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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1977-07-21, Page 12Doc suggests the true reasonld m given. Now, 403,000 Canadians are licenced to use the GRS band, which recently expanded from 23 to 40' chan- nels. The D.O.C. cannot- possibly regulate the air waves; thus .. the operators have been expected to .police themselves', but Doc Brown fears they have failed. Some people tie up a channel for hours with idle chatter or foul language. While some don't realize they are affecting the total air waves, others don't care. D.O.C. regulations state that 'a caller cannot hold a channel for longer than five minutes, unless it is an emergency and must pause for at least two minutes between transmissions. ' The licence number_, must be given at the beginning and the end of each transmission. Doc Brown describes another abuse as "alligator stations -- all mouth and no ears." The operators don't listen to be certain -a channel is clear before tran- smitting; they often cut into someone's conversation. Feuds erupt on the air and before -.long, transmission lines are cut and mobile antennae are broken. Pranksters cause other kinds of problems as well. About a year, ago, a mobile reported a bad ,accident a few miles north of town. Old Doc Brown alerted an ambulance which broke down en route to the scene. Another-, am- bulance was dispatched only to discover the call was a hoax. The culprit was onitored and eventually tracked down, ut he received only a warning. Doc contends "drastic measures" are needed to help clean up the air waves and he offers two 'possible solutions. First, all operators should study their handbooks more closely. Secondly, when the operators apply for licence renew.als, their capabilities should be tested and if any doubt exists, theyshould be issued only trial licences. 'Other problems result from occasional interference on TVs and stereos., but Doc notes the GRS operator is not always to blame. A good stereo 'or television set should not pick up the signals. All complaints, should be directed to the Department of Communications, Government of Canada Building,Rbom 1, 112, 451 Talbot Street, London, Ontario. A supervisor will inspect the situation. If the operator's equipment is faulty, he or she will be required to make ad- justments. But, if the complainant's set is to blame, he or she should install better insulated wiring or antennae of an Interference`Trap. Old Doc Brown reiterates to the critics that, in spite of its present abuse, GRS has proved its worth. He points to far- mers, businessmen, truckers, vacationers, policemen, ambulance drivers and road crews as examples of people using the communication to their advantage. One of Atte many local farmers • who finds GRS saves time and gas is John Maaskant of RA2, Clinton. He and his brother Hugo, run four farms in 'a two - and -a -half mile radius, Fotir.yea' s ago, John installed a base unit in his house and a mobile in his pick-up. Now' he has five mobiles including one in a tractor, one in the combine, one in his car and one in his brother's truck. "It's handy all year round," John explains, "but especially when we're planting or combining." When the combine is almost full, the operator calls for a truck to take the load. Ifa piece of machinery breaks down or a tractor becomes, stuck, the driver can call for help rather than walk home: If someone telephones for John, his wife', Sandy, can reach him no matter where he is working. The family recalls one incident in which GRS played an important role. Hugo rolled a wagonload of corn on the road. Within five minutes,' they. had someone' at the scene to direct traffic and a tractor and an auger to reload the corn. Besides using the mobiles around the farms, the Maaskants find they are handy to take on their vacations to ob- • tain directions. During;, a trip* to his or her purpose for transmitting. But needed it. W n..•y n IL is se o "The Clinton police use a CB in their effective communications- network, cruiser as a minor piece of equipment; "They should be commended for the they're known as the "Tijuana Taxi." help they gave to people," he adds. Recently, O.P.P. headquarters in Bill Wilson agrees with Doc that'the Toronto granted permission for its of- "garbage"should be removed from the ficers to install GRS mobiles in their air waves, but he maintains the only cruisers. They must provide their own people who can clean them up are the equipment and monitor channel 9, which ones who are using them. is the emergency channel,. A com- There are as many different purposes munication network has been set up .by for GRS as there are people using it. The the O.P.P. along highways accessible to concensus among the four local the 401 between London and a point east operators.