A copy, but an amateur one
Perhaps I have evolved; now, I am an elder, in the community sense. Yes, this is a case of labelling myself, but what other term to use when I spend time trying to pass on family history to someone much younger. The critical facts, like “where your mother went to school” or “where your great-grandparents lived” or “why so few houses locally are constructed using bricks”. All facts that an elder would know; that only an elder would know, actually.
So far, I’ve used my role as a teacher of history. No opinions. No guidance. That sort of thing you can get from a peer, albeit with caveats. History is so much easier to convey. Talking points, only.
My eventual construction of my antenna took another great leap forward, this afternoon. I’ve decided to copy (directly) the hardware from a commercial version, and after careful searching of the Amazon catalog, I’m now on the delivery list for a piece of aluminum bar stock and some insulated bolts. If I can figure out how to cut the bar, cleanly drill some holes, bend the bar into a circle and make everything fit together, my project will (probably) work just as well as that costly commercial prototype. After all, I’m an amateur. My mandate is to find ways to do things that respect my limited budget. And as an aside, I have no plan to produce this type of gear for anyone else.
Meanwhile, the outside world is doing its thing. I just don’t see them (insert a suitable job title here).
