Georgia Fiero Club Forum

All Things Fiero => Club Events => Topic started by: GTRS Fiero on October 24, 2020, 09:27:54 am

Title: Fall 2020 color tour?
Post by: GTRS Fiero on October 24, 2020, 09:27:54 am: ~~I'm guessing no such thing is happening, this year.~~

Edit to add details:
Quote
Some years ago we did a Chattanooga BBQ trip from Cartersville, up through Rome and Cloudland Canyon. We traveled up the Lookout Mountain Scenic Highway atop the Lookout Mountain Ridge past the hang glider port and over Lookout Mountain into Chattanooga. We then came back down I-75 to Ringgold where we stopped and had lunch at Bailey's BBQ.

Bailey's BBQ is open for dining. Instead of doing C&C this Sunday, I have a route for the BBQ trip. Because we've been doing so much on the NE side of Georgia, I thought that for the benefit of the West Georgia Folks, we would do something closer for them.

How about it? BBQ run this Sunday, Nov. 1. Can we get our East Georgia people to come along? Meet in Cartersville and head out from there? FRS radios will be very helpful on this trip.

The forecast for Saturday is Sunny, 20% chance of rain, high of about 65. Sunday should be just as good.

Quote
Lunch will be the final stop before we head back home. I estimate we should be finished no later than 3 if we leave Cartersville at 9.

OUR MEETING PLACE WILL BE AT THE SHELL STATION, 5629 Canton Hwy, GA-20, Cartersville, GA 30121.
EXIT 290 OFF I-75 NORTH.

9 AM DEPARTURE TIME WITH A FULL TANK OF FUEL. FRS WALKIE TALKIES ARE IMPORTANT ON THIS DRIVE DUE TO THE NUMBER OF TURNS. IF YOU HAVE AN EXTRA RADIO TO LOAN, BRING IT ALONG.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: Fierofool on October 24, 2020, 09:59:19 am: It's been quite a while since we have done one.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: GTRS Fiero on October 24, 2020, 10:01:11 am: Yeah. Colors are getting very nice, here, but I keep thinking of the BRP, which is supposed to have great views.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: Fierofool on October 24, 2020, 10:02:38 am: I saw on a weather report last week that colors were peaking in North Georgia.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: Wreck It Ralph on October 24, 2020, 12:31:12 pm: I’d love to drive up. But first figure out short, dash lights, and put center console back together.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: Fierofool on October 24, 2020, 01:53:24 pm: The alternators are out on both my cars. Second replacement of a reman this year. I opted for a new one but everything for a Fiero nowadays comes with a V belt pulley and the parts store won't swap out the pullies.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: GTRS Fiero on October 24, 2020, 01:59:15 pm: I thought I had covered alternator replacement in the February 2020 newsletter. IIRC, I included the pulley info, or how to get the alternator with a workable 6-groove pulley.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: GTRS Fiero on October 24, 2020, 02:44:41 pm: They say to avoid re-man alternators, but that can be difficult. Usually, a re-man alternator lasts more than a year. I'm wondering why your alternators are going out.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: Fierofool on October 24, 2020, 05:41:11 pm: The first wasn't charging. The current one is putting out 16 to 17 volts. The 86 has one from the replacement engine so it was bad from the start.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: GTRS Fiero on October 24, 2020, 08:43:42 pm: You may want to test the next alternator prior to installing it.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: Wreck It Ralph on October 24, 2020, 08:55:30 pm: The starter is the highest amp draw on the car. If it’s not disengaging it could pull to many amps and kill the alternator. But it would likely be noticeable. Would be good if you had an amp meter on the battery cable while it was running just to make sure. Seems odd that two in a row went bad. What was the timeframe between the two?
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: Fierofool on October 24, 2020, 09:45:42 pm: Testing the alternator probably wouldn't help. The alternator has been working fine for 4 months. Just last week while sitting in the carpool line at my granddaughter's school, I noticed the headlights flashing on the tailgate of the car in front and looked at the voltmeter. It was right at the red with lights and defroster running, which meant the cooling fan was running, too. On the way back home I turned everything off and it continued.

