This probably won't get any publicity back in the states unless there
is major property damage, but right now we have a spectacular view of
a very large fire which has totally encircled a mountain and is
climbing higher. It's a little after sunset and we're anchored a few
miles south east of Salinas which is on the south central coast of
Puerto Rico. Trade winds have been blowing strong out of the east at
15 to 20 kts all day and are fanning the flames. We can easily see
the flames from 3 or 4 miles away.

Hopefully there are no homes or people at risk.

"Wayne B" wrote in message
...

This probably won't get any publicity back in the states unless there
is major property damage, but right now we have a spectacular view of
a very large fire which has totally encircled a mountain and is
climbing higher. It's a little after sunset and we're anchored a few
miles south east of Salinas which is on the south central coast of
Puerto Rico. Trade winds have been blowing strong out of the east at
15 to 20 kts all day and are fanning the flames. We can easily see
the flames from 3 or 4 miles away.

Hopefully there are no homes or people at risk.

------------------------------------------------

Hopefully it is just the annual burning of the sugar cane fields. We
lived in Ponce for 2 years and when the fields were burned all the
mongoose invaded the military base to escape the fields. Most were
owned by "Don Q" ... the rum manufacturer.

On Thu, 14 Feb 2013 18:05:20 -0500, "Eisboch" wrote:



"Wayne B" wrote in message
.. .

This probably won't get any publicity back in the states unless there
is major property damage, but right now we have a spectacular view of
a very large fire which has totally encircled a mountain and is
climbing higher. It's a little after sunset and we're anchored a few
miles south east of Salinas which is on the south central coast of
Puerto Rico. Trade winds have been blowing strong out of the east at
15 to 20 kts all day and are fanning the flames. We can easily see
the flames from 3 or 4 miles away.

Hopefully there are no homes or people at risk.

------------------------------------------------

Hopefully it is just the annual burning of the sugar cane fields. We
lived in Ponce for 2 years and when the fields were burned all the
mongoose invaded the military base to escape the fields. Most were
owned by "Don Q" ... the rum manufacturer.


Ponce, Puerto Rico - Wow! If you'd hop on Hwy 2 and follow it around to Isabella, you'd be where I
lived for a year or so before moving onto Ramey AFB, back in the early 50's. At that time Ramey was
populated with B-36's, a loud SOB if there ever was one. As kids, the fun thing to do was go to the
beach at Aguadilla. On almost every Saturday morning, my Dad would roust me out of bed around 4 AM
to go fishing at Lake Dos Bocas. We'd go right by the damn and catch a washtub full of catfish in
about two hours, go home and clean them, and then have a fish fry for the neighborhood. What a
blast. He said that Puerto Ricans weren't into fresh water fishing, which is why the fish were so
plentiful.

I went to third thru fifth grades at Ramey AFB. Wow, old memories.


Salmonbait

--
'Name-calling'...the liberals' answer to a lost argument!

You know you live in a Country run by idiots if...

....hard work and success are rewarded with higher taxes
and government intrusion, while slothful, lazy
behavior is rewarded with EBT cards, WIC checks,
Medicaid, subsidized housing, and free cell phones.

On Thu, 14 Feb 2013 18:05:20 -0500, "Eisboch" wrote:



"Wayne B" wrote in message
.. .

This probably won't get any publicity back in the states unless there
is major property damage, but right now we have a spectacular view of
a very large fire which has totally encircled a mountain and is
climbing higher. It's a little after sunset and we're anchored a few
miles south east of Salinas which is on the south central coast of
Puerto Rico. Trade winds have been blowing strong out of the east at
15 to 20 kts all day and are fanning the flames. We can easily see
the flames from 3 or 4 miles away.

Hopefully there are no homes or people at risk.

------------------------------------------------

Hopefully it is just the annual burning of the sugar cane fields. We
lived in Ponce for 2 years and when the fields were burned all the
mongoose invaded the military base to escape the fields. Most were
owned by "Don Q" ... the rum manufacturer.

=====

We passed by Ponce during the day on our way here. It looks like
they have a huge petro chemical industry there. Everywhere you look
there are tank farms, cracking towers and offshore ship
loading/unloading platforms.

"Wayne B" wrote in message
...

On Thu, 14 Feb 2013 18:05:20 -0500, "Eisboch" wrote:



"Wayne B" wrote in message
.. .

This probably won't get any publicity back in the states unless there
is major property damage, but right now we have a spectacular view of
a very large fire which has totally encircled a mountain and is
climbing higher. It's a little after sunset and we're anchored a
few
miles south east of Salinas which is on the south central coast of
Puerto Rico. Trade winds have been blowing strong out of the east
at
15 to 20 kts all day and are fanning the flames. We can easily see
the flames from 3 or 4 miles away.

