Thunderbird Club

[Chucky Stiletti]

Thanks Miles…and any who noticed the somewhat rare factory finish. The Bass is all original (for now) and the finish is Epi’s Trans-Black. Epiphone only offered for a short run and it changes colors depending on lighting.
View attachment 5341404
I’m also (like most here) hooked on modifying T-Birds plus it’s an affordable hobby vs modifying cars!
My wife get’s upset when I work on an engine inside the house! Ha!

lol, had friends in high school whose dinner table was the front end of a Maserati Mistrale….the rear end (still connected of course) was outside the house….god I miss FL in the 70’s…

 

[Engle]

Everything is China now.

It seems like it, but not really. For the NA market, my company manufactures fiber and copper cable in the US, and connectors in Mexico. (Other plants are in Ireland, Czech Republic, India and China)

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

It seems like it, but not really. For the NA market, my company manufactures fiber and copper cable in the US, and connectors in Mexico. (Other plants are in Ireland, Czech Republic, India and China)

yeah, Geopolitical and China+1 are hot topics for us….PFAS restrictions/mandates from the EU are also gaining traction…

 

[Stealth57]

yeah, Geopolitical and China+1 are hot topics for us….PFAS restrictions/mandates from the EU are also gaining traction…

I was working in semiconductor manufacturing in the days of CoCom. We had interesting conversations regarding export controls with the DoD and DoC, including some CIA related ops when the DoC issued export licenses that weren't supposed to be approved. Oops, things went bang.

 

[Ringhammer]

Back in the mid-70s I worked for a Clothes cleaner as a kid off the books and they had trip wires across a number passage ways that had to be connected when we turned the alarm on. It was fun to set a few of them while someone was in the building and turn the alarm on....and wait..... Of course this was before the police were automatically called.

Yeah, it’s a weird little industry I have been associated with essentially since birth. The evolution of which is similar to communication tech, but has always been a few years behind. I have almost all of my systems using internet with cell backup to communicate signals to my central station (which then they follow whatever instructions are set for the account, eg; call contact, call authorities, or do nothing unless more that one device activates, etc.). 14 years ago when I went out on my own it was still typical to connect to phone lines. I worked hard to get every client I took on to use internet which cellular backup, and any system I took over I would push in that direction. At those time I have less than 10 still on dialtone comm. even now with some area wide internet outages, those systems are still on line with the cellular backup comm.

Not to mention the convenience of apps that allow for remote control and notifications of what’s going on with your system, it’s a far cry from the “tape dialer” of the ‘60’s -‘70’s. Literally a device that would call a service and play a recorded (to tape) message say some to the effect of “THE ALARM SYSTEM HAS BEEN ACTIVATED AT ABC PLUMBING, 123 MAIN ST, SAN FRANCISCO”. My father’s first “central station” was an ambulance dispatch /answering service.

Sometime in the ‘70’s they introduced the “digital dialer” which would call a compatible receiver at an answering (with a printer tape) and would communicate some basic information digitally over the customer phone line (think modem), account number and one of 10 alarm codes 0-9. The “operator at the service would ready the tape, find the account information in the “file” (Rolodex card) and respond to the alarm code appropriately (police or fire or sometimes ambulance if it was a medical button).

In the 80’s regulations of some sort said an answering service could no longer be a “central station”, and also computer processing systems were starting to happen. At that time my dad decided to expand and be his own “central station” and paid some serious ‘80’s $$$$ for a “CAPS” Computerized Alarm Processing System. In addition to monitoring his own systems (employing 24 hour “staff” essentially one person, of which I was one from the time I was 16 until around 18 or so before I started working in the field after HS, working weekend days while still in HS, an then S/S days and 3 swing shift nights that first year after graduating HS), he also immediately became a “contract central station”, charging a small fee per account to monitor alarms for other small alarm companies. This decision made for a good life for my dad, step-mom and 1/2 sister and brother. I was out of the house at 18, so I was on my own when the family moved to the nice house in Hillsborough. That is not to say I had it bad, but during the years I lived with him and my step mom it was a solidly middle class life (which was great!), but if I wanted something I had to work for it. This is something I can only appreciate immensely now!

Thanks for reading if you got this far, I think my coffee is extra strong this morning.

 

[Stealth57]

Yeah, it’s a weird little industry I have been associated with essentially since birth. The evolution of which is similar to communication tech, but has always been a few years behind. I have almost all of my systems using internet with cell backup to communicate signals to my central station (which then they follow whatever instructions are set for the account, eg; call contact, call authorities, or do nothing unless more that one device activates, etc.). 14 years ago when I went out on my own it was still typical to connect to phone lines. I worked hard to get every client I took on to use internet which cellular backup, and any system I took over I would push in that direction. At those time I have less than 10 still on dialtone comm. even now with some area wide internet outages, those systems are still on line with the cellular backup comm.