- Bill Wilson, Ken Cooke, John of Toronto. ' Maaskant and Jim Edward - seems to be Bill Wilson, Community Services that, in spite of the problem of abuse, Officer with the Goderich Detachment of GRS has proved its worth in shortening the O.P.P., believes the extra means of the gap in communication. a.4.: ',en Cooke of Clinton finds the (:13 radio to be a valuable asset to his florist business. (photo by Elaine Townshend) Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Stewart of Victoria, Texas are holidaying with Mr. and Mrs. Bert Horton. Mrs. Robert Graham of Port Albournie, Vancouver Island is spending a few days with Mrs, Gordon Love and visiting with her father, Mr. Gordon Love, who recently underwent surgery in St. Joseph's Hospital, London. Mrs. James Sangster, who has been a patient in .South Huron Hospital, Exeter returned home last week. Sonday concluded , the Union. Church services in St. Paul's Anglican Church, which were conducted by Rev. George Anderson, who delivered an inspiring message. Mrs. Frank Forrest was at. the organ, Mr. Frank Forrest, violinist and Clarke Forrest accompanying on the guitar, led in the service of song. The service: next Sunday will be held in Carmel Presbyterian Church when all Church members will unite for worship at 9:45 am. 1001',and Rebekah Picnic The IOOF and Rebekah Lodges held their annual picnic at at the home of Dr. and Mrs. Ernie Chipchase on Sunday with a , good at- tendance. Mr, and Mrs. Al Hoggarth and Mr. and Mrs. Ray Consitt were on the sports committee. Mr. and Mrs. Hoggarth directed the.following sports: sack race: Paul Hoggarth; wheelbarrow race, Paul Parsons and Paul Hoggarth; paper doll race; Mr. and Mrs. Ross itten gun (ohn Maaskant of RR 2, Clinton uses the CL rad,ib'in his truck to keep in touch with the radio equipped tractors and home base, It enables them to farm' better. (photo by Elaine Townshend) Richardson M race, ;Lw PAGE 12_CLINTO1s1 NEWS -RECORD, THURSDAY, JULY 21, 1977 N�tJ 'haat a fad b Despite misuseM - Man,itob.A, John and Hugo drove two vehicles and kept in constant com- To some -people the term "CB" munication. signifies just another fad; to a few it is a In the past four years, they have nuisance becatise their TVs and stereos noticed A rapid increase in the number of pi k up stray Signals, but to many, the people using the air waves, but John CO ia a vital means9f communication. explains they are not affected much by Four local operators give their views on interference because their farm is the use and abuse of the system. located pn• high land and no other First, "This is Old Doc Brown in your operators live nearby. GRS has proved Clinton Town. Do you copy?" to be an important aid in the Maaskant That call has gone over the air waves farming operation. for 32 years and CBers recognize the Several businessmen in Clinton also voice and handle of the operator of one of use GRS to save time, and gas. Florist, the most reliable base stations in this Ken Cooke, is an example. Last area, When someone needs help, Doc December he bought a base unit for the Brownis listening. Last winter he often greenhouse and a mobile for the delivery sat at the mjke for 20 hours straight, vehicle. monitoring 'emergency calls and road "It's handy to' let the driver know of a conditions and in the spring, he was mistake or to tell him to come back for asked to help locate a missing child. another delivery," Ken explains. For the Because he has earned t Brown eCJim n a strange it's a own and to leagn auick way to et bout road his fellow operators, Doc Edward - as he is known off the.air - does conditions during the winter, Ken notes, not hesitate to speak out against the of the four wholesalers he deals with, growing "pollution of the -air waves." two``use CB equipped trucks -.He agrees He would like to clear up a few with Old Doc Brown that GRS is being misconceptions. First, he contends there abused : "There's a lot of garbage on