Bill Conrad's Blog - Posts Tagged "adventure"
Carl and Jerry
In Junior High School, I had a friend named Clark Wothe. His father enjoyed amateur radio, which inspired him to start a business. Clark bought and sold old amateur radio magazines. I was getting into that hobby and purchased his damaged magazines for $0.25 each.
Clark purchased in bulk and got other magazines in the deal. Popular Electronics was one magazine that he could not sell. These came out in the '50s to '80s, and he gave them to me for free. I enjoyed reading each one and learned a lot from the articles.
Besides learning about electronics, I got a perspective on the '50s and '60s life. (The '70s and ‘80s magazines had lost their charm, and I wouldn't say I liked reading them.) Every invention was exciting, and we had the same vision. The people belonged to perfect families, had a big car and a pleasant house. We were all on the team that would get us into space, and electronics was key to being successful.
One of the contributing writers began an electronics adventure segment titled Carl and Jerry. It followed the two friends who built "gear" and had fun with their creations. The writing style was like The Hardy Boys, and every magazine had a self-contained adventure. A good example is "Tussle with a Tachometer."
https://www.rfcafe.com/references/pop...
While I enjoyed reading Carl and Jerry, that entertainment segment has faded away. If my four blog readers asked 1,000 people with electronic knowledge about Carl and Jerry, one or two old-timers would say, "I remember reading that back in the '60s."
Three years ago, I revisited the series and read them online in chronological order. This was a fun experience, and I thought it would be a good blog experience to take a critical look into yesteryear. So, I re-read a few stories this week. The structure is basic, with well-established characters. Each story contains great dialog, a rapid pace, detailed descriptions (that any reader could build) and lively adventure. The stories have a perfect single arc with an electronic focus.
Today, electronics short adventure stories have a narrow audience. Adults are too busy to bother with electronic adventure stories, and if it is not on YouTube, kids are not interested in reading about anything. How about skipping the adventure and writing about electronics? A quick internet search will show YouTube videos about building and repairing electronics. We consider this class of video to be educational-entertainment. However, there are no written or video-themed electronic adventure stories. Electronic-themed entertainment has replaced this entertainment segment.
An excellent example of this new category is a YouTube glitter bomb video. This is where somebody builds an electronic device that takes revenge on package thieves. The inventor posted a video of the incident online to the delight of millions. I suppose that kind of entertainment is like Carl and Jerry, but more entertaining and sophisticated. However, there is a big difference because the joy comes from seeing revenge and not the story behind building the device.
Sadly, we have lost the basic adventure class of entertainment. Why? I think our lives are too complex, and electronic adventures are no longer attractive. We require shock value to maintain interest. But perhaps a new generation will read this blog and enjoy an old classic. It sounds like we need to invent time travel gear in Carl and Jerry's basement.
Clark purchased in bulk and got other magazines in the deal. Popular Electronics was one magazine that he could not sell. These came out in the '50s to '80s, and he gave them to me for free. I enjoyed reading each one and learned a lot from the articles.
Besides learning about electronics, I got a perspective on the '50s and '60s life. (The '70s and ‘80s magazines had lost their charm, and I wouldn't say I liked reading them.) Every invention was exciting, and we had the same vision. The people belonged to perfect families, had a big car and a pleasant house. We were all on the team that would get us into space, and electronics was key to being successful.
One of the contributing writers began an electronics adventure segment titled Carl and Jerry. It followed the two friends who built "gear" and had fun with their creations. The writing style was like The Hardy Boys, and every magazine had a self-contained adventure. A good example is "Tussle with a Tachometer."
https://www.rfcafe.com/references/pop...
While I enjoyed reading Carl and Jerry, that entertainment segment has faded away. If my four blog readers asked 1,000 people with electronic knowledge about Carl and Jerry, one or two old-timers would say, "I remember reading that back in the '60s."
Three years ago, I revisited the series and read them online in chronological order. This was a fun experience, and I thought it would be a good blog experience to take a critical look into yesteryear. So, I re-read a few stories this week. The structure is basic, with well-established characters. Each story contains great dialog, a rapid pace, detailed descriptions (that any reader could build) and lively adventure. The stories have a perfect single arc with an electronic focus.