Not to mention the convenience of apps that allow for remote control and notifications of what’s going on with your system, it’s a far cry from the “tape dialer” of the ‘60’s -‘70’s. Literally a device that would call a service and play a recorded (to tape) message say some to the effect of “THE ALARM SYSTEM HAS BEEN ACTIVATED AT ABC PLUMBING, 123 MAIN ST, SAN FRANCISCO”. My father’s first “central station” was an ambulance dispatch /answering service.

Sometime in the ‘70’s they introduced the “digital dialer” which would call a compatible receiver at an answering (with a printer tape) and would communicate some basic information digitally over the customer phone line (think modem), account number and one of 10 alarm codes 0-9. The “operator at the service would ready the tape, find the account information in the “file” (Rolodex card) and respond to the alarm code appropriately (police or fire or sometimes ambulance if it was a medical button).

In the 80’s regulations of some sort said an answering service could no longer be a “central station”, and also computer processing systems were starting to happen. At that time my dad decided to expand and be his own “central station” and paid some serious ‘80’s $$$$ for a “CAPS” Computerized Alarm Processing System. In addition to monitoring his own systems (employing 24 hour “staff” essentially one person, of which I was one from the time I was 16 until around 18 or so before I started working in the field after HS, working weekend days while still in HS, an then S/S days and 3 swing shift nights that first year after graduating HS), he also immediately became a “contract central station”, charging a small fee per account to monitor alarms for other small alarm companies. This decision made for a good life for my dad, step-mom and 1/2 sister and brother. I was out of the house at 18, so I was on my own when the family moved to the nice house in Hillsborough. That is not to say I had it bad, but during the years I lived with him and my step mom it was a solidly middle class life (which was great!), but if I wanted something I had to work for it. This is something I can only appreciate immensely now!

Thanks for reading if you got this far, I think my coffee is extra strong this morning.

Hillsborough? So one of those Richie Rich folks...my wife's grandmother lived on Bridge Road. She had a very nice Hammond B3 with full bass pedals and a couple of Leslie cabs. It went to someone else in her will. I guess I wasn't tops on her list. Oh well, nice lady.

 

[Cirrubass]

Can anyone suggest a compact, simple, basic and reliable DI box that I can keep with me for use when I use my AD200B, which has no XLR/DI out. It does have a slave (1/4”) out, but I’ve had experience where that caused the house sound person some issues. I like to be prepared.

Broughton Audio Proto DI

 

[Ringhammer]

Hillsborough? So one of those Richie Rich folks...my wife's grandmother lived on Bridge Road. She had a very nice Hammond B3 with full bass pedals and a couple of Leslie cabs. It went to someone else in her will. I guess I wasn't tops on her list. Oh well, nice lady.

If you know the town, they are essentially in “New” Hillsborough, an area developed in the, I’d guess, late ‘60’s into the ‘70’s. Still nice. Like I said, I had it pretty good, I lived with them in a good part of San Mateo all through high school, left literally on my 18th birthday, could not wait to be on my own. My sister and brother grew up in the Hillsborough house (dad and stepmom are still there), and while I never planned on going to college, and there was no expectation of me going, if I did it would have been on my dime (lots of them) probably. My first car I had to buy from my stepmom (‘71 Dodge Demon, yeah! 225 slant six, not so yeah…). OTOH, my half siblings went to college and as far as I know did not have to work, their “job” was to “get good grades, stay out of trouble”. They were given their first cars as well. I really didn’t consciously feel any resentment about this, I am 16 and 22 years older than them and grew up in a different way and time. I dearly love both my sibs and their spouses and kids and my dad and stepmom too. That entire side of my family is awesome and I frequently remind them I am grateful that everyone is successful, healthy and happy.

No loser sib showing up at the door with a needle in their arm asking for money, no collect calls from jail. Only I came dangerously close to being THAT sib.

 

[Ringhammer]

Broughton Audio Proto DI

Thanks, I already purchased the ART unit.
I do like the Broughton products, I have one of their HPF pedals and an LPF/HPF pedal for my stay at home board.

 

[dagrev]

...but if I wanted something I had to work for it. This is something I can only appreciate immensely now!

Thanks for reading if you got this far, I think my coffee is extra strong this morning.

