Well that was a surprise

[LeoG]

When I got my first pair of HTs they were the TDH3 but the HAM version.  Shortly after I discovered they could be switched over to GMRS.  I looked into it and discovered the licensing was just $35 and that covered the family.  The process was a pain and by the time I had finished up I had 8 windows open that were required to obtain this license.

Not really the surprise.  After playing with these radios I was surprised to find out my wife didn't hate them.  After a short while I ended up getting a mobile tranceiver that I put in the house as a base station.  My wife didn't really care for talking on it but she did like to listen to the active repeater.

Eventually I put up a good antenna and I got a mobile unit so I could keep in touch with my wife.  She enjoyed being able to contact me.  I put up a repeater at my shop and even though communication was difficult because of hills and trees she enjoyed contacting me by the radio over texting or phone unless she couldn't get me through the radio.  Eventually I found out my antenna and/or coax was faulty and changed that out and now the connection is much better. 

My repeater is 50w and the mobile is 20w and the repeater can get to the house better than the house can get to the repeater.  So I decided to get a 50w for the house.  Ordered the power supply and the radio.  The PS came today and my wife was excited.  She knew nothing of what I had ordered.  She thought I got a new radio.

I was a bit shocked.  The normal expectation when a husband spend money without the wife knowing about it on his hobby is to be frowned up or worse, being yelled at.  She was disappointed that it was a power supply and not a radio.  She still doesn't know I ordered the radio.  I didn't want to take the surprise away from her when it does arrive.

Can a guy be more lucky.

[SteveShannon]

You had me at “When I got my first pair of radios,” but the ending was great!

[WRCR724]

7 hours ago, LeoG said:

When I got my first pair of HTs they were the TDH3 but the HAM version.  Shortly after I discovered they could be switched over to GMRS.  I looked into it and discovered the licensing was just $35 and that covered the family.  The process was a pain and by the time I had finished up I had 8 windows open that were required to obtain this license.

Not really the surprise.  After playing with these radios I was surprised to find out my wife didn't hate them.  After a short while I ended up getting a mobile tranceiver that I put in the house as a base station.  My wife didn't really care for talking on it but she did like to listen to the active repeater.

Eventually I put up a good antenna and I got a mobile unit so I could keep in touch with my wife.  She enjoyed being able to contact me.  I put up a repeater at my shop and even though communication was difficult because of hills and trees she enjoyed contacting me by the radio over texting or phone unless she couldn't get me through the radio.  Eventually I found out my antenna and/or coax was faulty and changed that out and now the connection is much better. 

My repeater is 50w and the mobile is 20w and the repeater can get to the house better than the house can get to the repeater.  So I decided to get a 50w for the house.  Ordered the power supply and the radio.  The PS came today and my wife was excited.  She knew nothing of what I had ordered.  She thought I got a new radio.

I was a bit shocked.  The normal expectation when a husband spend money without the wife knowing about it on his hobby is to be frowned up or worse, being yelled at.  She was disappointed that it was a power supply and not a radio.  She still doesn't know I ordered the radio.  I didn't want to take the surprise away from her when it does arrive.

Can a guy be more lucky.

Stop everything you are doing right now and go buy a lottery ticket!

[CaptainSarcastic]

You, sir are blessed.

My wife thinks it's "cute" when I go nerd out in my office with my radios. When we have bad storms coming, she's the first one to ask if my radios are charged up just in case. I love her.

[Socalgmrs]

When we swapped from spotty cell phones to radios for work comms across the valley (60miles wide and 120miles long)  my wife was not convinced untill they worked all over in places where cells didn’t. Then when the first big winter storm came and we had no cell phone for days she was super happy to be able to talk to me and friends all over the valley.  We were able to get help to elderly or people with stuck cars or downed trees.  Then when the fires came and we had no cell phones and we were evacuating large animals and using radios to coordinate with our crew and others, things got real, after that asked do we need more or better radios.  Now it’s Motorolas all around.  Plus they are 1/2 the price of the other junk. 

