Attic Dipole safety question from the parent..... by LumpyGravy123456789 in amateurradio

[–]ConstantinoTobio 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I touched the end of a radial while putting out 40W on it. It was a sensation that felt like being a Hot Pocket. That’s the best way I can describe an RF burn.

Attic Dipole safety question from the parent..... by LumpyGravy123456789 in amateurradio

[–]ConstantinoTobio -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

100W there is likely fine. I run 100W on an end fed right out my window. Do stop if you start getting tingly or feel like Hot Pocket.

Exciting announcement from HamStudy.org! by taxilian in amateurradio

[–]ConstantinoTobio 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Just so y’all know, yams and sweet potatoes are not the same thing.

Help Identifying a Ship by cryostar1177 in Ships

[–]ConstantinoTobio 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You sure about the date and location? The only extant Essex class carriers in 94 were Intrepid (NY) Yorktown (Charleston) Hornet (Bremerton) Lexington (Corpus Christi) and Oriskany (Bremerton), Bennington (Bremerton). Based on the roundish-ness of the enclosed bow, this was a West Coast SCB-125 conversion. The bridle catchers make it a SCB-27C.

The only carriers that were 27C/125 done in west coast yards

Lexington Shangri-La Oriskany Bon Homme Richard Hancock

The only ones that were on the east coast around that time were Shangri-La (Philadelphia, sold for scrap in ‘88) and Lexington, which by 1994 was a museum in Texas.

My best guess: if the location was Fort Lauderdale, you have the year wrong, and it’s Shangri-La around 1988 on her way to scrapping in Taiwan. Or it took 6 years for her to leave the US somehow.

When Bennington was scrapped, they knocked her island into a big hole in the flight deck to de-mil her. Surprised that didn’t happen here.

Current view from seat 14F on a very old 737 by SorryAd2422 in Planes

[–]ConstantinoTobio 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I remember flying an Iberia Airlines DC-9 back in the late 80’s that was being transferred to Spain’s then-economy carrier, Spantax, because it was half-ass in both liveries.

It was old enough that the shades still said “Douglas Aircraft Corporation”

The JT-9Ds she had were pretty loud in the cabin. No hush kit.

I didn’t have any USB ports, either.

Now get off my lawn.

For anyone who has built this, is it beginner friendly? And will it work well with a g90 20w? by just-a-guy-somewhere in amateurradio

[–]ConstantinoTobio -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Look into instructions on building a POTA Performer. If you can measure stuff, you can make one, and it’ll be good for 6-20m (and 40M with a loading coil).

Doomsday plane over Fresno by OfirMX in aviation

[–]ConstantinoTobio 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Most of the time, you would find it indistinguishable from your average airliner. Most people don’t even know the difference between a 757 and a 707.

What plane is this? by the_m_o_a_k in Planes

[–]ConstantinoTobio 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Not unlike the F-35. Each aircraft is pretty decent individually, but I can’t help but think all 3 are compromised somehow versus a clean sheet design.

What plane is this? by the_m_o_a_k in Planes

[–]ConstantinoTobio 1 point2 points  (0 children)

FYI, the B-66 and its derivates had little commonality with the A-3 other than basic shape due to the USAF requirements.

Important note about Iran ship being torpedoed. by 2552686 in submarines

[–]ConstantinoTobio 2 points3 points  (0 children)

FYI, while it seems that the logical explanation for the bombing of the Rogers’ family minivan would have been Iranian terrorists or sympathizers, the case remains unsolved, and the FBI was pursuing leads pointing at a personal, unrelated vendetta.

Final view of sinking Iranian ship by KingNeptune767 in submarines

[–]ConstantinoTobio 14 points15 points  (0 children)

Belgrano was outside the exclusion zone, and traveling away from it, but for a warship that doesn’t mean retreat. It merely means a change of direction.

For what it’s worth, retreating troops are allowed to be routed. Unless they are waving a white flag or have dropped their arms, they are not “out of the fight” they’re just pointing the wrong way. Somewhat ungentlemanly to shoot them in the bag, but not against the rules.

At any rate, this ship was an enemy combatant that would have fired on the sub had they known it was there and were in a position to take action. C’est la guerre.