Read every word! That last part is really important and was true for me as well. Single parent household until I graduated HS. And not in a good part of town. I started working maintenance and odd jobs when I was a young kid. If I could have "retired" after getting 30 yrs in of working, I would have retired (poorly) at something like 43! But I would not change a thing.

 

[dagrev]

If you know the town, they are essentially in “New” Hillsborough, an area developed in the, I’d guess, late ‘60’s into the ‘70’s. Still nice. Like I said, I had it pretty good, I lived with them in a good part of San Mateo all through high school, left literally on my 18th birthday, could not wait to be on my own. My sister and brother grew up in the Hillsborough house (dad and stepmom are still there), and while I never planned on going to college, and there was no expectation of me going, if I did it would have been on my dime (lots of them) probably. My first car I had to buy from my stepmom (‘71 Dodge Demon, yeah! 225 slant six, not so yeah…). OTOH, my half siblings went to college and as far as I know did not have to work, their “job” was to “get good grades, stay out of trouble”. They were given their first cars as well. I really didn’t consciously feel any resentment about this, I am 16 and 22 years older than them and grew up in a different way and time. I dearly love both my sibs and their spouses and kids and my dad and stepmom too. That entire side of my family is awesome and I frequently remind them I am grateful that everyone is successful, healthy and happy.

No loser sib showing up at the door with a needle in their arm asking for money, no collect calls from jail. Only I came dangerously close to being THAT sib.

Hey, the 225 was a solid engine and would last forever! Largely because it was slow--but it would last. A cousin got very close to 200k on one of his in an '80/1? Cordoba, before getting rid of it. May have reached 800k by now, who knows!

You're the successful one, unless your sibs play bass or played in bands. Such a cool experience few only dream of dong. Paid much or not.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Hey, the 225 was a solid engine and would last forever! Largely because it was slow--but it would last. A cousin got very close to 200k on one of his in an '80/1? Cordoba, before getting rid of it. May have reached 800k by now, who knows!

You're the successful one, unless your sibs play bass or played in bands. Such a cool experience few only dream of dong. Paid much or not.

that engine had a 300k miles club! my ex wife had one in her 60’s Dart..read somewhere once they had to stop making it as it was hindering future sales…

 

[Ringhammer]

Hey, the 225 was a solid engine and would last forever! Largely because it was slow--

Yeah, but a 340 would have been awesome. But at 16, that reads trouble. A 318 would have been nice. After a year I sold it and bought a ‘73 Duster with a 318. The guy before me shoved a huge cam, 4v and headers in it, and limited slip diff, and my teenage inner car guy thought it was awesome! I only learned later that in order for the headers to fit, the guy had to remove that pesky kick down linkage, which eventually fried the little 904 automatic. I found a 727, stuck it in and after some professional tweaking got it to run OK for awhile until I sold it after about a year and a half.

Here’s something I thought of. When I bought that ‘73 Duster, it was only 10 years old and it was considered a pretty old used car.

my 2011 Charger is 13 years old and is still a really nice car, with dated but still sophisticated gadgets (touchscreen, cruise control, AWD, Hemi), and has plenty of life left, even at 99k miles.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Yeah, it’s a weird little industry I have been associated with essentially since birth. The evolution of which is similar to communication tech, but has always been a few years behind. I have almost all of my systems using internet with cell backup to communicate signals to my central station (which then they follow whatever instructions are set for the account, eg; call contact, call authorities, or do nothing unless more that one device activates, etc.). 14 years ago when I went out on my own it was still typical to connect to phone lines. I worked hard to get every client I took on to use internet which cellular backup, and any system I took over I would push in that direction. At those time I have less than 10 still on dialtone comm. even now with some area wide internet outages, those systems are still on line with the cellular backup comm.

Not to mention the convenience of apps that allow for remote control and notifications of what’s going on with your system, it’s a far cry from the “tape dialer” of the ‘60’s -‘70’s. Literally a device that would call a service and play a recorded (to tape) message say some to the effect of “THE ALARM SYSTEM HAS BEEN ACTIVATED AT ABC PLUMBING, 123 MAIN ST, SAN FRANCISCO”. My father’s first “central station” was an ambulance dispatch /answering service.

Sometime in the ‘70’s they introduced the “digital dialer” which would call a compatible receiver at an answering (with a printer tape) and would communicate some basic information digitally over the customer phone line (think modem), account number and one of 10 alarm codes 0-9. The “operator at the service would ready the tape, find the account information in the “file” (Rolodex card) and respond to the alarm code appropriately (police or fire or sometimes ambulance if it was a medical button).