[Lscott]

10 hours ago, LeoG said:

The normal expectation when a husband spend money without the wife knowing about it on his hobby

I don't have one of those, wife, got rid of that problem years ago, so I get to spend my money anyway on anything I want. No BS to put up with.

[WRTC928]

That's awesome!

[WRTC928]

43 minutes ago, Lscott said:

I don't have one of those, wife, got rid of that problem years ago, so I get to spend my money anyway on anything I want. No BS to put up with.

Me too, and it works just fine.

[SteveShannon]

I have a wonderful wife and I honestly wouldn’t want to dwell on life without her beside me. When I went back to college at 32, she worked two jobs to take care of me and our kids without ever complaining. Now that she’s in a wheelchair with MS she still never complains. I know that not everyone is so fortunate but I’m delighted for @LeoG. It appears he has a good one. 

[LeoG]

1 hour ago, Lscott said:

I don't have one of those, wife, got rid of that problem years ago, so I get to spend my money anyway on anything I want. No BS to put up with.

No BS.  I would spend it anyway whether she approved or not.  Life is too short to not have a few pleasantries and hobbies.  She has surprised me in the fact that she shows interest in the radio - period.  I expected when I got the base station installed it would always be "can you turn that thing off/down".  But for the most parts no complaints.  She even joins in on the nets on one of the repeaters.  I consider this electronics which she has no interest in.  I guess it's the gossip part of it.  You get to listen to other peoples conversations and then talk about them later on.  And after 38 years of marriage it's nice to have another topic to talk about.

[Lscott]

26 minutes ago, SteveShannon said:

I have a wonderful wife and I honestly wouldn’t want to dwell on life without her beside me. When I went back to college at 32, she worked two jobs to take care of me and our kids without ever complaining. Now that she’s in a wheelchair with MS she still never complains. I know that not everyone is so fortunate but I’m delighted for @LeoG. It appears he has a good one. 

When I went back the second time to collage to get my second degree, combo Mathematics and Computer Science, she would complain about all the time I spent on the weekends doing homework and programming projects for school. That got old really quick. Had me thinking about quitting school. I was about the same age back then as you were when you went back.

[SteveShannon]

2 minutes ago, Lscott said:

When I went back the second time to collage to get my second degree, combo Mathematics and Computer Science, she would complain about all the time I spent on the weekends doing homework and programming projects for school. That got old really quick. Had me thinking about quitting school. I was about the same age back then as you were when you went back.

Yeah, I can certainly understand how that would get old. I wish everyone could have a spouse as good as mine, but it just doesn’t work that way. 

[tcp2525]

3 hours ago, Lscott said:

I don't have one of those, wife, got rid of that problem years ago, so I get to spend my money anyway on anything I want. No BS to put up with.

So, basically you did what was required of you to keep things fresh, you rotated stock. Just remember for freshness always put new stock at the back of the pack. Good man!!

[WRUU653]

@LeoG reading your story gave me a genuine smile. As someone who feels lucky to have my wife I appreciate hearing someone else’s positive experiences. You are a lucky guy.
 

 

[LeoG]

I sure am.  She makes me a sandwich every work day and dinner every night.

[tweiss3]

Heh. My wife doesn't necessarily participate, but finds them useful at times. She didn't really say anything after she saw my last purchase order other than "that's a lot of money" then walked away and didn't mention it again.

[HHD1]

Katie and I share an interest in 2 way radios.  She was EMS and came into our relationship carrying a fancy Bendix King.  We have cute code names for each other and use our radios every day.  It's enough to make normal people sick.

[HHD1]

2 hours ago, LeoG said:

I sure am.  She makes me a sandwich every work day and dinner every night.

Nothing better in life than a good woman at your side.  I had to go through quite a few bad ones to finally find mine.  I can't believe I actually thought I knew what love was before her.

[WRUE951]

When my wife see's a delivery for me ffrm Atlantic, she automatically knows it's batteries  

[LeoG]

5 hours ago, tweiss3 said:

Heh. My wife doesn't necessarily participate, but finds them useful at times. She didn't really say anything after she saw my last purchase order other than "that's a lot of money" then walked away and didn't mention it again.

I won't be showing my wife the invoice for my 80' tower when I finally get it.