Yep, there's probably some of you old enough to read the title of this posting and in your head will be "Then I'll begin."
(The BBC's "Listen with Mother" and probably the first time you sat intently in front of a radio...that or you'll remember the 'Moody Blues'.
)
Sitting comfortably should be amongst our main thoughts when we're going to spend some time in front of our radios.....your backside, back, neck, legs and maybe feet will soon let you know otherwise!
You might operate vehicular mobile in which case you just have to plump with the seat your vehicle came with, or maybe you even move to the backseat for more comfort and room. Perhaps you bring a fold up chair with you and sit outside the vehicle which is especially nice in clement weather but not so otherwise.
If you're operating P.O.T.A. (Parks On The Air) you might find a bench to sit at and thoughtfully brought a towel or some such because the seating is still wet from the morning dew or from the rain the previous night. S.O.T.A. (Summits On The Air) activations may be a case of finding the nearest rock to sit atop or else drop to the floor on that cold ground. (Brrr, makes me shiver just thinking about it and for me at least the floor is a very long way down even sat atop a peak....plus I'd never get back up again! My mobility scooter wouldn't make it either...but at least it has its own seat.
)
Perhaps you sit on a bed with your radio gear setup on a bedside cabinet reminiscent of your teenage years with your CB forays. You'd think a bed would be most comfortable but after sitting at that awkward angle, moving the bedside cabinet around and lounging six different ways from Sunday you soon find it isn't as comfortable as first appears!
If you're lucky enough to have a space for yourself and your radios such as a shed/wooden building or maybe even a spare room in the house you'll probably plump for an office type chair.....and if you've been using that old kitchen chair you'll soon wish you had something more 'luxurious'.
I'm lucky to have the space (kids grow up and leave....eventually) plus the full blessing of my wonderful wife to have been allocated the 'spare' bedroom. OK, it's just the typical box room at the front of the house which never has enough storage for all the radio 'junk' you gather but it's my little piece of heaven.
Thoughts soon turn to sitting arrangements and you may go through a few possibilities before you get something....comfortable enough. (Full comfort is never guaranteed and several hours in front of a radio will inform you otherwise.) I finally settled on the typical office style chair but with a few more features such as armrests and extra adjustments.
Looks nice and comfortable doesn't it?
It is on the whole and I can spend maybe just about a whole day sat in it but that might involve a bit of shuffling around now and then. The armrests give me....well, somewhere to rest my arms actually (and stop me falling out
) plus the upholstery is comfortable enough to prevent the old numb-bum. You can even fold the seat back to a more lounging position and there'd be more than once or twice my wife has entered the room to find me snoozing in it.
It wasn't the cheapest chair to be had but definitely way cheaper than the radios you'll be sat in front of. Even with that said the gas spring did pack up after less than a year seeing me slowly getting that 'sinking' feeling over the course of the day. The manufacturer held no responsibility either unless I wanted to send the whole thing back....yeah, just send me a new spring won't you!
For the costly sum of £8:99 (cheap enough right?) I ordered a new gas spring from a different supplier but surprisingly that price included next day delivery by a courier so no hanging about chair-less. (Bargain price considering!) Of course the old help video tutorials show that you simply 'tap' out the old spring and simply pop in a new one.....yeah right, took a fair old bashing with the hammer I can tell you! Even then it took bashing the stanchion until it was dented to <expletive removed> so that a pair of mole grips could gain sufficient purchase to pull it out. The wheeled base wasn't the issue, that soon fell out dropping the castor wheels in multiple directions all over the place, it was removing it from the seat that was the problem.
Anyway, after some sweat and tears the new spring simply popped in which was about the only easy part about it. Full adjustment is now regained without wondering why the desk is now closer to my chin than earlier.
So there you go, an important aspect to enjoy our radio activities that we never usually consider until our body lets us know otherwise.
Of course there's some that don't need no chair operating pedestrian mobile with a handheld transceiver. There's the dog walkers with their handy/walkie.... often with QSO's interrupted by shouts to the dog (Benson! Benson!
) and of course you'll occasionally come across someone 'bicycle mobile'......."This, puff, pant, is, pant, pant, Mike, puff, cough, Zero, puff, pant", usually accompanied with the whistle of the wind, whir of the chain and gears changing. You can see their middle aged bodies oozing out of the Lycra right now as well can't you.
Enjoy your radio....and make sure you're sitting comfortably.
All the best,
Victor
Please do join in on this posting if you wish and let us know your seating arrangements/solutions.
Today at 11:13 am by babis3g
Subject: Are you sitting comfortably? 