I think the first one was installed around the first of the year, then the second one was in July. The starter isn't running on once the engine starts.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: TopNotch on October 24, 2020, 10:28:33 pm: Where did you get it? I've had good luck with Autozone.
I have a used 88-type alternator. You're welcome to try it. I think it may be a 4-cylinder type, though. It has a 5-rib pulley on it.
I have impact drivers and can remove the pulley.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: Fierofool on October 24, 2020, 10:50:26 pm: I got them at AutoZone. I have an impact wrench to change the pulleys, but the old one has a spacer collar on the shaft that I can't get loose to transfer to the new one.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: GTRS Fiero on October 24, 2020, 10:53:19 pm: The collar on mine just slipped over the shaft.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: Fierofool on October 24, 2020, 10:55:00 pm: This one seems to be pressed on or Lock Tite'd on.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: GTRS Fiero on October 24, 2020, 10:56:31 pm: It's a bad alternator. Just give the shaft a tap with a hammer. Maybe use some penetrating oil.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: Fierofool on October 25, 2020, 08:40:05 am: I stated that incorrectly. The new one has the collar. Not the old one.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: Fierofool on October 25, 2020, 08:44:53 am: I apologize for the diversion from the original subject and hijacking the thread.

Now, back to the original subject. If we aren't doing the November C&C, how about we actually do a color tour? Set it up for November 1, the same day as C&C? I can throw together a route this week and have it ready by next Sunday.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: GTRS Fiero on October 25, 2020, 09:31:29 am: Yeah, leaves falling on my head is one thing. Alternators is quite another.

It would be nice to have 5-10 Fieros on this. Of course, other makes/models would be welcome.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: Fierofool on October 25, 2020, 09:34:35 pm: Some years ago we did a Chattanooga BBQ trip from Cartersville, up through Rome and Cloudland Canyon. We traveled up the Lookout Mountain Scenic Highway atop the Lookout Mountain Ridge past the hang glider port and over Lookout Mountain into Chattanooga. We then came back down I-75 to Ringgold where we stopped and had lunch at Bailey's BBQ.

Bailey's BBQ is open for dining. Instead of doing C&C this Sunday, I have a route for the BBQ trip. Because we've been doing so much on the NE side of Georgia, I thought that for the benefit of the West Georgia Folks, we would do something closer for them.

How about it? BBQ run this Sunday, Nov. 1. Can we get our East Georgia people to come along? Meet in Cartersville and head out from there? FRS radios will be very helpful on this trip.

The forecast for Saturday is Sunny, 20% chance of rain, high of about 65. Sunday should be just as good.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: scottb on October 25, 2020, 09:43:05 pm: If the weather holds i should be in
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: Wreck It Ralph on October 25, 2020, 10:08:38 pm: Single day drive right? With more details I could be in too.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: Fierofool on October 25, 2020, 10:31:52 pm: Yes, it's just a day trip.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: scottb on October 26, 2020, 08:34:30 pm: Who's in?
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: Fierofool on October 26, 2020, 09:49:01 pm: I took a chance today and installed the new alternator by myself. I'm still mobile without pain and my car is mobile again. Oil and filter tomorrow and I'm in for Sunday.

Pat, Larry, Steve, Bob, Gabe, Ralph, Jason, Jordan, Roger, Eli, Mike M. How about it?
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: Wreck It Ralph on October 26, 2020, 10:26:20 pm: Give us the details and I can see if I can. Remember I’ll be coming from below the airport.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: The Art Doctor on October 26, 2020, 10:34:45 pm: What time/day are we talking? I'm probably out, got a customer drop-off on Sunday, might be able to reschedule but it will be the second time, Kids have Karate belt ceremony + Halloween on Saturday, I'm stuck either way.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: Fierofool on October 26, 2020, 11:27:00 pm: When we did this before, we met in Cartersville at State Route 20 and I-75.

I had originally thought of meeting up by 10 but since we can get an extra hour of sleep Saturday night, how about 9?

We'll go over through Rome and up to Summerville. Then on to Cloudland and work our up to the Cloudland Canyon State Park.

