OK - This is opposite-season to our participants south of the Equator, but despite (at least) one very noisy individual, they are still a small minori ty. It is also written to the vintage radio collecting crowd, but applies t o anyone dabbling with vintage equipment.
all:
I have changed the format a bit, and put all the links at the beginning. I am also sending this out a bit earlier than usual by about 2 weeks as we ha ve already experienced multiple days of 75F degree weather here in Pennsylv ania, our crocuses are in full bloom, our Forsythia is also in full bloom, and the non-migratory butterflies are out already.
Now that there are actual flowers in bloom (Crocus, Forsythia & Snowdrop), it is time for the annual post on stalking the wild radio (or ot her collectible) - and what accidental passengers that may come along with it:
- Insects and other arthropods: Anything from spiders to wasps to fleas an d more. Any radio that has spent substantial time in a barn, basement, shed , garage or any other damp or exposed area may well be inhabited by or infe sted with various small and potentially painful critters. Especially those found in the southern states, home to the Brown Recluse and Black Widow spi ders. Wasps, centipedes (quite poisonous as it happens) and other vermin are no fun as well. And, if you do find some critter of this nature, KILL IT. Being soft-hearted and releas ing it into _your_ environment may make you feel all warm and fuzzy, but that creature may then cause considerable harm being somewhe re it does not belong and where it perhaps has no natural predators. EDIT: Global Warming (whether you believe in it or not) has pushed the Recluse ra nge into southern Maryland ? mostly by human transport and not as s uccessful breeding colonies but more and more common, with some few transpo rted by human agency as far as Michigan and Pennsylvania. This is one NASTY spider with a very nasty bite.
- Evidence of Rodent Inhabitation: Handle with GREAT care.
Hanta-Virus (a relative of Ebola) is endemic throughout the entire United S tates, Mexico and parts of Canada. It is a disease without effective treatm ent and an over 50% mortality rate worldwide (36% in the US). It is carried in the feces and fresh urine of many rodents...and t here is limited recent evidence that reconstituted waste (dried but inhaled ) will also spread the disease especially if inhaled, a possibility not accepted in the recent past.
Lyme Disease: Carried by deer ticks that winter over in the white-footed de er mouse (an omnivore, BTW) that will winter over anywhere it can find shel ter. The ticks that mice carry will leave the mouse to lay eggs... perhaps in that radio that served as their temporary winter dorm and latrine. Various other tick-borne diseases include Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and a whole bunch more *very* nasty diseases not worth riski ng, are all endemic in the US.
- Bird Dung & Old Nests: Per a recent paper, there have been over sixty (6
Asbestos: Dangerous only when friable - small particles able to become airb orne easily. If you are a smoker, even more dangerous. A single (one (1)) f iber can cause a fatal reaction over time ? although that actuality is extremely rare and will (usually) take many years. For all that, it is fairly easily made safe with a little bit of care and caution. But even if you do not believe it is dangerous, you do not have the right to expose oth ers, or transport it in conveyances where residual material may come in con tact with others - that is, do not transport it openly in the family miniva n.
Bottom line: A proverbial ounce of caution beats the hell out of a pound of care. Common sense, rubber gloves, a breathing mask, Lysol, Bleach, Moth-b alls, Insecticides (which often do not work on Spiders or Ticks, so read th e label), and other elementary precautions conscientiously and carefully ap plied will "safen" even the nastiest of wild radios.
Peter Wieck Melrose Park, PA