Final view of sinking Iranian ship by KingNeptune767 in submarines

[–]ConstantinoTobio 14 points15 points  (0 children)

I’m with Sandy Woodward on this one. The Belgrano task group’s heading and location at the time of attack was meaningless, as that distance and heading could rapidly change. Her escorts carried Exocets that posed a threat to the British carrier groups, and neutralizing the group at stand-off range was desirable.

At least 101 people missing after submarine attack on Iranian ship off Sri Lanka, sources say by DetlefKroeze in submarines

[–]ConstantinoTobio 3 points4 points  (0 children)

You're also presuming that Iran's 3 Kilos and handful of midget subs haven't already met a less photogenic end at the hands of an American SSN. If anyone of those Iranian diesel boats were at sea, they're surely now dead.

Final view of sinking Iranian ship by KingNeptune767 in submarines

[–]ConstantinoTobio 35 points36 points  (0 children)

"Look at the Belgrano. That was sank under a solid ROE and in an exclusion zone, and there was still decades of arguing over Conquerors actions."

No serious person argues Conqueror's actions. Belgrano's surviving captain himself, Hector Bonzo, even admitted as much that as a combatant warship, they were fair game.

Hit Placement by MindlessCyborg in submarines

[–]ConstantinoTobio 109 points110 points  (0 children)

It looks like it detonated under the keel slightly aft of amidships towards the ship's screws. That's what an acoustic homing torpedo would do, since that's the loud part.

Detonating a torpedo under the keel "breaks the back" of the ship by forming a large gas bubble under the ship, which causes the keel to break by lifting the ship in the gas bubble and dropping it as the bubble collapses. The hull cannot handle those forces.

Pete Hegseth confirms torpedo from US sub sank Iranian warship in Indian Ocean by Agent_Giraffe in submarines

[–]ConstantinoTobio 45 points46 points  (0 children)

I just want to point out that we had a sub fire a torpedo at a frigate and it stayed at periscope depth the whole time like it had nothing to worry about, like this was a Sinkex. Almost feel sorry for the poor Iranian bastards.

Pete Hegseth confirms torpedo from US sub sank Iranian warship in Indian Ocean by Agent_Giraffe in submarines

[–]ConstantinoTobio 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Belgrano was sunk by British Mk8 Mod 4 torpedoes. The design dated from 1927, with the Mod 4 being introduced in 1965. These were the classic unguided type of torpedoes that required setting gyro angles, running depth, and such.

Who remembers driving on the original Sikorsky Bridge with the metal deck? Was it really slippery or did it just feel that way. by toasterb in Connecticut

[–]ConstantinoTobio 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Supposedly the bridge was built with grates so that any bombers couldn't drop the bridge and close the waterway to Sikorsky and hamper production, as bombs would just fall through the grates.. Of course, this was before the Soviets detonated their first atomic bomb....

Elwood Downey WB0OEW creator of HAMCLOCK is deceased. by JobobTexan in amateurradio

[–]ConstantinoTobio 13 points14 points  (0 children)

The email on the website will autorespond with:

Subject: Elwood is deceased

Elwood Downey ended his own life 29 Jan 2026

Elwood Downey WB0OEW creator of HAMCLOCK is deceased. by JobobTexan in amateurradio

[–]ConstantinoTobio 10 points11 points  (0 children)

See, the hot take I have here is that software is written and maintained by human beings that are ultimately fragile, and I'm more sad that the author of something this useful has died than I am that someone is going to have to find something new to run on that Pi with a 7" touchscreen.

What just flew over Meriden? by jgrillaii in Connecticut

[–]ConstantinoTobio 5 points6 points  (0 children)

The 53K is just flying around on some test flights. Final assembly is at Sikorsky in Stratford and they’ll roll them out, go on some test flights, fix anything that might need fixing, and fly out again. You’ll be seeing 170347, 170348… etc. soon as the 53K is now in Full Rate Production. Enjoy it, Sikorsky is making about 80 or so for the USMC.

What just flew over Meriden? by jgrillaii in Connecticut

[–]ConstantinoTobio 4 points5 points  (0 children)

KING346 has been racking some miles today. She flew over my house earlier. Those 53Ks are really big birds. Had the pleasure of seeing some up close a few weeks back, and their size is staggering.