From there, we'll travel the Lookout Mountain Ridge and maybe stop and watch the hang glider fools take off toward Alabama, providing there's enough parking space along the side of the road.

Continuing on, we'll go over Lookout Mountain and down into Chattanooga, working our way back around to I-75 South to Ringgold where we'll stop for some BBQ.

West Georgia folks might want to return home via I-75 while East Georgia may come cross-country and enjoy the bends in the road, time allowing. I haven't plotted the time, yet but before, we got back in the late afternoon.

Edit: It's only about 2.5 to 3 hours into Chattanooga, so say we leave Cartersville at 9, we'll hit the interstate in Chattanooga about 12. Then from Chattanooga down to the BBQ restaurant in Ringgold is only a half hour. Take an hour to an hour and a half for lunch puts us about 2 getting finished. I-75 back down to I-285 is 1.5 hours. Total around 7.5 to 8 hours.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: Wreck It Ralph on October 27, 2020, 07:35:29 am: I’m in! I’ll be driving the Kia Soul and my wife and youngest will be coming too. I booked a room in acworth since it was 1-1/2 hour drive to Cartersville for me. I get stellar discounts since I work in the hotel industry. $35 for Hilton Garden inn.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: The Art Doctor on October 27, 2020, 02:01:18 pm: I'm in for early Sunday. I moved my client visit to 4pm so it should not be an issue but ill have to keep an eye on the clock at lunch. Most likely riding solo.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: Fierofool on October 27, 2020, 03:09:10 pm: Lunch will be the final stop before we head back home. I estimate we should be finished no later than 3 if we leave Cartersville at 9.

OUR MEETING PLACE WILL BE AT THE SHELL STATION, 5629 Canton Hwy, GA-20, Cartersville, GA 30121.
EXIT 290 OFF I-75 NORTH.

9 AM DEPARTURE TIME WITH A FULL TANK OF FUEL. FRS WALKIE TALKIES ARE IMPORTANT ON THIS DRIVE DUE TO THE NUMBER OF TURNS. IF YOU HAVE AN EXTRA RADIO TO LOAN, BRING IT ALONG.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: GTRS Fiero on October 27, 2020, 06:00:34 pm: Is that 4 people?
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: Wreck It Ralph on October 27, 2020, 09:36:35 pm: Quote from: Fierofool on October 27, 2020, 03:09:10 pm
Lunch will be the final stop before we head back home. I estimate we should be finished no later than 3 if we leave Cartersville at 9.

OUR MEETING PLACE WILL BE AT THE SHELL STATION, 5629 Canton Hwy, GA-20, Cartersville, GA 30121.
EXIT 290 OFF I-75 NORTH.

9 AM DEPARTURE TIME WITH A FULL TANK OF FUEL. FRS WALKIE TALKIES ARE IMPORTANT ON THIS DRIVE DUE TO THE NUMBER OF TURNS. IF YOU HAVE AN EXTRA RADIO TO LOAN, BRING IT ALONG.

What kind of walkie talkie?
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: Wreck It Ralph on October 27, 2020, 09:39:58 pm: Like this? I have some... somewhere... 🤔
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: Fierofool on October 27, 2020, 10:19:44 pm: Yep. At are 'em.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: Fierofool on October 28, 2020, 02:38:07 pm: So far we have
Scott
Ralph
Me
Larry
Gabe is checking with the wife
Pat is contingent upon the wellbeing of his housemate.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: GTRS Fiero on October 28, 2020, 06:15:16 pm: Just wondering, but you use Shell gas in your vehicles?
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: Fierofool on October 28, 2020, 06:22:51 pm: Normally, I avoid Shell but there are some times when that's the most convenient on RFTH or in this case, the most convenient place to meet.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: GTRS Fiero on October 28, 2020, 06:37:02 pm: Where is a good place to get fuel?
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: Fierofool on October 28, 2020, 11:14:14 pm: For convenience, I purchase at a southeastern grocery chain superstore or WalMart. They're both within 2-4 miles of me, respectively. I will purchase RaceTrac or QuickTrip when on the road if it's available on my path. Exxon is another choice or Marathon and Valero. I do try to stay away from Shell, even if I have to pay a little more.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: Headhunter1ID on October 28, 2020, 11:15:21 pm: I will be at the Shell Station by 0900. It's about a 45-minute drive for me from Marietta.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: GTRS Fiero on October 28, 2020, 11:16:51 pm: BP/Shell is often more expensive, here. I have had several tanks of bad gas from there.