Today, electronics short adventure stories have a narrow audience. Adults are too busy to bother with electronic adventure stories, and if it is not on YouTube, kids are not interested in reading about anything. How about skipping the adventure and writing about electronics? A quick internet search will show YouTube videos about building and repairing electronics. We consider this class of video to be educational-entertainment. However, there are no written or video-themed electronic adventure stories. Electronic-themed entertainment has replaced this entertainment segment.
An excellent example of this new category is a YouTube glitter bomb video. This is where somebody builds an electronic device that takes revenge on package thieves. The inventor posted a video of the incident online to the delight of millions. I suppose that kind of entertainment is like Carl and Jerry, but more entertaining and sophisticated. However, there is a big difference because the joy comes from seeing revenge and not the story behind building the device.
Sadly, we have lost the basic adventure class of entertainment. Why? I think our lives are too complex, and electronic adventures are no longer attractive. We require shock value to maintain interest. But perhaps a new generation will read this blog and enjoy an old classic. It sounds like we need to invent time travel gear in Carl and Jerry's basement.
The Van of Death
In the early ‘70s, my family had two cars. My father drove a blue Toyota, and my mother drove a big green/fake wood station wagon. (Similar to the Family Truckster in the movie Vacation.) In the mid-‘70s, my father purchased a white Chevrolet van, and my mother drove a cream Toyota Corolla.
We liked camping, and my father converted the white van into a four-person camper. He made a plywood shelf in the back that allowed me to sleep about three feet above the floor. Because he built the shelf inside the van, it could not be removed. The van had a back seat bolted to the frame, and he attached giant plywood skis to move it outside. He glued carpet on the floor, preventing the back seat from sliding around.
My father cut plywood to make a platform over the two front seats and the dashboard. There was a hole for the steering wheel, and my sister slept in this small area. When driving, he placed this plywood sheet on top of the back plywood sheet. My parents slept lengthwise below my bed. The only other modification was changing out the dome lights with fluorescents because they use less electricity.
We went on many trips, and I fondly remember those times. As a vehicle, my father drove that white van everywhere. It was his work truck, transportation, and camper. Eventually, the maintenance and mileage became too great, and my father sold it.
My father purchased a used light-blue Chevrolet van in the ‘80s. By this time, my sister and I were far too big to sleep in this vehicle, so my father did not make any modifications.
In 1988, I learned how to drive, and my car of choice was my mother’s Corolla. It had great visibility, acceleration, braking, and handling. Plus, the air conditioner was fantastic.
Unfortunately, I did most of my early driving in that blue van. Its design had many driving flaws. For visibility, I could look forward but not down. There was a small driver’s side mirror, but the seat position made it difficult to see on the left side. One or two motorcycles could easily hide in the blind spot. The passenger window was small, far away, and high. So, the mirror was hard to see, and there was a blind spot big enough to hide a pickup truck. The epic problems were with the back windows. They were tiny, and I could only see large trucks or cars far behind me.
When I changed lanes, I looked and craned my neck hard. Then, I flicked on the turn signals, waited for ten clicks, and slowly eased over while looking at the mirrors and listening for horns.
And there was more fun! The brakes were gentle, the acceleration was modest, and the steering was vague. I had at least ten close calls, and driving was always stressful.
One flaw outshined all others. Like the white van, my father wanted a back seat. The blue van did not come with one, and we went to a junkyard to get one from a junked Volkswagen van. My father and I attached wooden planks to it. However, the blue van did not have carpet, which allowed the back seat to slide in all directions. Did I mention the Volkswagen seat did not have seat belts?
When the van rapidly stopped, the seat would slide forward, and the passengers (if lucky) would slam into the back of the driver’s and passenger’s seats. Unlucky passengers crashed into the dashboard. Taking a sharp turn slammed them into the side panels.
This is how that blue van earned the nickname “The Van of Death.” Despite the negatives, the blue van was my lifeline. I went to friends houses, stores and explored the town.
