Went out this morning and filled two two gallon container of gasoline - just in case the power goes out. The Tropical Storm is supposed to drop 2-3" of rain. I'd rather be ready.

This is IAFF MDA "Fill-the-Boot" week. I went out and took some shots of three stations working intersections.

Getting ready to go to Pittsburgh on the 5th of Sept for the Imhof reunion. I called my cousin Maggie to see if I could stay with them, but they are going out of town. I could stay with my other cousin Peggy, but Susan says the she does not have A/C. So, I went on the Internet and found that there is a USAF Inn at the Pittsburgh International Airport. I was able to make reservations for the three nights that I will be in the area.

My Review of PRO-106 39,000-Channel Digital Handheld Scanner

RadioShack

Always be in the know with this digital handheld scanner.

PRO-106 39,000-Channel Digital Handheld Scanner

The Best

SkyPilot49 Hampton, VA 8/28/2009

 

4 5

Pros: Clear Signal, Lightweight, Excellent Reception

Cons: Difficult To Program

Best Uses: Emergencies, Listening to local PS

Describe Yourself: Avid Adventurer

Primary use: Personal

This is my 6th scanner and my second Radio Shack/GRE scanner. The Pro-106 is by far the best scanner I have ever had. It also has the best "ears" of any scanner I have ever owned. I am able to receive a city FD that I have ever been able to copy.

A third party programming/control software is a must because these trunking scanners are tuff to program manually.

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I needed to do some things around the house today.

I noticed that the spa cover lid removal mechanism was messed up. When taking the system off, I found that the bracket by the wall was severely rusted. So, I sanded off the rust and painted with Rust-Oleum. Everything went back together, but I could not use the same screw holes.

I had an idea about refilling the spa. I connected both 100' sections of the garden hose and spread them out in the back yard. The tap water temp was 79 degrees and the temp of the water coming out of the hose was 90 degrees!!

I needed to do some things around the house today.

I noticed that the spa cover lid removal mechanism was messed up. When taking the system off, I found that the bracket by the wall was severely rusted. So, I sanded off the rust and painted with Rust-Oleum.

In order to put the cover mechanism back on, I had to drill new holes on for the from latch. It went back on ok.

I also drained the spa and put in new water.

Have not been feeling well the last two days. I have horseness and sore throat.

Looks like the steroid injection is wearing off. I don't have any neck or arm pain, but I wake up with just a section of my right hand numb.

Rush Limbaugh made a great joke today:

What do Barrack Obama and God have in common?

Neither one of them have a birth certificate!

I made it through the day and finally got some sleep from about 7:30 to about noon.

I am feeling better and maybe the steroid injection is working.

Well, the day arrived and I showed up at the neurosurgeon officer at 2pm for my neck steroid injections. Now, I have had several injections into a joints in the recent past. My most recent was in my right shoulder at the orthopod. However, I am a little anxious about this one - hell an 18 gauge into your neck very near you spinal cord!

I have confidence in the doc as he is probably 65 or so, so you know he has been doing this for a while. Also, this is the first joint injection guided via fluoroscopy.

I laid down on the table in prone position and a pillow under my chest. The tech rolled the fluoroscope over to the table and it encircled me. The doc pulled his chair to the head of the table - above my head. He cleaned the area and then entered some lidocaine.

The next thing was interesting - the doc enters a catheter on needle and withdraws the needle. The he injects the steroid. There was an electrical tingling down my left arm with the cath, but I only experienced pressure with the rest of the procedure.

They had me hang around for about 15 min to make sure that I did not have any reaction to the procedure.

At home about two hours later, I started to have a headache and my right arm was hurting more than usual.  I took some Ibprofun but that did not seem to help.  Went to bed about 11:00pm but could not sleep.  Went downstairs and messed on the laptop until about 2:00am.  Still could not sleep - having a pain in my right elbow that seems to be keeping me awake.

Went downstairs again and went to work on Susan's church videos.

I did not sleep at all.

Hampton Fire Div. promotion ceremony this afternoon at City Hall.

(First of all, I am disappointing cause I am shooting with the Nikon D-200. I had to send the D-300 in to Nikon for repair. She won't focus right.)

As usually, I arrived early to make sure all my stuff was in order.

Council chambers was crowded.

I am proud of all the promotes, but some even more so as I trained several of them.