I have used Marathon, Valero, Love's, and Phillips 66. I prefer QT.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: scottb on October 29, 2020, 06:58:37 am: Yall understand its the same gas?
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: GTRS Fiero on October 29, 2020, 08:05:25 am: Some stations go through less gas, allowing more moisture, and less ethanol. Of course, water is bad, but the ethanol was used to increase the octane level, so the octane level is lower than it should be.

There are a number of different gas companies, and yes, some places get gas from the same sources. So, there are additives. BP/Shell uses additives.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: scottb on October 29, 2020, 08:08:47 am: The only difference is the additives. All the refineries in Texas and Louisiana are tied in to the same pipelines
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: GTRS Fiero on October 29, 2020, 08:15:41 am: Of course, not all companies get gas from those refineries. Illinois, Oklahoma, Montana, Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, etc also have oil wells. There are offshore wells, as well.

Then there is Exxon, which I try to avoid, if only the stations.

Even Georgia and Alaska have oil refineries.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: scottb on October 29, 2020, 08:46:17 am: All of the pipelines are tied together, same as the power lines, or the telephone lines..... the distributors open the spigot and fill their tanks. Even if the oil company owns the refinery the output is still still put in the same pipeline as everyone else. They have a meter at both ends to make sure what they take out is the same as what they put in.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: Fierofool on October 29, 2020, 09:57:53 am: Quote from: scottb on October 29, 2020, 08:46:17 am
All of the pipelines are tied together.......................................

Back when the Colonial Pipeline broke, down in Louisiana or Mississippi, we had a serious shortage of supply. BP stations still had gasoline and their prices immediately went up. I remember reading a newsfeed that BP pipelines came in from the north like from Illinois, Indiana, or Ohio and weren't a part of the pipeline break, and thus their supply line hadn't been interrupted and the price increase was unjustified.

Colonial is the sole pipeline through the southeast, running from Texas all the way up to somewhere around Maryland or New Jersey, and like Scott said, all the producers and refiners send their product through this pipeline.

This site says there are no oil refineries in Georgia. https://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/PET_PNP_CAP1_DCU_SGA_A.htm
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: GTRS Fiero on October 29, 2020, 05:34:58 pm: I'm not sure of the year, but there was a storm that hit New Orleans. You may recall that some of the refineries there were damaged. I was sent down there with a group to see what could be done. At that time, there was a low-production oil refinery in Georgia. Southeast Georgia, IIRC. Ultimately, the pipelines were not connected, and the oil had to be trucked around.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: GTRS Fiero on October 29, 2020, 05:41:04 pm: Quote from: scottb on October 29, 2020, 08:46:17 am
All of the pipelines are tied together, same as the power lines, or the telephone lines..... the distributors open the spigot and fill their tanks. Even if the oil company owns the refinery the output is still still put in the same pipeline as everyone else. They have a meter at both ends to make sure what they take out is the same as what they put in.

The telephone lines are connected out of necessity, but not necessarily physically. The power lines are a bad example. There is an Eastern power grid. It covers just about everything East of the Mississippi. You may know that California is almost separate from most other states, but parts of California are separate from most of California. This is one reason why there are so many power problems in California.

At one time, it was explained to me that the power grids were divided by major fault lines. That is not strictly true, but there is a lot of truth to that.

For the pipelines, there are different systems. In some places, the pipelines run within 20 yards of each other, but do not connect. At one time, there was a connection, briefly. One issue that had to be addressed was a break in any pipeline, and the potential impact a break could cause. There are only a handful of companies pulling oil from the ground. Take Exxon-Mobile, for example. Many places get their fuel from Exxon-Mobile, then do their own additives, including ethanol. My understanding is that even Exxon-Mobile has different segments that aren't connected. My understanding is that there are at least 3 segments, but I'm not sure of the companies involved.

