ah, now for some more solder fumes!
Rodger WQ9E

Rodger,
         Any chance you have any KP-81 parts for sale? I have one I'm restoring that has seen better days. Please email me at: n3ibx@verizon.net if you have anything available.

BTW, Congradulations on the acquisition of 3 of them!

Best Regards,
Joe cro N3IBX

[Vortex Joe - N3IBX]

But Vortex actually gets on the air and uses his stuff.

Yeah, wasting his time with such trivial pursuits will catch up with him, kills the bench time! LOL

I warned him about that, the Rothman modulation system will never see use at this rate!

Mack

Mack - The "recondomized" BC-610 RF deck with the RK-65 almost made it down the shack to use with the Rothman modulator. It will happen someday, and will probably be my nirvana. I get the impression it's a experimenters delight, that I (or nobody else) could get to sound right, and I'll spend my time fooling with it and adjusting it on the air.

Lets see, if I move the neutralization wire 4" to the left of the #80 tube, does it make higher positive peaks? Now 4" to the right, center, etc etc.

Now to use it with the shaded dipole............Yuriiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!!!!!!!!!

Best Regards,
                  Joe Cro N3IBX 

[WQ9E]

Hi Vortex Joe,

Email sent!

Rodger WQ9E

[Ed W1XAW]

The way I look at this is that you have exactly one life to live and if collecting old radios is what you want to do then this is your one and only chance!  Many thanks to the guys that share from their piles.    73 de W1XAW

[The Slab Bacon]

But Vortex actually gets on the air and uses his stuff.

Yeah, wasting his time with such trivial pursuits will catch up with him, kills the bench time! LOL

Step, Step, chew ,chew!! See it is actually possible to walk and chew gum at the same time!!

I usually am on the air while working at the bench. Some of us can do several things at the same time, like work and talk, walk and chew gum,
you know its called "multitasking" 

And, err, furthermore, if you are caught in one of those loooonnnggg winded old buzzard roundtables on 160, you will prolly have enough time to recap an SX-28 before your turn comes around again!!

                                                the Slab Bacon

[KA1HNH]

Webcast on work done with Compulsive Hoarding Disorders. Very interesting.

I refuse to watch an obvious communist and leftist video past the 1:03 mark. Nothin' wrong with collecting "stuff" as long as it's useful. I trip over the same items every day. I just have to find a vertical means of storing iron that won't kill me. Sure them I beams on my mobile home are a bendin but it all ain't fell through yet! Particle boards all been replaced with 3/4" plywood. A good thing is that Harbor Freight's got a sale on jacks. Few of them and some 2x6's and I'm good to go for a few more years.

[Carl WA1KPD]

Sounds good to me

[W1EUJ]

> I refuse to watch an obvious communist and leftist video...

Are you from New Hampshire?

David Goncalves
W1EUJ

[WA1HZK]

I don't know if he is but I am and cannot make it to 30 seconds....

[N3DRB The Derb]

becoming less so, and more like the police states around the world we used to condemn.

[WD8BIL]

In short, we Americans are far too rich and have too many things. We'd be seen better by the world if we threw everything away and lived in poverty like everyone else.

Profit and liesure, the new monsters of our age.


To which I respond: Bite me !

[WA1GFZ]

Carl,
Talk about losing control I was turning on to RT 20 this morning and dead man's curve was wet. I goosed it and almost got it sideways and was not going very fast.

[Ed/KB1HYS]

> I refuse to watch an obvious communist and leftist video...

Are you from New Hampshire?

David Goncalves
W1EUJ

YES!!  LIVE FREE OR DIE... 
The last holdout for Freedom in America. 
 

[Carl WA1KPD]

Carl,
Talk about losing control I was turning on to RT 20 this morning and dead man's curve was wet. I goosed it and almost got it sideways and was not going very fast.

Yeah well I topped you.

I got rear ended pretty hard on 91S this evening in Windsor. I'm able to drive the car but it will be interesting to see what the Ins. Co. says. Rear end all smashed in and right rear quarter crumbled in. There is an interesting wrinkle in the roof so I am not sure how extensive the damage to the general integrity of the car is. I think the lady that hit me will be buying herself a new car...

[K8WBL]

"communist and leftist video"  hi hi  That's the first time that I ever heard a comparison of psychology to communism or leftist, I am assuming your meaning politically...of course I don't count Tom Cruise's idiotic remarks about psyhology...hi hi   Simple rule I try to follow..."everything in moderation" and " If it ain't f...king up the works, then leave it alone" ... I work with a bunch of psychiatrists and psychologists and most would agree with that.  Personal "behavior" is just that....until it starts causing big problems with that person or others...