Hopefully there are no homes or people at risk.

------------------------------------------------

Hopefully it is just the annual burning of the sugar cane fields.
We
lived in Ponce for 2 years and when the fields were burned all the
mongoose invaded the military base to escape the fields. Most were
owned by "Don Q" ... the rum manufacturer.

=====

We passed by Ponce during the day on our way here. It looks like
they have a huge petro chemical industry there. Everywhere you look
there are tank farms, cracking towers and offshore ship
loading/unloading platforms.

----------------------

Sounds like things have changed since we were there in the mid 70's.
Ponce and the surrounding areas were mostly agricultural back then,
IIRC.
We lived in a rented house among the "natives" for the first year.
Our neighbors were about 20 years older than us and were two of the
nicest people we met. They introduced us to some traditional Puerto
Rican food and off-beat nightclubs where we were the only Americans,
trying to do the "merengue" and other Latin American dances.

The second year we moved onto the Navy base. It was the only "fort"
in the Navy .... Fort Allen. Fort Allen was a major transmitter site
for both HF communications to the fleet plus it had a huge, million
watt ELF transmitter for communicating with submerged subs. From
there we went to Annapolis, MD where I taught communications systems
to the midshipmen. After two years there, it was time to depart the
Navy, after a total of 9 years of active duty. Some of the earlier
military experiences were not quite as pleasant, but overall it was a
great experience and I received a lot more benefit than I think I
gave.

"Salmonbait" wrote in message
...

On Thu, 14 Feb 2013 18:05:20 -0500, "Eisboch" wrote:


Hopefully it is just the annual burning of the sugar cane fields.
We
lived in Ponce for 2 years and when the fields were burned all the
mongoose invaded the military base to escape the fields. Most were
owned by "Don Q" ... the rum manufacturer.


Ponce, Puerto Rico - Wow! If you'd hop on Hwy 2 and follow it around
to Isabella, you'd be where I
lived for a year or so before moving onto Ramey AFB, back in the early
50's. At that time Ramey was
populated with B-36's, a loud SOB if there ever was one. As kids, the
fun thing to do was go to the
beach at Aguadilla. On almost every Saturday morning, my Dad would
roust me out of bed around 4 AM
to go fishing at Lake Dos Bocas. We'd go right by the damn and catch a
washtub full of catfish in
about two hours, go home and clean them, and then have a fish fry for
the neighborhood. What a
blast. He said that Puerto Ricans weren't into fresh water fishing,
which is why the fish were so
plentiful.

I went to third thru fifth grades at Ramey AFB. Wow, old memories.


Salmonbait
--------------------------------------------

We took a few car trips to Isabella, "Old San Juan" and over to
Roosevelt Roads Naval Base a few times. The drive from Ponce to San
Juan was always exciting. I imagine the roads have been improved
since we were there in 1975 - 1976 but back then the main road became
a narrow, winding path through the "rain forest" areas. I remember
you passed by the big radio telescope dish in Arecibo where they
listen for radio transmissions from outer space.

Back then there were about six active US military bases in Puerto
Rico. Now there are only two.

On Thu, 14 Feb 2013 20:07:29 -0500, "Eisboch" wrote:



"Wayne B" wrote in message
.. .

On Thu, 14 Feb 2013 18:05:20 -0500, "Eisboch" wrote:



"Wayne B" wrote in message
. ..

This probably won't get any publicity back in the states unless there
is major property damage, but right now we have a spectacular view of
a very large fire which has totally encircled a mountain and is
climbing higher. It's a little after sunset and we're anchored a
few
miles south east of Salinas which is on the south central coast of
Puerto Rico. Trade winds have been blowing strong out of the east
at
15 to 20 kts all day and are fanning the flames. We can easily see
the flames from 3 or 4 miles away.

Hopefully there are no homes or people at risk.

------------------------------------------------

Hopefully it is just the annual burning of the sugar cane fields.
We
lived in Ponce for 2 years and when the fields were burned all the
mongoose invaded the military base to escape the fields. Most were
owned by "Don Q" ... the rum manufacturer.

=====

We passed by Ponce during the day on our way here. It looks like
they have a huge petro chemical industry there. Everywhere you look
there are tank farms, cracking towers and offshore ship
loading/unloading platforms.

----------------------

Sounds like things have changed since we were there in the mid 70's.
Ponce and the surrounding areas were mostly agricultural back then,
IIRC.
We lived in a rented house among the "natives" for the first year.
Our neighbors were about 20 years older than us and were two of the
nicest people we met. They introduced us to some traditional Puerto
Rican food and off-beat nightclubs where we were the only Americans,
trying to do the "merengue" and other Latin American dances.