Some years ago, I worked with the president of the RCGA. Well, I still work with the person, but he is not currently president. Anyway, 7 of us went to a big meeting, and the pipelines were one of the topics of discussion. My capacity was not for the oil; I was the designated fall guy.

Ultimately, the oil pulled from the ground falls into one of several categories. Oil pulled from sand is one of the worst categories. The refineries all do the same thing, given the same categoey of oil. That rrfined oil is then trucked to various central centers. Eventually, fuel (gas) is mixed and trucked to gas stations.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: GTRS Fiero on October 31, 2020, 08:37:41 am: Quote from: Fierofool on October 28, 2020, 02:38:07 pm
So far we have
Scott
Ralph
Me
Larry
Gabe is checking with the wife
Pat is contingent upon the wellbeing of his housemate.

Should be a good-sized group, if everyone can participate.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: GTRS Fiero on October 31, 2020, 01:24:31 pm: Sunny, here. Hope it's nice there, too.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: Fierofool on October 31, 2020, 01:45:03 pm: Sunny here, too. When I went out about 11, it was 52*. Forecast high for today is 65* and tomorrow, sunny and 65*. It may be a little cooler north and up on the Lookout Mountain Parkway.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: GTRS Fiero on October 31, 2020, 02:24:14 pm: 37, this morning.

Lots of colors, here.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: Wreck It Ralph on October 31, 2020, 06:49:24 pm: How to find your lost two radios. Look “everywhere” for them. Give up. Order new three pack of radios. Look for a different thing, find missing two radios. 🤦‍♂️
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: GTRS Fiero on October 31, 2020, 06:52:22 pm: That's how it works.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: GTRS Fiero on October 31, 2020, 06:52:50 pm: No Richard C., lately?
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: Fierofool on October 31, 2020, 07:46:10 pm: I haven't heard from him in a couple of months. He usually calls once in a while. He must not be having any problems with the Formula.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: GTRS Fiero on October 31, 2020, 10:09:14 pm: Before COVID, I thought he attended most of the meetings.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: Fierofool on October 31, 2020, 10:39:26 pm: Some. Work prevented attending most.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: GTRS Fiero on October 31, 2020, 10:41:26 pm: On the interweb, Bailey's BBQ shows closed on Sundays.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: Wreck It Ralph on October 31, 2020, 11:16:55 pm: Waffle House is always open... just saying.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: GTRS Fiero on November 01, 2020, 04:05:37 am: Not a bad alternative. There is one nearby.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: GTRS Fiero on November 01, 2020, 05:42:32 pm: Well, it was a good run, and good to see old faces, and to meet new faces.

Thanks for setting this up, Fierofool. Eveeyone started together, stayed together, and finished together.

Gabe, sorry I didn't get to say 'bye to you and your wife.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: Fierofool on November 01, 2020, 05:59:52 pm: A heads up from Wreck It Ralph let me know that our chosen BBQ restaurant isn't open on Sunday. Seems practically every BBQ restaurant in the area isn't open on Sunday. So, this morning at 6 AM, I'm frantically searching. I finally found one and put it into the schedule.

The cruise went very well, other than the short detour I took the group on. Lots of nice scenery and deep rolling hills. There were some very good curves, but we weren't out to play today. We kept it at the speed limit or within 5 mph of it.

Our path took from Cartersville to Rome, then up to Summerville. We traveled over through Menlo and in Cloudland, turned onto the Lookout Mountain Parkway, taking a brief pause at the Lookout Mountain Hang Glider Port. W
Though the cloudy overcast turned into a beautiful sunny day, weather conditions must not have been favorable for them since no one was flying.

We continued on to Lookout Mountain and passing Ruby Falls on our way down the mountain into Chattanooga. As began our return we stopped at Buddy's BBQ in East Ridge, TN. The food was good and good portions, too. Good selection but they were missing fried okra and Brunswick Stew on their menu. Still worth another chow down when in the area.

