Posts: 2,980
Threads: 177
Joined: Aug 2006
There is a very large television antenna on my garage. It is not your average television antenna. It is enormous. Haven't seen it in awhile as I am on the "main"land but I would say it is about 20 or 30 feet tall, which means it is probably about 15 feet. I got to thinking about the lightning that hit the ground, and was striking all around in HPP last week, and started wondering about that antenna. It is very well secured with guy wires and all, but I don't use it as an antenna...or for anything. I am not even sure what it is hooked up to. I have Oceanic Cable.
Should I keep this thing and use it for shortwave communications (for when the Chinese takeover the mainland). Should I donate it to someone (free antenna, you remove without damaging my roof -- take the mango while you're at it).
Or should I just leave it there forever? Are there other uses for such a thing that I am not thinking of.....such as television?
Posts: 6,214
Threads: 354
Joined: Feb 2006
We have a neighbor who is into all things in wave communications (retired elect. guy) who is active in the HAM radio group here, he may have an idea about what the heck the antennae is for.... and wether it s worth keeping....
Posts: 2,466
Threads: 316
Joined: May 2008
Lightning rod.
Puna: Our roosters crow first
Posts: 2,980
Threads: 177
Joined: Aug 2006
Yes, I do think it would be an excellent lightning rod. One of the best really. That is kina what prompts my question. Do I really want an excellent lightning rod....one that is sure to nab any stray lightning bolts within 20 miles? I guess it is better if lightning strikes the garage, rather than the house, unless I'm in the garage, which I haven't been lately. Maybe it could be a lightning rod/shortwave antenna. I picture myself broadcasting to the mainland from Radio Free Hawaii advising the prisoners to be strong against the Chinese invaders.
Posts: 2,149
Threads: 90
Joined: Feb 2006
I think the Chinese would grab Hawaii before they get the Mainland, although I could be wrong. I think you should use your prodigious antenna to search for extra-terrestrial life forms who will rescue us from our idiot policitians AND the Chinese. We could offer them free coconuts, leis, and lau-laus if they would come and install some competent management. Maybe you will get really lucky and find a race that makes holiday meals out of all the rotting pig carcasses left by the roadside. You never know what a new culture is going to like.
Cheers,
Jerry
Posts: 2,980
Threads: 177
Joined: Aug 2006
Well, Jerry, it is possible that they will make a stop in Honolulu (although it is a little bit of the way for them) just to decimate the Pacific Fleet, again, but I actually anticipate this to be a bloodless coup as they slowly just begin to own us.
I think they will see Hawaii as not useful, except perhaps as a prison, and so will just simply ignore it, especially the outer islands. I really do think that the most isolated place on Earth may be a good place to be in this century.
Using the antenna in SETI is nice idea, thank you, although I think that search is mostly done on computers, analyzing the millions of bytes of data streaming in from large arrays elsewhere. My theory is that Puna is actually a good place to find them if they are walking among us. I think I can identify them. I know them when I see them, but won't be naming names, but I think you know who I am thinking of. Alien. From outer space.
I think a better approach might be to send those in charge to another planet, as emissaries.
Hopefully, we will get rational, non-bloodthirsty aliens in trade. Perhaps they will have good governance skills and will not make it a priority to sell off the island to private investors, will not look the other way as paradise is polluted with dead pigs, will not raise the unemployment rate by firing all government workers and replacing them with more expensive private sector counterparts.
Now that's a lightning rod.
Posts: 229
Threads: 5
Joined: Jan 2009
quote:
Originally posted by Glen
will not raise the unemployment rate by firing all government workers and replacing them with more expensive private sector counterparts.
Sorry, could anyone give me even one example where a government worker is less expensive than one doing the same job in private sector?
Glen, I think you may have been standing too close to your antenna!
Seriously, just one example, please!
Posts: 2,980
Threads: 177
Joined: Aug 2006
Here's an example. We pay US Marines less than we do Wackenhut. Wackenhut was guarding our embassy in Kabul. They did vodka body shots off of one another, embarrassing us horribly. They were more expensive.
I would rather have a solid US Marine from Kanehoe guarding the embassy in Kabul rather than some Wackenhut employee. Outsourcing is a false economy.
Posts: 229
Threads: 5
Joined: Jan 2009
Sorry, did we fire any Marines in order to hire Wackenhut?
Furthermore, you're comparing the salary of a US Marine to a contract fee for a private company. Can we compare Wackenhut's fee with the cost of training, equipping, housing, feeding a similarly sized US Marine Unit (be sure to include military retirement benefits)?
P.S. Is there any reason the Wackenhut employee couldn't be from Kanehoe, only Marines?
Posts: 604
Threads: 50
Joined: Apr 2009
Is that one of the old C band antennas? You know, the ones that got free tv transmissions before signal scrambling became the norm. The used to put all the porn on the falling satellites. Hopefully it was well grounded when installed but probably rusted itself out of usefulness. So lightning rod, yeah. You could always paint it. I've seen quite a few "attractive" ones. Generally like giant mutant sunflowers.
quote:
Originally posted by Carey
We have a neighbor who is into all things in wave communications (retired elect. guy) who is active in the HAM radio group here, he may have an idea about what the heck the antennae is for.... and wether it s worth keeping....
Peace and long life
