Interstate 40 Oil Man

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I was free-associating recently and as I continued to do it my list got longer. Here are a few:

Am I the only one who:

Still does his own mechanical work?

Thinks that the USA needs a very broad middle class?

Thinks that the common working man should expect his retirement to really be there when he needs it?

Thinks that the highest paid teachers should be at the kindergarden and first grade level?

Believes that everyone does important work?

Thinks that the most important worker is the person cleaning the restroom at the airport?

Believes that trucking requires skilled, quick, talented drivers?

Thinks that it is better to have a few quality items rather than many pieces of junk?

Thinks that church and state should be separate?

Thinks that prices have to be high enough to support those in the supply line that gets goods to market?

Appreciates a great sunset?

Is thankful for another sunrise?

Believes that happiness is a well running, great handling car?

Thinks the teenage clerk should pay attention to a customer with cash in hand rather than talking to a friend on the cell phone?

Appreciates a civil society?

That's about it for now.

Category: General

It's really neat to see so many truckers using Ham Radio these days. I have been involved in the Amatuer Radio hobby since 1973 and in the early days there were very few operators on the road. Then CB came onto the scene--there was a time without CB!!--and everyone including the public started to use these convenient forms of communication. Now with VHF and even HF radios being sold in small convenient packages, it is fairly easy to equip a rig with radios for this engrossing hobby.

I hear truckers locally on the 40 meter band as well as the state-wide Mega-Link 2 meter system here in the NM-AZ area. There is a system of repeaters that are linked together so you can access anyone within range of any repeater where ever they are in the area. You can find the repeater list with frequencies by "Googleing" for New Mexico Mega-Link or look on the Upper Rio FM group's web site.

Those interested in longer range conversations usually use the 20 meter band. You can truly "Work the World" from your vehicle with a HF rig and vertical antenna sized for this band. It is very much affected by atmospheric conditions and sun-spots but when the band is open it is not unusual to talk to someone half-way around the world.

The days of a Morse Code requirement are gone now. To become a ham is fairly easy in that you take a test at a local volunteer's place and pay a nominal fee. There are many books available that will more than prepare you for the test. Also, you can choose the level you want to work in. If the VHF 2 meter band is your aim then a Technician license might be your goal. To work the higher HF bands requires at least a General Class license. Each level requires a higher level of knowledge and testing. See: www.arrl.com for some details.

I can see why this hobby is attractive to truckers. They have the time to spend on the radio and talking to the world has to be more interesting than listening to some talk show in Iowa or somewhere. The time just flies by when you get into an interesting conversation with someone in England or Poland. They will be glad to talk to you and learn about your lifestyle, too.

Category: General

After almost 20 years of travelling to the North Slope of Alaska to work for a major oil company, I can see lots of parallels with that lifestyle and that of truckers. Most oil patch workers do not work near their homes since most of that stuff is not in the garden spots of the world. Lots of workers are on a 28-28 schedule which actually works out to be about a 31-25 schedule due to travel time. Others work 2x2 schedules which means that they are working for 2 weeks then home for 2 weeks. This is probably the best of all schedules but still brings a set of problems along with it. While working, those guys are on the job for 7/12 which leaves little time to attend to personal things. Working 84 hours a week for 2 weeks can be tiring and when you get back to the house you have to spend a couple of days just "recovering". The spouse meanwhile has been totally in charge of the kids, the running of the house, paying bills, and getting broken things fixed, in addition to working while you were gone. They are in great need of respite which the returning worker is not able to give right away. Also, the spouse may think that the worker is used to having things done for them like housekeeping, cooking and things like that. It is true that those things are catered but still the worker has been living in a dorm-like existence which is not at all fun.
I suppose the point is that to make the relationship work takes lots of effort, open communication, and compromise on both parts. It is sometimes a good thing to let the other party know that you appreciate what they have to go through to make it all happen. The home-based person can express appreciation for the long hours and boring days that the worker puts up with just to earn enough money to make things work. The remote worker can let the partner know that they are appreciated and that their efforts are valued. Sometimes, a surprise bunch of roses sent for no special reason in the middle of the week can have much greater meaning than the regular anniversary, birthday, etc. gifts. Also, a surprise call to that teenager on the day of a big deal like a game or prom can serve to bring the worker closer to the daily lives of his family.
I notice that these blogs are starting to have more meaning now. Your kids can set up a blog and actually run sort of a diary that you can read and keep up on the happenings with them on a very timely basis. Also, you can keep them informed about your days and locations and what is going on in your world. Relationships are all about communication and these new techniques are going to change the way we communicate.


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Category: General

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