Unfortunately, the leaves haven't reached full color in the NW side of Georgia. There were some beginning to change, but not in their full beauty, yet. We had some concerns that Hurricane Zeta had blown all the leaves off, but that wasn't the case. The trees were still loaded.

A good turnout today with Scott and Leigh-Anne, Gabe and Shea, Ralph and his wife and son, Larry, myself, and a surprise participant. GTRS drove in from St. Louis after Trick-Or-Treating with his kids last night. He made the full cruise with us and as we left him at the restaurant, he was about to head back home.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: GTRS Fiero on November 02, 2020, 07:49:39 am: Thanks for welcoming my participation. You should have seen the look on your face. I wish I had a picture of that.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: GTRS Fiero on November 02, 2020, 07:52:37 am: Dunno about anyone else's MPG, but my Fiero got 21.7 MPG on the tour. Considering how often I had to brake to keep the idle from running away, not terrible. Most of the tour was not fast enough to get my transmission into 4th, but I'm not sure the tach ever got over 3K RPM. I never opened the throttle all the way, which is perhaps why the transmission did not downshift on the hills.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: GTRS Fiero on November 02, 2020, 08:02:53 am: Some thoughts on yesterday's tour.

Although not RFTH-type driving, we did take some (very slow) turns. My Fiero's steering was tight. Although I normally roll through turns like most of the turns we took, that was not the program. Still no idea on the bump stops. Clearly, my Fiero was down on power, and running a bit rich. The exhaust leak did not help.

It seemed that Fierofool's 5-speed got off the line quickly, but then did not accelerate in 2nd.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: Fierofool on November 02, 2020, 09:59:34 am: Getting to the starting point, I used cruise the whole way at the speed limit. I got 35 mpg. At our fuel stop on Chattanooga I had averaged 29 mpg.

I drove very conservatively on the cruise. Never really punched it. I usually hit 4000 to 4500 rpm in 1st thru 3rd in my normal driving.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: TopNotch on November 02, 2020, 10:38:09 am: Surely someone took pictures of this cruise. (And don't call me Shirley.)
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: Fierofool on November 02, 2020, 01:21:34 pm: Shirley didn't take any. I brought my camera, but never took any. I saw Michael taking a bunch. I'm sure that when he gets rested up a bit, we'll see them. I also saw some taking pictures, especially when we stopped at the hang glider port on Lookout Mountain Parkway.
Title: Re: Fall color tour?
Post by: GTRS Fiero on November 02, 2020, 07:13:32 pm: Scott also has pictures.

I took pictures, but am not pleased with how they turned out. It looks as if I moved the camera. The pictures are blurry. Maybe the lens wasn't clean. There are big streaks.
Title: Re: Fall 2020 color tour?
Post by: GTRS Fiero on November 02, 2020, 09:39:36 pm: Almost forgot. Thanks to all who participated in this event and made it a success.

While we were gathering at the starting point, 2 people walked up to take pictures of our Fieros. One of them talked with some of us for a bit. It seemed that he had some familiarity with Fieros, and that his sister had owned a Fiero from new, back in the '80's.

At the overlook, a couple spoke with me about the Fieros. He asked me if we were in a club. I told him GFC. He asked the area in which we were based. I told him Atlanta, except me. He said they were also from Atlanta, then continued to ask more questions.
Title: Re: Fall 2020 color tour?
Post by: GTRS Fiero on November 20, 2020, 11:45:00 pm: During the tour, the voice quality through my radio was...less than great. Did anyone else get poor audio, or was it just my radio?
Title: Re: Fall 2020 color tour?
Post by: Fierofool on November 21, 2020, 07:51:09 am: I don't know who it was, but there was one that was so weak and the voice quality was so bad that I couldn't tell who it was.
Title: Re: Fall 2020 color tour?
Post by: GTRS Fiero on November 21, 2020, 09:24:20 am: I couldn't tell whom anyone was.

At one point, you said something about someone dozing at the stops. Someone replied. When I found my radio, I responded something to the effect that I figured you were referring to me. You never confirmed, so maybe it was my radio.

