Sometimes I still get surprised

[Big Kahuna]

Was doing a late night drive last night and heard some locals on 17 so said hello and talked a bit as I passed through their city. Even though I was headed away from them at 70mph 30 minutes later I could still hear them so said hello again and continued to be able to make contact with them for over an hour to about 60-70 miles (over hills and some small mountains - not flat territory) until either they finally shut down at 1am or I lost them.

I was about 10 mins from home when I lost them and it was so cool to be able to talk on the late drive to keep me alert.

Yes I was running extra watts, but still cool to be able to have a local conversation for that long at that distance.

I can’t ever remember talking to that area locally from the mobile at that distance, usually I don’t hear them till 30 miles out. Every once in a while a base to base contact is possible but very rare.

Just fun when out of the blue the radio hobby can still offer up something new.

 

[Slowmover]

The few times it’s happened to me (that kind of distance) I sorta run out of things to say as I expect to soon be out of range thus have already complimented them on their radios, wished them well, etc.

One is then (expectations) caught out flat-footed. Unprepared.

Or I’m in an episode of The Twilight Zone and things might start gettin’ a tad hinky from hereon.

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[Big Kahuna]

The few times it’s happened to me (that kind of distance) I sorta run out of things to say as I expect to soon be out of range thus have already complimented them on their radios, wished them well, etc.

One is then (expectations) caught out flat-footed. Unprepared.

Or I’m in an episode of The Twilight Zone and things might start gettin’ a tad hinky from hereon.

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Hilarious, that’s exactly what happened, eventually I was just giving radio checks on each town I was passing through. “Big Kahuna, now going through _______”.

Most times I only talk to a person for 10 mins or so, after 30 mins I don’t have much more to say

 

[Slowmover]

Hilarious, that’s exactly what happened, eventually I was just giving radio checks on each town I was passing through. “Big Kahuna, now going through _______”.

Most times I only talk to a person for 10 mins or so, after 30 mins I don’t have much more to say

Truck driving can present the same problem.

One’s comfortably ensconced under his Rock of Silence, but answers what he thinks is a one-sentence, yes-no sort of query.

But the other guy keeps talking.

You’d think it was some sort of unwritten rule-breaking.
(Whoa! Ouch! What’s up with that, dude?!) You wanted a radio check, and I TOLD you it’s in the mail!

Takes a few times before one gets it, that:

1). A stranger in a strange place checking to see it’s not zombies all around him.

2). It’s the greatest opportunity EVER to troll everyone else monitoring 19 as they mostly “get” the behavioral pattern change underway. (You’re off the hook by having to use forced politeness).

— You took the football snap from the center, so . . . .

3). Talk about others behind their back, is a sure-fire play call. “You pass that raggedy 379 with the strap dragging . . . ?”

4). And the only 379 skateboarder for miles around has both fresh paint & blinding chrome; he WILL key up about the strap. (Defensive end).

5). Your job to call the audibles. (Then roll off the field)

Or,

A). It’s the silence of a shared meal. Done right, it’s better than the lunch counter at all the diners that disappeared once the guy next to you opens his yap: Stir the pot.

B). Add salt, chili powder, a zest of lemon . . . then rest once your labors are done. (Call for the check).

Many hands make light work. (IOW, Pass It Along. Get Mr Talkative going with someone else when you ain’t feeling up to it).

— Any truck driver worth knowing has half a hundred of these.

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