Equipment Nostalgia

[JamesCaruso]

I was cleaning out an old closet yesterday and found this stuff. For you young-uns out there, before we had mobile internet we depended upon NOAA Weather Radio for watch and warning info, received over a scanner, with a roof mounted antenna to improve reception out in the middle of nowhere.

I threw all this stuff out Yes a scanner is still useful to have in the home in case of emergency, but I had left batteries in the scanner so the acid had leaked out. Probably wouldn’t be a bad idea to buy another one, not for chasing but for the home just-in-case…

 

[Mark Gressman Jr]

I know you said you already tossed the scanner, but for future reference, you can usually clean up the gear with QTips and apple cider vinegar to get it working again provided the leak wasn't catastrophic. It's worked quite well over the years for stuff that I neglected to remove batteries from.

 

[Dan Robinson]

The scanner with the external antenna was a staple of my vehicles between 2002 and around 2010. I had the NOAA weather radio frequencies programmed into it. Before the "Mr. Roboto" voice started around 2004 or so, the NWR broadcasts were recorded by the WFO staff and they used to do frequent updates about what storms were doing. It was very useful and I had that running for most of my earliest chases. Once the broadcasts became more automated and updated much less frequently, I used the scanner less and less.

I did a retrospective blog post that includes reminiscing on a lot of old chasing equipment: negative and slide film, SLR cameras, AM radio (sferics), maps/DeLorme Gazetteers, old cell phones, WIFI adapters, MiniDV tapes:

30 Years of Storm Chasing & Photography

 

[Drew Terril]

I know you said you already tossed the scanner, but for future reference, you can usually clean up the gear with QTips and apple cider vinegar to get it working again provided the leak wasn't catastrophic. It's worked quite well over the years for stuff that I neglected to remove batteries from.

Glad you mentioned that. I still have my old Rat Shack Pro-94 scanner that was my first scanner, back when the vast majority of systems were either conventional, LTR, EDACS (pre-ProVoice), or Motorola Type II. I made the same mistake with my Pro-94 that James did and left batteries in it too long. Just some corrosion on the terminals, so I'll give your tip a shot, just so I can fire it up for old times sake.

I made the upgrade to a Grecom PSR-500 IIRC around 08 or so once the early P25 systems started getting more widely deployed, and now run a Uniden BCD996P2 that can handle Phase 2 P25 as well as DMR and NXDN (the latter two becoming increasingly common in the amateur radio world). Locally, there are almost no Phase 2 systems like when I lived in the OKC area, so the Uniden is probably overkill at this point for anything other than DMR or NXDN.

 

[Kyle Soldani]

Ah that brings me back... When I initially started I had the radio on constantly, then once I learned about getting my RS scanner into WX Alert mode - boy did I think I was hot stuff. Later along I had a Verizon 3G USB modem. Service was pretty few and far between, but with an external antenna and topping a hill I could usually get some updated data. I used to rely on MS Streets and Trips religiously as well, shame they stopped that software!

 

[JamesCaruso]

Great memories! The move to Mr. Roboto was indeed disturbing But I still kept it on because it was always an adrenaline rush to hear the alarm go off. That still happens on cell phones now, but listening to NOAA Weather Radio you would get it even for new watches IIRC. I remember often having to stop and fix the roof mount antennae; if would fall over, and sometimes hang off the side of the vehicle, after an 18-wheeler blew by on a tight road at high speed.

I remember the DeLorme Gazetteers too. For a few years I still brought them with me as a backup/redundancy to Google Maps. It was a big deal the first year I didn’t bring them, and a bigger deal to bring myself to throw them out. I still bring the fold-up, laminated state maps that I have had for 20+ years. I rarely break them out while in the car, but I do use them sometimes when planning a target or when reviewing a chase day afterwards, because on the screen you can’t see both the detail and the big picture simultaneously.

 

[James K]

Not 'equipment', but I got this as either a birthday or Christmas gift back when I was a kid ... because even back then I loved thunderstorms.

 

[Jeff Wright]

Doug Trumbull of Star Trek: The Motion Picture fame was a UFO Hunter.

Not a big believer---but dear god---what a camera vehicle!

https://www.wcvb.com/article/revolutionizing-the-film-industry-while-hunting-ufos/26630120

Douglas Trumbull screens 'UFOTOG,' makes case for immersive filmmaking

Douglas Trumbull screens 'UFOTOG,' makes case for immersive filmmaking

ew.com

For the love of all that is holy---please tell me a chaser has this now!