On the other hand, Wreck-It Ralph was in the back. At one point, I asked him a direct question, and he replied.
Title: Re: Fall 2020 color tour?
Post by: Fierofool on November 21, 2020, 10:00:53 am: Each channel has sub channels. If 2 radios are close to one another but not on the same subset, they will bleed over. We generally use Channel 7, subset 0. That may have been the problem.

I was the one who referred to your taking a nap at each stoplight.
Title: Re: Fall 2020 color tour?
Post by: GTRS Fiero on November 21, 2020, 10:02:29 am: I knew it was you. Since I specifically replied, I thought maybe you could identify if mine was the radio with poor quality.
Title: Re: Fall 2020 color tour?
Post by: Wreck It Ralph on November 21, 2020, 10:18:03 am: Any idea how to check the sub set?
Title: Re: Fall 2020 color tour?
Post by: GTRS Fiero on November 21, 2020, 10:26:48 am: Mine just has a frequency.
Title: Re: Fall 2020 color tour?
Post by: Fierofool on November 21, 2020, 10:34:17 am: My radios will display the subset either after or just below the channel. I don't remember which, but it does show it.
Title: Re: Fall 2020 color tour?
Post by: Wreck It Ralph on November 21, 2020, 04:41:18 pm: Mine just has the frequency but it has privacy channels???
Title: Re: Fall 2020 color tour?
Post by: Raydar on November 21, 2020, 08:51:29 pm: Quote from: Wreck It Ralph on November 21, 2020, 04:41:18 pm
Mine just has the frequency but it has privacy channels???

Okay... Get ready for the geek-speak.
Frequencies are just that. Frequencies. Like on your FM radio. 95.5, 97.1, etc. Our frequencies are in the 460 MHz UHF band. 462.525, 462.550, 462.575, etc. (Those are not the exact frequencies, but you get the idea. If anyone wants the exact frequencies, I can dig them up. I've actually programmed a couple of salvaged walkie-talkies for FRS channels, for a friend of mine.) But they're mostly all set up the same. Ch1 on a Motorola radio is Ch1 on a Midland radio, and is also Ch1 on a Kenwood radio, etc. (There are a very few exceptions, but mentioning them here will just be confusing.)

Sub-channels are not actually channels. Here's how they work...
A sub-audible (low frequency) tone - or sometimes a digital code - is transmitted along with the radio signal. Receivers set to that same sub channel will decode that tone, or code, and open up to let the transmitted audio through. Radios set to a different sub channel will sit there, and not make a peep. This is so you don't have to listen to other peoples' conversations.
What must be remembered, is that if someone is on your frequency, but using a different sub-channel, THE CHANNEL IS STILL IN USE, AND IS UNAVAILABLE FOR YOUR TRAFFIC. That's what the "monitor" button is for. Press it to make sure that nobody is using the channel, before transmitting.

Now... using sub-channel 0 effectively eliminates ALL sub-channel protocols. (In radio jargon, it's called "carrier squelch".) It's kind of like an "all-call". If there is a signal present on your main frequency, on ANY sub-channel, you will hear it.
Since we frequently use these radios waaay out in the sticks, and there are (hopefully) not a lot of other people using them, on the came channel, I find this to be the most foolproof method. We'll hear anything that's on the channel (which is fairly unlikely) but we'll also hear each other, without a lot of confusion.

Oh yeah... if you've got an old police scanner that receives UHF (which most of them do) they can be programmed for the FRS channels. No problem.

Another edit - As far as the sub-channels...
Motorola calls the technology "Private Line" or just "PL". The newer version - with the digital code - is called "Digital Private Line" or (you guessed it) "DPL".
Which is all probably TMI.
Title: Re: Fall 2020 color tour?
Post by: Wreck It Ralph on November 22, 2020, 04:49:19 pm: That makes sense now. But where does the flux capacitor fit in all with this?
Title: Re: Fall 2020 color tour?
Post by: GTRS Fiero on November 22, 2020, 04:54:27 pm: It generates the 1.21 gigawatts of power required to send the signal the distance, after escaping the vortex created by the vehicle's 88 MPH velocity. But it only works in DeLoreans.