I Guess I Don’t Have a Boat Anchor After All

Just finished reading KL7AJ’s write up on QRZ’s forums. Read on about how to restore a real boat anchor – Restoring Your Vintage Radio, by Bo Tanker.

“By the way, I should mention at this point that it seems a lot of the uninitiated refer to ANY amateur radio that happens to contain a tube or two a boat anchor. Excuse me, but a Yaesu FT-101 doesn’t even REMOTELY qualify as a boat anchor. It’s got a HANDLE on the thing, for crying out loud!”

“Here’s a test for whether your radio qualifies as a boat anchor. First, locate your nearest ocean or Great Lake. (If you live in Nebraska, this may be a bit of a trick in itself). Go down to the nearest dock on the shore of the aforementioned ocean or Great Lake. Find a big boat. Look for a big, rusty pointy object dangling from a chain somewhere on that big boat. Pick up that big rusty pointy object dangling from the chain. Record or otherwise document the grunting sounds you make when you pick up that big pointy rusty object. Or, alternatively, record the pain level in your back as you pick up that big pointy rusty object.”

”Now go home, pick up your radio, and compare your grunting and/or pain level with that experienced upon lifting the rusty pointy object dangling from the chain on the
big boat.”

“Is it comparable? If so, you might have a genuine boat anchor.”