73, Tim K8WBL

[Vortex Joe - N3IBX]

Carl,
Talk about losing control I was turning on to RT 20 this morning and dead man's curve was wet. I goosed it and almost got it sideways and was not going very fast.

Yeah well I topped you.

I got rear ended pretty hard on 91S this evening in Windsor. I'm able to drive the car but it will be interesting to see what the Ins. Co. says. Rear end all smashed in and right rear quarter crumbled in. There is an interesting wrinkle in the roof so I am not sure how extensive the damage to the general integrity of the car is. I think the lady that hit me will be buying herself a new car...

Carl,
      Very sorry to hear what happened! I know how much you depend on your vehicle, and certainly hope you're not hurt. Cars can be replaced, but WA1KPD cannot!

I hope you're feeling better and can get things straightened out with your Volvo. I always though it to be a FBOM vehicle!

Very Best Regards,
                         Joe Cro N3IBX

[WA1GFZ]

I hope she knocked out a couple teeth when her cell phone got between the wheel and her mouth. Friggen people drive like a bunch of AHs. I get off at Exit 40 Sofia's Plaze. Some bone head tried to pass me on the right and then cut me off to get ahead of me as he was running out of road. He was driving a Mustang. Never play chicken with a truck when driving a new mustang. The right lane merges in so the normal people stay in line and and wait their turn while the yuppies in a hurry pass on the right then expect you grant them the right of way when they want to cut you off. Sometimes a cop sits there and bags a few. The right lans is for people pulling into the plaza unless you are a yuppie.
He followed me for about 8 miles glued to my bumper so I drove slowly and safely....and aimed my rear view back at him. 91 is getting like 95.

[Vortex Joe - N3IBX]

He followed me for about 8 miles glued to my bumper so I drove slowly and safely....and aimed my rear view back at him.

Frank - Definitely "Way to go" with idiots like that!

[W1RC]

Best strategy to deal with all the whackos and "Adam Henry" types out there who drive like this is to drive a Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor.  You know the one, with NO chrome, driver-side mounted spotlight and the tiny stainless steel hubcaps.

Get them at your state's vehicle auction, usually held once or twice a year.

73,

MisterMike

[Carl WA1KPD]

Well,

We are looking at about $15K plus 4 weeks in the body shop.
It was raining and there was real slow (10-15 mph) bumper to bumper. I'm not sure how she got going fast enough to do that much damage to both cars. But she caught me in the rear and I never saw it coming.

[Vortex Joe - N3IBX]

Well,

We are looking at about $15K plus 4 weeks in the body shop.
It was raining and there was real slow (10-15 mph) bumper to bumper. I'm not sure how she got going fast enough to do that much damage to both cars. But she caught me in the rear and I never saw it coming.

Carl,
      15K worth of damage? Maddone! I'm just glad you're still in one piece. Thank God, you drive a SAFE car!

Best Regards and try to get their insurance company to give you a Lexus for the duration of your car being in the shop.
 

[Opcom]

shoo be doo be doo..

This topic has no been posted in 8 months, but the topic is right for this post. I think I have located what might be the biggest personal hoard of electronic junque to date. The product of an inherited farm with many large buildings and >45 years of collecting and tinkering.. It is impossible to post the images here to do it justice, but I'll post a few, and the bulk are online now:

http://www.bunkerofdoom.com/hoard/

Even this is incomplete, some buildings not explored. Ran out of daylight.. I can't say where this is. Sworn to secrecy. I did obtain a couple of items, a dual 240V 30A variable autotransformer and a Presto 92-B amplifier that I think will drive the 3-500Z modulator well with little distortion (these are the last few images on the above mentioned site).

[W2XR]

shoo be doo be doo..

This topic has no been posted in 8 months, but the topic is right for this post. I think I have located what might be the biggest personal hoard of electronic junque to date. The product of an inherited farm with many large buildings and >45 years of collecting and tinkering.. It is impossible to post the images here to do it justice, but I'll post a few, and the bulk are online now:

http://www.bunkerofdoom.com/hoard/

Even this is incomplete, some buildings not explored. Ran out of daylight.. I can't say where this is. Sworn to secrecy. I did obtain a couple of items, a dual 240V 30A variable autotransformer and a Presto 92-B amplifier that I think will drive the 3-500Z modulator well with little distortion (these are the last few images on the above mentioned site).

Hi Patrick,

Looks like some nice stuff amongst a lot of junque!

I saw a Philco Predicta TV, a couple of Macintosh MC-75 tube amps, and an Ampex 350 tape recorder in rather sorry condition.

I'm sure you'll find some real jewels in that haul.

Nice job!

73,

Bruce