Recent Posts

41

Upcoming Events / Re: Competition 2025

« Last post by alfsauve on December 10, 2025, 12:20:30 PM »

A couple of month back we shot the ICORE International Postal Match.  Clubs can shoot it until 12/31.  They posted partial scores through October and I'm 14 of 94 in Classic Division, 2nd in Classic Division Snubby and 1st Classic Grand Senior.  Of course there will be two more months of scores, plus some clubs hold the match multiple times trying to improve or beat posted scores.

December's local Steel Challenge was cold.  We tried out the provisional stage call Trifecta.  Boo.  Has 3 shooting boxes and takes too long to shoot.  I'll vote against that one.
Then we only shot 4 standard stages. I didn't set any new Personal Bests.  Also had a Failure to Feed on a stage.  Didn't feel like I did well at all.  Chalked it up to the cold.  However, turns out I came in 2nd of 14 in RF Pistol.  Wow.  I like coming in near the top, even if it is on account of the gear.

42

Down Range Cafe / Re: California is garbage

« Last post by Rastus on December 10, 2025, 05:49:35 AM »

Good to have you back.

43

Cooking & Recipes / Re: What's the last thing you drank or are currently drinking?

« Last post by Big Frank on December 10, 2025, 02:33:11 AM »

Cherry Coke, Zero Sugar mixed with Dr Pepper & Cream Soda, Zero Sugar. I have one Cherry Coke zero left, to mix with spiced rum when I'm done with this in a few minutes.

44

Down Range Cafe / Re: Shortwave radio help?

« Last post by Big Frank on December 10, 2025, 02:30:15 AM »

FRG-7 sounds like a type of anti-tank rocket.

I heard of a Beverage antenna but couldn't remember what it was. A Beverage antenna consists of a horizontal wire from one-half to several wavelengths long (tens to hundreds of meters / yards for shortwaves; up to several kilometres / miles for longwaves) suspended above the ground, with the feedline to the receiver attached to one end, and the other end of the wire terminated through a resistor to ground. The antenna has a unidirectional radiation pattern with the main lobe of the pattern at a shallow angle into the sky off the resistor-terminated end, making it ideal for reception of long distance skywave (skip) transmissions from stations over the horizon which reflect off the ionosphere. However the antenna must be built so the wire points in the direction of the transmitter(s) to be received. It reminds me of something I saw for an early detection or missile command radio system or something of that nature i saw pictures of someplace within the last couple of years. I think one was 10 or 20 miles long, right through the woods in the middle of nowhere.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beverage_antenna

45

Cooking & Recipes / Re: What's the last thing you ate or are currently eating?

« Last post by Big Frank on December 10, 2025, 02:18:46 AM »

Thuringer sausage, sharp & creamy cheese, and hot & spicy mustard on saltine crackers.

https://williamscheese.com/product/sharp-creamy-8-oz/

46

Cooking & Recipes / Re: What's the last thing you ate or are currently eating?

« Last post by Big Frank on December 09, 2025, 09:42:56 PM »

I whole box of New York Bakery Texas Toast Garlic Bread. I sprinkled a 6-cheese Italian blend on it and baked it in the toaster oven, flipping it over, sprinkling it with more cheese and toasting the other side a couple of minutes. And I dipped my crust in Ragu Old World style sauce flavored with meat. The sauce wasn't half as good as the garlic toast, but it turned out okay.

47

Cooking & Recipes / Re: What's the last thing you drank or are currently drinking?

« Last post by Big Frank on December 09, 2025, 09:36:36 PM »

Dr Pepper & Cream Soda, Zero Sugar. Almost too sweet to drink straight.

48

Down Range Cafe / Re: California is garbage

« Last post by MAUSERMAN on December 09, 2025, 02:32:13 PM »

I’m finally back. All the way from the land of the rising sun. I’ve home sick and I missed my folks. It’s only my second day back the jet lag is awful and to mention the time difference. My sis brought me my favorite sub and a six pack, my nephew cried and jumped it time arms saying never leave for so long. It’s good to be back. Kimi will join me just after the year. I can’t wait to hit the range

49

Down Range Cafe / Re: Shortwave radio help?

« Last post by Rastus on December 09, 2025, 01:53:04 PM »

When I can get around to it for the Beverage I will string out 950-1,000' of wire 8-10' above ground in the direction I want to receive from.  While the antenna has negative gain it really has no gain off the sides and from behind because it's a traveling wave antenna so it loses current from the signal.  They are really quiet antennas for AM radio and lower ham HF frequencies.  The lightning crashes and other interference from adjacent stations pretty much disappears. 

50

Cooking & Recipes / Re: What's the last thing you ate or are currently eating?

« Last post by Rastus on December 09, 2025, 01:47:41 PM »

Naw, it's the French influence from Louisiana.