In the 80’s regulations of some sort said an answering service could no longer be a “central station”, and also computer processing systems were starting to happen. At that time my dad decided to expand and be his own “central station” and paid some serious ‘80’s $$$$ for a “CAPS” Computerized Alarm Processing System. In addition to monitoring his own systems (employing 24 hour “staff” essentially one person, of which I was one from the time I was 16 until around 18 or so before I started working in the field after HS, working weekend days while still in HS, an then S/S days and 3 swing shift nights that first year after graduating HS), he also immediately became a “contract central station”, charging a small fee per account to monitor alarms for other small alarm companies. This decision made for a good life for my dad, step-mom and 1/2 sister and brother. I was out of the house at 18, so I was on my own when the family moved to the nice house in Hillsborough. That is not to say I had it bad, but during the years I lived with him and my step mom it was a solidly middle class life (which was great!), but if I wanted something I had to work for it. This is something I can only appreciate immensely now!

Thanks for reading if you got this far, I think my coffee is extra strong this morning.

pretty interesting industry…had the pleasure to work in IC design (Philips NFC/i-CODE) that were used (among other things) in access control and got me involved in large deployments….interesting customers….so you work with BACnet and Modbus? any Ladder Logic involved in your deployments? let’s have a brew (or two) sometime….

 

[Ringhammer]

so you work with BACnet and Modbus? any Ladder Logic involved in your deployments? let’s have a brew (or two) sometime….

Nothing as sophisticated (as that sounds). And my recent access control experience is limited. But mostly prox cards (32 bit to the controller), and web based interface. What’s going on inside may be more of what you refer to, but I just wire it up, program and maintain. I know recently, at the casino I spoke of, we (I) replaced all (120 or so) 32 bit Weigand readers with newer 128 bit (I think) readers and a private facility code that custome cards need to be made for use exclusively at that site. But like I said, I just ensure compatibility, install and setup. If components go bad, I replace.

Yes to a beer, for sure. I find myself in Marina and Pebble Beach (clients there), on occasion, maybe meet up when I’m on my way out, or one of these days when you play in like, Los Gatos I’ll try to make it out. Or better, if you need and opener BL will do it!

 

[Stealth57]

Nothing as sophisticated (as that sounds). And my recent access control experience is limited. But mostly prox cards (32 bit to the controller), and web based interface. What’s going on inside may be more of what you refer to, but I just wire it up, program and maintain. I know recently, at the casino I spoke of, we (I) replaced all (120 or so) 32 bit Weigand readers with newer 128 bit (I think) readers and a private facility code that custome cards need to be made for use exclusively at that site. But like I said, I just ensure compatibility, install and setup. If components go bad, I replace.

Yes to a beer, for sure. I find myself in Marina and Pebble Beach (clients there), on occasion, maybe meet up when I’m on my way out, or one of these days when you play in like, Los Gatos I’ll try to make it out. Or better, if you need and opener BL will do it!

Opening for one of Chucky's gigs...WOW, add me to the list!

 

[Gaolee]

lol, had friends in high school whose dinner table was the front end of a Maserati Mistrale….the rear end (still connected of course) was outside the house….god I miss FL in the 70’s…

I expect that was a fairly expensive dinner table. I would take one of those cars and be pretty happy. I think. Who knows what the driving to wrenching ratio is.

 

[Gaolee]

Broughton Audio Proto DI

Broughton anything is going to be good.

 

[JIO]

Thanks Miles…and any who noticed the somewhat rare factory finish. The Bass is all original (for now) and the finish is Epi’s Trans-Black. Epiphone only offered for a short run and it changes colors depending on lighting.
View attachment 5341404
I’m also (like most here) hooked on modifying T-Birds plus it’s an affordable hobby vs modifying cars!
My wife get’s upset when I work on an engine inside the house! Ha!

ebony -

 

[Gaolee]

Yeah, but a 340 would have been awesome. But at 16, that reads trouble. A 318 would have been nice. After a year I sold it and bought a ‘73 Duster with a 318. The guy before me shoved a huge cam, 4v and headers in it, and limited slip diff, and my teenage inner car guy thought it was awesome! I only learned later that in order for the headers to fit, the guy had to remove that pesky kick down linkage, which eventually fried the little 904 automatic. I found a 727, stuck it in and after some professional tweaking got it to run OK for awhile until I sold it after about a year and a half.

Here’s something I thought of. When I bought that ‘73 Duster, it was only 10 years old and it was considered a pretty old used car.

my 2011 Charger is 13 years old and is still a really nice car, with dated but still sophisticated gadgets (touchscreen, cruise control, AWD, Hemi), and has plenty of life left, even at 99k miles.

In the '60s or '70s, 100k was a whole lot of miles. Now, it's barely broken in.