Author Topic: The Cooper Vortex Podcast  (Read 300742 times)

Offline Darren

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 133
  • Thanked: 137 times
    • The Cooper Vortex
Re: The Cooper Vortex Podcast
« Reply #105 on: October 12, 2020, 08:55:22 PM »
New episode out now. DB Cooper was Mormon with Steven Rinehart. Some good stuff in this one.

You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

Enjoy!
The Cooper Vortex - A Podcast about DB Cooper - Available on most podcast apps
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login
 

Offline Bruce A. Smith

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4365
  • Thanked: 465 times
    • The Mountain News
Re: The Cooper Vortex Podcast
« Reply #106 on: October 13, 2020, 03:37:16 AM »
VERY interesting, Darren. Steven is so easy to listen to - he's a real professional radio guy.
 

Offline 377

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1596
  • Thanked: 442 times
Re: The Cooper Vortex Podcast
« Reply #107 on: October 13, 2020, 08:28:14 AM »
I was intrigued to discover how many amateur radio licensees there were in the Cooper Vortex. I, Georger, Snow, Sluggo and many others. Same for lawyers. I, Galen Cook, Richard Tosaw and now Steven Reinhardt among them. Incidentally, Reinhardt and I are members of the federal patent bar, both having passed the exam that allows us to practice before the USPTO in patent matters. Curious clusters of Cooperites sharing professions and hobbies.

Wonder what became of Galen’s planned book? The 50th anniversary of Cooper’s skyjack and various media productions will create a lot of new interest in the case. Good time to publish. 

377
« Last Edit: October 13, 2020, 08:29:05 AM by 377 »
 
The following users thanked this post: Lynn, Darren

Offline Shutter

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9300
  • Thanked: 1024 times
Re: The Cooper Vortex Podcast
« Reply #108 on: October 13, 2020, 09:20:20 AM »
I never had a ham license but did venture into the 10 meter bands back in the 80's. certain CB base radio's could be modified to go into 10 meters. the President Washington was the best. they had a PLL circuit (phase locked loop) that could be jumped giving hundreds of 10 meter freqs.

I had a VFO that could venture outside of 11 meters but not far and can't recall the frequencies reached. also had a Black Cat linear amplifier (2,000 watts) with a Maverick 250 to kick start the Black Cat. these were old school tube type. nothing could bet the quality of a tube amp. had a D-104 Golden Eagle desktop mic and a three element beam antenna. the fear of the FCC coming after you was starting to fade in the 80's. the only problems I had was bleeding over onto televisions in the area. made a lot of friends over the years through radio's. some continue to this day. then, much like the internet you had agitators. we built a direction finder and would locate them and "pin there coax" . when they keyed up the SWR's would be off the chart and fry the finals in the radio. these were guys who keyed up trying to "walk over you" or shut the channel down by keying the mic for hours. radio version of a troll.
« Last Edit: October 13, 2020, 09:21:15 AM by Shutter »
 

Offline Bruce A. Smith

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4365
  • Thanked: 465 times
    • The Mountain News
Re: The Cooper Vortex Podcast
« Reply #109 on: October 13, 2020, 06:36:06 PM »
I too, had a Ham radio receiver. Never got a license, nor transmitter.

As for Galen and his book, I think it is on a serious hold. Two reasons - his law practice in mal med is lucrative and fascinating. More problematic, I think, is the mind set that Galen has had for years that he needs to solve the case before he publishes, and that circumstance is far over the horizon it appears. So, he's stuck.

There may also be a woman involved, but I'm not sure on that. Of course that doesn't stop me from gossiping!
« Last Edit: October 13, 2020, 06:36:56 PM by Bruce A. Smith »
 
The following users thanked this post: Lynn, Darren

Offline 377

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1596
  • Thanked: 442 times
Re: The Cooper Vortex Podcast
« Reply #110 on: October 14, 2020, 04:38:23 AM »
Enjoyed your account of “freebanding” Shutter. We used modified President Grants with external PLL frequency controllers on commercial fishing boats for close range SSB and AM comms. When bored during voyages to or from the fishing grounds we’d shoot skip and talk to fellow radio outlaws. We didn’t use linear amps. The salt water ground and resonant vertical dipole antenna usually did the job on the 5-10 watts from the transceiver finals. Agree with you on tube amps. They can take a beating that will blow out their temperamental solid state relatives.

Most hams despise CBers and freebanders. I don’t mind them at all. Their conversations are usually far more entertaining than your typical ham QSO. Some of them are technically sharp too. Of course there are the bucket mouth dummies but they provide some entertainment as well.

73,
AF6IM
aka 377
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login


 

Offline Shutter

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9300
  • Thanked: 1024 times
Re: The Cooper Vortex Podcast
« Reply #111 on: October 14, 2020, 09:05:52 AM »
What do you mean by a external PLL. are you referring to a VFO (variable frequency oscillator) ? the PLL is in the board.

Was you shooting skip on SSB with no power? I remember SSB had more power than AM. you could tweak a radio and get a little more wattage out of it.  if conditions are right you can skip on 4 watts. I remember Sunday's were always a skip shooting day.

