Big Boy Toys

[StickMon]

[Digs]

Did you get really good radio reception in the Zed while parked there?!

[GuidoK]

Usually people fit a smaller antenna

[StickMon]

Actually I'm in the middle of the Mojave.
10 miles from the nearest human.
50 miles from the nearest town.
I have XM !!
Only thing that works out here.

But the Jupiter reception on that dish is spectacular!

[StickMon]

Originally Posted by GuidoK

Usually people fit a smaller antenna

Definitely not a stubby.

[SaltyNC]

I bet the view of the stars is spectacular with the top down. Do you have dark skies there? For many of us, we've forgotten how spectacular the night sky can be in the absence of light pollution. I set an alarm while in Yellowstone to photograph the sunrise, and forgot that my watch was still on Eastern time. Needless to say, there was no sunrise, but wow, the night sky was spectacular. I still remember seeing the silhouette of an elk on a hill against the backdrop of the starry sky. It was one of the best mistakes I've ever made.

You have a cool job, my friend!

Salty

[vachss]

Which dish is that? I have fond memories of running the trails around the radiotelescope dish they had at my old college.

[Vanne]

Stick, what do you do for a living mate? lol yeah thats def no Stubby

very cool picture.

[StickMon]

Just got home. 5+ hours round trip. 300 miles of fantastic fun in the Zed.
It really is a nice drive. I took some crappy pictures on the way up, may put them in a thread.

You're right Salty. It's darker than the inside of a cow out there at night.
Great view of the stars.
When I lived in Chicago I used to vacation in the Upper Peninsula (the U-P, A? Hey Der).
I would set the alarm for 2:00 AM just to go out and stargaze.
I was surprised that you can see 2-3 galaxies with just decent binoculars.

Vachss, that's Deep Space Station 25 (DSS-25), in the Apollo "cluster" at Goldstone.
DSS-26 is in the background, DSS-24 is off to the left out of view.

Vanne, I'm the Uplink System Engineer for the Deep Space Network.
Of course at NASA we only speak in acronyms, so I'm the UPL SE for the DSN.
Had to go up there tonight to run a simulated Radio Science track for the Juno spacecraft that goes into orbit around Jupiter on July 4th.
Need to make sure that everything's ready to find out if Jupiter has a chewy nougat center!
Of course, you have a pretty cool job, too. Mine doesn't impress the Ladies as much.

[DEG]

Well I'm definitely impressed!

[Vanne]

Lol, here's a picture from yesterday.

[StickMon]

Holy Mother of Pearl! There's some serious toys!
That oil money over there sure buys some nice cars.

[inTgr8r]

That stubby pic would make a great calendar pic for next year if you can get one in hi-res.

[SaltyNC]

Vanne I can't imagine what it is like working in Dubai. It must feel like you're on a movie set most days. What is your job that impresses the ladies more than working for NASA (according to StickMon).

Salty

[StickMon]

I'm pretty sure that's his vehicle parked behind the "Invent a Door", (aventador).

[SaltyNC]

Originally Posted by StickMon

I'm pretty sure that's his vehicle parked behind the "Invent a Door", (aventador).

Ahhh. The one that runs on kerosene. Cool.

I wonder if they have the equivalent of Goodwill stores in Dubai. That would be awesome.

I was telling Vanne I'm not sure how I would feel in Dubai -- probably like a homeless man in an upscale shopping center.

Salty

[StickMon]

Here's my car today parked right next to the Mars Sample Return Capsule Impact Test Stand.
If it goes sideways (literally), and lands on my hood, can I claim to be the first to have his car totaled by a spaceship?

[Vanne]

Stick, mate, now I am certain, i bet chicks dig your job much more than mine mate.

that looks freakin awesome, I am going to PM you my number, just in case you spot one of those planet killers coming our way.

[308tr6]

Geez, you guys had better guidance counselors than I did apparently.....