The second year we moved onto the Navy base. It was the only "fort"
in the Navy .... Fort Allen. Fort Allen was a major transmitter site
for both HF communications to the fleet plus it had a huge, million
watt ELF transmitter for communicating with submerged subs. From
there we went to Annapolis, MD where I taught communications systems
to the midshipmen. After two years there, it was time to depart the
Navy, after a total of 9 years of active duty. Some of the earlier
military experiences were not quite as pleasant, but overall it was a
great experience and I received a lot more benefit than I think I
gave.


That last is true for a lot of us.


Salmonbait

--
'Name-calling'...the liberals' answer to a lost argument!

You know you live in a Country run by idiots if...

....hard work and success are rewarded with higher taxes
and government intrusion, while slothful, lazy
behavior is rewarded with EBT cards, WIC checks,
Medicaid, subsidized housing, and free cell phones.

On Thu, 14 Feb 2013 20:07:29 -0500, "Eisboch" wrote:



"Wayne B" wrote in message
.. .

On Thu, 14 Feb 2013 18:05:20 -0500, "Eisboch" wrote:



"Wayne B" wrote in message
. ..

This probably won't get any publicity back in the states unless there
is major property damage, but right now we have a spectacular view of
a very large fire which has totally encircled a mountain and is
climbing higher. It's a little after sunset and we're anchored a
few
miles south east of Salinas which is on the south central coast of
Puerto Rico. Trade winds have been blowing strong out of the east
at
15 to 20 kts all day and are fanning the flames. We can easily see
the flames from 3 or 4 miles away.

Hopefully there are no homes or people at risk.

------------------------------------------------

Hopefully it is just the annual burning of the sugar cane fields.
We
lived in Ponce for 2 years and when the fields were burned all the
mongoose invaded the military base to escape the fields. Most were
owned by "Don Q" ... the rum manufacturer.

=====

We passed by Ponce during the day on our way here. It looks like
they have a huge petro chemical industry there. Everywhere you look
there are tank farms, cracking towers and offshore ship
loading/unloading platforms.

----------------------

Sounds like things have changed since we were there in the mid 70's.
Ponce and the surrounding areas were mostly agricultural back then,
IIRC.
We lived in a rented house among the "natives" for the first year.
Our neighbors were about 20 years older than us and were two of the
nicest people we met. They introduced us to some traditional Puerto
Rican food and off-beat nightclubs where we were the only Americans,
trying to do the "merengue" and other Latin American dances.

The second year we moved onto the Navy base. It was the only "fort"
in the Navy .... Fort Allen. Fort Allen was a major transmitter site
for both HF communications to the fleet plus it had a huge, million
watt ELF transmitter for communicating with submerged subs. From
there we went to Annapolis, MD where I taught communications systems
to the midshipmen. After two years there, it was time to depart the
Navy, after a total of 9 years of active duty. Some of the earlier
military experiences were not quite as pleasant, but overall it was a
great experience and I received a lot more benefit than I think I
gave.



====

The navy has always had some of the best electronics training. You
certainly put yours to good use, as have quite a few others that I
know. I hadn't realized you were into HF radio at one time. That's
where I started out, with a "ham" ticket at an early age. I still
enjoy a little of that when I'm on the boat. Some of the digital
amateur radio modes are mind boggling these days: computerized
selection of frequency and mode; automatic error deection/correction;
automatic speed selection and re-transmission, etc.

In article ,
says...

This probably won't get any publicity back in the states unless there
is major property damage, but right now we have a spectacular view of
a very large fire which has totally encircled a mountain and is
climbing higher. It's a little after sunset and we're anchored a few
miles south east of Salinas which is on the south central coast of
Puerto Rico. Trade winds have been blowing strong out of the east at
15 to 20 kts all day and are fanning the flames. We can easily see
the flames from 3 or 4 miles away.

Hopefully there are no homes or people at risk.

Wow, hope they are safe.

On Thu, 14 Feb 2013 21:22:04 -0500, wrote:

They have come a long way from the hand wound coil and a cats whisker
;-)

====

I built one of those things once but never did get it to work. A
germanium diode was just a whole lot better. The hand wound coil was
OK however. A few years later I added a one transistor audio amp and
that was a whole quantum jump in performance. It also looked kind of
cool beng built on a small piece of 2x4 lumber, using nails and screws
for junction points. The battery holder was made from tin strips cut
from a can. A friend of mine asked to borrow it and next thing I knew
he had won the science fair with it. Should have ratted him out but
I didn't.