I recall one fun trip going to the locksmith with a giant file cabinet, and it went flying during a fast corner which made a nice dent in the side. Another time, I was in an unfamiliar part of town and did not know about a big hump in the road. I was going too fast and took off like the General Lee from the television show The Dukes of Hazzard. Because the shock absorbers were not great, there was a big bounce. This event scared the life out of me.
Around 2000, my father replaced the blue van with a white Chevrolet van. It was faster, had better handling, large windows, an enormous window on the passenger side, and oversized mirrors. There was something else of note. It had an AC Delco radio, and despite being basic, it was by far the best car sound system I have ever heard.
We all have childhood experiences; some are more negative than others, but they are the best learning experiences. I can certainly say I am a better driver, but if circumstances were slightly different, I could have died in an accident. Yet, I survived and now have experiences to write about.
You’re the best -Bill
June 07, 2023
We liked camping, and my father converted the white van into a four-person camper. He made a plywood shelf in the back that allowed me to sleep about three feet above the floor. Because he built the shelf inside the van, it could not be removed. The van had a back seat bolted to the frame, and he attached giant plywood skis to move it outside. He glued carpet on the floor, preventing the back seat from sliding around.
My father cut plywood to make a platform over the two front seats and the dashboard. There was a hole for the steering wheel, and my sister slept in this small area. When driving, he placed this plywood sheet on top of the back plywood sheet. My parents slept lengthwise below my bed. The only other modification was changing out the dome lights with fluorescents because they use less electricity.
We went on many trips, and I fondly remember those times. As a vehicle, my father drove that white van everywhere. It was his work truck, transportation, and camper. Eventually, the maintenance and mileage became too great, and my father sold it.
My father purchased a used light-blue Chevrolet van in the ‘80s. By this time, my sister and I were far too big to sleep in this vehicle, so my father did not make any modifications.
In 1988, I learned how to drive, and my car of choice was my mother’s Corolla. It had great visibility, acceleration, braking, and handling. Plus, the air conditioner was fantastic.
Unfortunately, I did most of my early driving in that blue van. Its design had many driving flaws. For visibility, I could look forward but not down. There was a small driver’s side mirror, but the seat position made it difficult to see on the left side. One or two motorcycles could easily hide in the blind spot. The passenger window was small, far away, and high. So, the mirror was hard to see, and there was a blind spot big enough to hide a pickup truck. The epic problems were with the back windows. They were tiny, and I could only see large trucks or cars far behind me.
When I changed lanes, I looked and craned my neck hard. Then, I flicked on the turn signals, waited for ten clicks, and slowly eased over while looking at the mirrors and listening for horns.
And there was more fun! The brakes were gentle, the acceleration was modest, and the steering was vague. I had at least ten close calls, and driving was always stressful.
One flaw outshined all others. Like the white van, my father wanted a back seat. The blue van did not come with one, and we went to a junkyard to get one from a junked Volkswagen van. My father and I attached wooden planks to it. However, the blue van did not have carpet, which allowed the back seat to slide in all directions. Did I mention the Volkswagen seat did not have seat belts?
When the van rapidly stopped, the seat would slide forward, and the passengers (if lucky) would slam into the back of the driver’s and passenger’s seats. Unlucky passengers crashed into the dashboard. Taking a sharp turn slammed them into the side panels.
This is how that blue van earned the nickname “The Van of Death.” Despite the negatives, the blue van was my lifeline. I went to friends houses, stores and explored the town.
I recall one fun trip going to the locksmith with a giant file cabinet, and it went flying during a fast corner which made a nice dent in the side. Another time, I was in an unfamiliar part of town and did not know about a big hump in the road. I was going too fast and took off like the General Lee from the television show The Dukes of Hazzard. Because the shock absorbers were not great, there was a big bounce. This event scared the life out of me.
Around 2000, my father replaced the blue van with a white Chevrolet van. It was faster, had better handling, large windows, an enormous window on the passenger side, and oversized mirrors. There was something else of note. It had an AC Delco radio, and despite being basic, it was by far the best car sound system I have ever heard.
We all have childhood experiences; some are more negative than others, but they are the best learning experiences. I can certainly say I am a better driver, but if circumstances were slightly different, I could have died in an accident. Yet, I survived and now have experiences to write about.
You’re the best -Bill
June 07, 2023