My buddy had the Washington. this guy can do anything with electronics. I met him on the radio in the late 70's and been close friends ever since. he was pegging my meter and found out he was less than a quarter mile away from me. my first radio was a TRC-30a from Radio shack. we bought it in the early 70's so it only had 23 channels. that's why he gave me a VFO. I could venture into the extra channels added to AM but could go beyond. nothing compared to what my buddy could do. I later ended up with bigger and better equipment in the 80's. if not mistaken only a few models of the president line had PL circuits?

I will be moving this conversation out of this thread later today..
« Last Edit: October 14, 2020, 09:22:45 AM by Shutter »
 

Offline 377

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1596
  • Thanked: 442 times
Re: The Cooper Vortex Podcast
« Reply #112 on: October 14, 2020, 09:23:00 AM »
To answer Shutter’s questions.

Yes, essentially a VFO but it was not a free running drifty oscillator. It used the rig’s PLL synthesizer chip and just expanded the frequency range beyond CB limits.

Yeah, worked skip without external amps. The advantage provided by a steel hull ground immersed in ocean water is substantial.

On the 20M ham band I’ve worked East Coast statins from CA using
2-4 watts SSB. Did it once under a parachute canopy. Listen to
this link. Click on the audio track above the W3IUU QSL card. You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

377






« Last Edit: October 14, 2020, 09:27:01 AM by 377 »
 

Offline Shutter

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9300
  • Thanked: 1024 times
Re: The Cooper Vortex Podcast
« Reply #113 on: October 14, 2020, 09:25:50 AM »
Yes, shooting skip is all about conditions. I had a Radio Shack walkie talkie with 3 watts and got heard a couple times shooting skip..

I remember the term CQ DX for trying to contact anyone on ssb..

AM skip I would say "skip land, skip land, unit 305 in south Florida wavin' hello"
« Last Edit: October 14, 2020, 09:32:55 AM by Shutter »
 

Offline 377

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1596
  • Thanked: 442 times
Re: The Cooper Vortex Podcast
« Reply #114 on: October 14, 2020, 09:32:36 AM »
If Cooper had an accomplice on the ground he could have easily established contact during canopy descent using then available CB walkie talkies. Do you concur Shutter?

Other than the LD Cooper story, I recall no other claimed use of skyjacker radio comms has been made.

377
 

Offline Shutter

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9300
  • Thanked: 1024 times
Re: The Cooper Vortex Podcast
« Reply #115 on: October 14, 2020, 09:35:55 AM »
I would have to say it's possible. depends on the walkie talkie and conditions. the good one I had would only work good in open area's. houses killed the signal. another friend had the same radio shack walkie talkie and we could barely hear each other a half mile away. but we were inside.

During decent, yes...
« Last Edit: October 14, 2020, 09:39:17 AM by Shutter »
 

Offline Shutter

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9300
  • Thanked: 1024 times
Re: The Cooper Vortex Podcast
« Reply #116 on: October 14, 2020, 09:43:02 AM »
The cheap walkie talkies had I believe a quarter watt. I had several as a kid and could barely reach the truckers behind us when we were on vacation traveling. I held up a sign asking him to turn to channel 14. that's the only channel they had.. :rofl:
« Last Edit: October 14, 2020, 09:43:32 AM by Shutter »
 

Offline Parrotheadvol

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 608
  • Thanked: 140 times
Re: The Cooper Vortex Podcast
« Reply #117 on: November 01, 2020, 11:18:38 AM »
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login
If Cooper had an accomplice on the ground he could have easily established contact during canopy descent using then available CB walkie talkies. Do you concur Shutter?

Other than the LD Cooper story, I recall no other claimed use of skyjacker radio comms has been made.

377

But would the accomplice have to be at least close to the LZ? If not, how far outside the LZ could he be to be able to have contact?
 

Offline Shutter

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9300
  • Thanked: 1024 times
Re: The Cooper Vortex Podcast
« Reply #118 on: November 01, 2020, 06:56:21 PM »
The advantage is the altitude. the higher the better. this would be much better for 11 meter bands (CB radio) surrounding range. 10/20 meters (Ham) would probably work fine on the ground vs a CB radio..once on the ground it might be an issue if it's not a good CB walkie talkie but they would probably be able to communicate while coming down..
« Last Edit: November 01, 2020, 06:59:25 PM by Shutter »
 

Offline DBfan57

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 388
  • Thanked: 22 times
Re: The Cooper Vortex Podcast
« Reply #119 on: November 14, 2020, 06:04:58 AM »
On YouTube, the Cooper Vortex E6, (Cooper Is Alive), they go on about DNA at some point.  They say 3 comparisons have been done.  So with all the hype around Rackstraw and Reca why not compare their DNA to eliminate them?  Assuming they can be eliminated?  Or is it because they just do not have enough of it?   Those damn cigarettes. 

As far as to whether he can still be alive, its certainly possible, assuming the top suspects list is wrong and I personally have little faith in it.  But the clock is ticking and the window is close to shut, assuming the then young Mucklow and Shaffner were accurate in their guess of his age?  Best case mid 80s and worst case late 90s.  I would hope the money would give him motivation to take care of his health?  I hope he is alive.
« Last Edit: November 14, 2020, 07:23:45 AM by DBfan57 »