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07-24-2023 - 106 degrees is the forecast for Wichita Falls today. I shall pay it no mind. I'll play with my radios and daydream of snow. Unless the air conditioner breaks down.
07-24-2023 – Is it just Wichita Falls or do TV news presenters everywhere use the tag team method? You know, one presenter reads a line then hands it off to the other who reads a line. Sometimes it goes back to the first one to say a few more words before going to the video. Stop it! And, while I'm on the subject, I'm beginning to think news media people have a "hotkey" on their computer that spits out the words allege, alleged, and allegedly. Come on folks, be creative and occasionally try alternate ways to express yourself.
07-24-2023 – I'm working on my first cup of coffee and checking CB Radio Channel 14. Why 14? That was the channel of first walkie-talkies, the ones I received for Christmas in 1964. There's rarely any traffic there these days, even when the skip is rolling in. I guess it has nostalgic value.
07-23-2023 – From my corrections consultant - At the James V. Allred Unit, the Roving Patrol vehicle circles the unit 24/7/365. One fine day, the officer assigned to this post fell asleep at the wheel and struck two cars in the employee parking lot. A few days later, he was awarded the little item shown below.
07-23-2023 - Do you remember the Computer Bulletin Board Systems (BBS) popular in the 1980s and 1990s? They were in wide use before the Internet really took off. I had one up and running in 1996 or so. It was pretty much like a website and people could download files and post comments. I used the Wildcat BBS program and a U.S. Robotics dial-up modem. I started out with a 2400 BPS modem, then upgraded to 14,400, and then to the 28,000 model. I don't remember making the jump to 56K. I might have. Anyone calling in from out of town had to do so on their own "dime". I even got a few calls from Australia.
07-23-2023 - Have you noticed a general news blackout when it comes to the James V. Allred Unit? There are academies, promotions, retirements, awards, officer assaults, and the like, but we never hear about them. If a WFPD officer gets a paper cut, a news conference is held. I don't know if this is how TDCJ wants things, or if Allred is being ignored by our local news media. It's a public agency. Go there. Get the news! This is a good reason to tune in with your scanner at 153.815 MHz. At least you'll have some idea of what's going on.
07-23-2023 - I'm not suggesting that any Allred Unit Correctional Officer shoot some video from one of the gun towers - preferably B- or C-Tower, but it would be interesting. Tune in to Allred at 153.815 MHz on your scanner.
07-23-2023 - On the CB Radio, a Wichita Falls man was heard complaining that he couldn't get a car loan. When questioned further he admitted that he ruined his credit rating on purpose so that no one else could ruin his credit rating. This really happened.
07-23-2023 - The "spider" building on Seymour Highway near KFDX (CH 3) TV, once a popular liquor store, is gone. It has been demolished and a new building put up in it's place. The spider had long been abandoned and was falling apart. Its companion, the "giraffe", the tall sign that stood to the right of it, was taken down many years ago.
07-23-2023 - From my law enforcement consultant - An attorney - now deceased - drove his client to the city impound facility to pick up the client's vehicles. This was when the facility was on Sunset, just off Seymour Hwy. The client was about to exit the lot onto Sunset. The lawyer was close behind. The client stopped suddenly due to traffic on Sunset. The lawyer did not stop. Parts flew everywhere. This particular lawyer was known for a few other antics. He once climbed a tree, across the street from the courthouse, in an attempt to avoid an arrest. It didn't work out in his favor.
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07-23-2023 - AA7FV has a nice signal at 14.055 MHz. He's working another station - one I can barely hear - at around 20 words per minute. That's a comfortable speed for me. I can stretch it to 25 and get most everything. I'll never be blazing fast, and I couldn't care less.
07-23-2023 - From my corrections consultant - It was 3-Building the Allred Unit. If you'll remember, the Allred Unit is a male, maximum-security prison. This building houses offenders in need of protective custody and includes some very feminine offenders. It was count time and the officer had the occupants of the day room in one of the sections lined up for count. Just as he was about to start, a puddle of water near the stairs caught his attention. Someone in line with a very feminine voice said "Somebody's water broke, Boss!" Tune in to the Allred Unit at 153.815 MHz on your scanner.
07-23-2023 - From my law enforcement consultant - A Wichita Falls police officer got himself deep-fried over a televised comment following our first Falls Fest. Remember those? It was fun, games, food, and music in Lucy Park. A local TV station interviewed a WFPD officer who worked the event. One of his observations: "I've never seen so many fat women in all my life." His words, not mine!
07-23-2023 - If you're an old-timer, or close to becoming one, you might remember dialing the phone number for the local time and temperature. I called it many times. It went out of service years ago. I don't remember the number, and so far, I haven't been able to find it the city directory of that period. I'll see if the Wichita Falls Public Library has some old phone books.
07-23-2023 - Our three airports are active this morning with pilots either working to maintain "recency of experience" as required by FAA regulations, or just out having fun. Check frequencies here.
07-23-2023 - I woke up to 67 degree weather this morning. This is the chill before the 100 degrees forecast for today, and higher for the rest of the week.
07-22-2023 - The Evening Crew is stirring up the megahertz on CB Radio Channel 23. We need the same thing on Amateur (ham) Radio, GMRS - the General Mobile Radio Service, and MURS - the Multi-Use Radio Service. Why should CBers have all the fun?
07-22-2023 - From my corrections consultant - It was during one of the semi-annual "shakedowns" and offenders were being fed sack lunches (Johnny sacks) in their buildings. In one of the dorms (18- and 19-building) a female Correctional Officer had an offender pull her around on a flat cart while she tossed Johnny sacks into the cubicles. Some of the sacks were caught, and some bounced off of sleeping offenders. This is how you get your butt whipped in a prison. I only mention that the officer was female because this is probably what saved her. Tune in to the Allred Unit on your scanner at 153.815 MHz.
07-22-2023 - The CB Radio band is slowly beginning to open, and distant signals are creeping in. That's good if you're a DXer, but not so good if you want to enjoy local communications. Was it a mistake to put CB Radio on 27 MHz? That depends on whether you're here for local communications or DX.
07-22-2023 - The crime prevention experts will tell you to stop your newspaper and mail delivery while you're out of town. Sounds good. I did this several years ago when I left for three days. I did it even knowing that decades before, a rogue newspaper employee had been providing burglars with this "out of town" information. When I returned, I found a mailbox stuffed with mail and three newspapers in my yard. I'm serious. Who could ask for a better "Nobody's Home" sign? How could both fail at the same time? From then on, I had a trusted neighbor watch my house.