Photos: http://photobucket.com/promotion_6-5-09

Others, well there is much to bee seen.

My right arm and neck are still going good. I am especially happy about the lack of numbness.

I am amazed - I am nearly pain-free in my right arm and I can turn my head 180 degrees without any pain. No numbness either.

Susan and Mom left for Pittsburgh this morning. I will be by myself for at least 10 days.

Sometimes I just want to throw my scanner against the wall! What happens to people when they pick up the microphone? Does all their common sense just fly out their ears? I can’t believe what I hear on the radio sometimes. For example, something I heard today:

EMS-1: "EMS-1 to Medic-10"

Medic-10: "Go ahead EMS-1"

EMS-1: "Medic-10 go to Tac-1"

Medic-10: "10-4"

EMS-1 (One Tac-1): "EMS-1 to Medic-10"

Medic-10: "Medic-10"

EMS-10: "Check your Opticom, it appeared to on when you were at the scene."

Medic-10: "10-4"

Gesh, 8 transmissions when all of this radio traffic could have been made via two radio exchanges. First of all, this could have been made on the primary channel. What, you worried about embarrassing Medic-10s crew?
"EMS-1 had to know that Medic-10 crew were in their unit or he would not have called them.)

“EMS-1 to Medic-10 check your Opticom.”

Medic-10: "Medic-10 is clear EMS-1, will do.”

All that effort for such few words that could have been exchanged in 15 seconds.

So, some will say, well what if Medic-10 had not heard EMS-1's first call. So what, you wasted 3-4 seconds. More often than not, the other person is going to hear you!

"Brevity is the key to successful communications."

Another thing: Formality and politeness should be forgotten on the radio. "Yes/no sir/mam, thanks/please, if you wouldn't mind," have no place on the radio. Say what you "have to say" and be done with it. The fire chief is not going to be offended that you did not say "Thank you, Sir" when he told you there was a hydrant in front of your fire building. "Clear Chief" would do just fine.

One more thing. There is no need to "ask for permission" or get the dispatcher's attention. Pick up the mic and say what you have to say. What do you think the dispatcher is doing? Off making a pot of coffee for the boss? No, the dispatcher is sitting at the console waiting with his/her headset on waiting for your call!

Squad-1: "Squad-1 to Communications:"

Comm: "Go ahead Communications"

Squad-1: Communications Squad-1 is returning to the station, no injuries."

Comm: "Clear"

Some people say this is wrong. Well, if it is wrong, why don't people do it ALL the time? Can you imagine the hold up if every apparatus when through this procedure when they were responding to a fire call? Seven vehicles would have to make 28 transmissions on every call. And then 28 more when they left the scene, they 28 more when they got back to the house.

Engine-10: "Engine-10 to Communications"

Comm: "Go ahead Engine-10"

Engine-10: "Engine-10 returning."

Comm: "Clear Engine-10"

Multiply that by 7 apparatus!

What's the difference form the other situation.

What really kills me is this exchange:

Medic-7: "Medic-7 to Communications"

Comm: "Last Unit?"

Medic-7: "Medic-7 to Communications"

Comm: "Go ahead Medic-7"

Medic-7: "Can you give me the run number for this call."

Have some common sense people and think before you key the mic.

I don't know if it is psychosomatic, but my arm and hand are hurting worse then ever. I saw Dave the other day and we shook hands. He squeezed a little too hard and I winced. One problem I have is wondering what part of the pain does the pinched nerve play in the pain. Could any part of this be arthritis? I am thinking about calling the orthopod and asking them to schedule an MRI on my shoulder before my July appointment.

Well the MRI showed that I have a pinched nerve at C-7/T-1. This is probably causing the pain and numbness in my right arm. Dr. McAdam said that I can do one of three things - 1) do nothing, 2) have a steroid injection in my neck, 3) surgery. I don't want to rush into surgery and I certainly don't want to do nothing. So, I will have steroid injection in my neck next Monday.

I used to be pretty worried about injections into joints, but after having numerous injections in my knees and lately into my shoulder, I am not too worried about this. Dr. McAdam has been doing this for a long time and I am sure he knows what he is doing.

I had the steroid injection in my neck. It went ok but there was an "electrical" shock sensation when the doc hit a certain point.

