Dispatches from Dayton

Sunset over the Dayton Amateur Radio Association in Huber Heights. Isn’t it romantic?

On Saturday, I learned that something in Southwestern Ohio hates me (besides Trump voters, hey-yo!).

Dayton Hamvention is held at the Greene County Fair Grounds in Xenia, Ohio, and a windstorm came up Saturday afternoon. Suddenly my nose started running and I couldn’t stop sneezing. It’s been like that for about 48 hours, although over-the-counter antihistamines are helping. (I did test for COVID-19, just in case, but I’m negative.)


What else happened during the big weekend besides sneezing and wheezing? My big purchase was an Internet radio — meaning a radio set up specifically to easily tune in Internet streams.

I’ve been skeptical of stand-alone Internet radios. For one thing, I doubted they were easy to use. For another, I doubted they really had access to a wide range of stations. And finally, as someone who really loves AM and FM radio, it seemed like cheating.

It seems odd for me to have those prejudices, considering I help run an Internet radio station, but my feeling was, it was easy to tune in Internet radio on a phone or laptop — who needs a special device?

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C’est fantastique

I got a free trial of SiriusXM radio, and I’ve been dipping into the international stations — especially the French/Quebecois rock station, called “Attitude.”

I speak only a few words of French, and badly. Mostly I can say “en anglais s’il vous plait.” But I listen in case I hear any new songs I want to add to the playlist, and also because I enjoy hearing bands that don’t get played on U.S. radio.

I got in the car last night and to my surprise (and delight), “Attitude” was carrying the Montreal Canadiens game … en français.

Unfortunately for the Habs, they lost to the Anaheim Ducks, 5-2. Is how you say, le stinko?