I went to McDonald's for breakfast this morning. I forgot my newspaper so I had to buy another one at Farm Fresh - I didn't want to run back home just for the paper.

I sold a pair of boots on eBay this weekend, but I ended up getting the short end of the deal. A bidder asked how much to ship to Canada. I went on the USPS site and put in their address and it came to about $14. Some how I miscalculated and it turned out to be $26. I doubt if I will ever send anything to Canada again.

I took Susan to the airport at 10:30 am for her business trip to Nashville. Since I was in the area I went to Costco - it was the last day for their Spring sale. I spent a lot on things I probably didn't need, but I save $23!

Susan called me about 11:30 and said her plane was delayed and would not be leaving Newport News until around 3:00 pm.

When I got home and unloaded the stuff I bought at Costco, I realized that I was missing an item. I looked around the garage, and back in my truck twice and could not find the item. How could I have misplaced this item? I was thinking that someone might have stolen it from my cart while I was eating lunch at Costco or I could have left it in the cart. I thought the later was possible because I was distracted when loading the stuff in the truck when I ran into an old friend.

Later in the day, I decided to go back and check the truck one more time. This time I looked under the back seat and there was the item. Gesh!

Susan called to say that she is finally on the plane at Patrick Henry @ 5:15 pm but now they are on a weather hold because of a thunderstorm. She got in to Nashville at about 9:30 pm CT.

Well, my shoulder seems to be doing a little better. Of course it has only been a little over 24 hours. Will see.

I went to Sta-10 this afternoon to loan a friend my wireless mic. He needs to do some video work for his church. I also swung by Sta-6 to visit with Capt. Pereira. It is always fun to talk with Jeff. A long time ago he said he would get me a photo of himself when he had hair (Jeff has alopecia universalis.) He has changed his mind!

I then went to Mom's house and did a little cleaning in the garage.

Raining again and it will be overcast most of the day.

I wanted to go the Tea Party, but things changed and I could not make it. I took Mom to the doctor.

I headed to the orthopedic doc for my own appointment. I have been having trouble with my fight shoulder for quite some time. Whenever I do strenuous activity, my right arm is useless the rest of the day and most of the next day. There are times when I have to steer my truck with my left hand.

Well they took an x-ray of my right shoulder.


The doc say's "you have quite an impressive bone spur." This may be causing my problem, as I have trouble lifting my arm over my head. He doc gave me a cortisone injection and told me to come back in 3 months. If the cortisone does not work, then they will do an MRI to see if I have a damaged rotator cuff.

I intended to go to one of the Tea Parties that was going to be held here in our area, but some things changed and I had to take Mom to her doc appointment.

The weather is crappy again. Oh well, "April showers bring May flowers."

I have posted a bunch of things on Norfolk Craigslist trying to get some extra money for Mom and of course clear up the house. Dinning room table and chairs and the smaller keyboard. Still have to try and figure out an asking price for the big organ.

Sunday, still no sun.

I think I am gonna go mad if I don't see the sun soon!

I went to the fitness center again today and I did 26 min on the elliptical trainer. I even went up a level. I only did one set of shoulder pull down exercises cause the shoulder is hurting.

I was really embarrassed - I could not open my combo lock in the locker room. I tried 6-8 times. Eventually I asked a young guy - with much better eye sight to open my lock. What gets me is that I have done it before without my glasses on!

The sky finally cleared and that big bright ball in the sky came out around 1:30.

On the way home, I stopped at my favorite jet watching site - ask me and I let you in on it - if you can get on LAFB. It is only for runway 8. I knew there would be very little to no air traffic on Sunday, but I just wanted to enjoy the warmth and sun light. But, then I remembered that I had been cleaning our my M-in-L's house on Friday and had two boxes of .32 ACP rounds in the back seat. No firearms, but I don't need to upset the LE folks.

Gotta put another picture of Smokey here.



I know it's late and I should go to bed, but hell I am retired and I can sleep as late as I want.

Spent a lot of time outside this evening. The grass will need cut next weekend - and maybe sooner. Which means I will have to pull the mower out, change oil and crank her up. The weedeater also needs look at. Last time I used it the line got clipped of short, but that should not be too much trouble.

I woke this morning not feel so good. My right arm is really giving me hell. I guess I am going to have to see the orthopod. I went to McDonalds for breakfast. First time in a long time.