the is no such thing as a CB which is a slang air, and it's sometimes difficult to get a phrase ' that originated in the United free channel, especially after four in the States. The proper name of the band is afternoon." - G.R.S. (General Radio Service). But he .maintains the - advantages Secondly, the communications system outweight the disadvantages. In is not a plaything. He feels the units are January his son Steve found .another "too easy to get and too many people are good purpose for the system. He and Don trdating them as toys." Armstrong of the Clinton Police . Almost anyone can buy a set over the Department used a CB -equipped jeep to counter and obtain a licence for $13.50 drive a patient from Clinton to London. A from the . Department of Com- munications. The applicant must be sixteen years of age and must stipulate By Elaine TownshentL ,t communication will be a great asset to the officers "as long as our fellows don't use it derogatorily by giving false in- formation and losing the respect of the other operators." Last year he'bought a mobile for a trip to Mexico and was so impressed with its potential that when he returned home he asked for permission to use it in his work. Now he has three units - a base in his douse, a mobile ip his 'van and a second mobile that he interchanges between his car and the cruiser. His handle is "Ther Wheels, and his wife is, known as "The,Lonesome Charlie.." , He has discovered GRS is, useful in traffic control. Rather than stop a speeding trucker • in a precarior.ts situation, such as heavy traffic, he gives him a warning over the air. He also approves of "Smokey reports". When one CB driver signals the location of a police car, the other operators and the cars following them slow down. This achieves the purpose of the police control slowing the flow of traffic and making the roads safer. When "The Wheels" recalls the blizzards of last winter, he describes. GRS as "invaluable." He often monitored information from vehicles lined up between Clinton and Van,astra or Clinton and Goderich. He led many processions through the storms using the bright light atop the cruiser as a guide. Meanwhile the drivers of snowplows and sanders monitored the municipal channel (23) to keep up-to=date on network of base stations kept track of weather and road conditions. the vehicle and both rnen agreed "It yeas -. good to know we could call for help if we 1 -le credits Old Doc Brown and his • , 1 son "Broom Handle" with setting lip an r.. Don't forget! Don't Miss it! thursday july 21 friday july 22' saturday july 23 courthouse park goderich,ont • it art gallery • painting,drawing,sculpture. crafts displays and demonstrations • old fashioned tea garden 111 PhotographY gallery flower show 0, band organ 41 free baby sitting Ea rl C and am 13 - bell; ladies' kick the slipper, New building inspector hired Mensal' has a new building inspector and building permit fee structure following last week's regular council meeting. • Herman Van Weiren of RR 1, Hensall + wasofficially appointed -village building inspector by council to receive $10 per inspection. The cost of a building permit has also gone up, with the minimum fee being $20. New homes or additions up to 800 sq. ft. will require a permit costing $40, from- 800 sq. ft, to 1200 sq.' ft. will cost $45, from 12Q0 sq. ft. to 1500 .. sq. ft., will cost $50, from 1500 sq, ft. to, 2,000 sq: ft.' will cost $55 and over 2000 sq, ' ft, will cost $G5 ». While most area municipalities charge for building permitsaccording to the cost of the building, the' Hensall ' council felt it would be fairer to go by the size of the addition or building: That way there . would be no problems with someone claiming it would cost very little to add' an addition or build a house thus getting piano music followed by Olga Chipchase. treats. Children's kick the slipper, Church service was con - Gregg Hoggarth; guessing ducted by Rev. Bishop of the peppermints in jar, Leona Exeter. Visitors during the Parke; relay race, Tracy past week were Howard and Parsons and Jeanette Mary Johns, Kevin Jervis, Hoggarth ; carrot relay race, Roberta Neil with Mrs. Mabel Wreatha Gregg and Jeanette Johns. Bud and Lorraine Hoggarth ; quiz, Joe and Dilling of Scarborough visited Wreatha Gregg; July , Bir- An,pa Dilling. Bill and Helen thday : Clarence Volland. Taylor and Pearl Erratt Lawn' croquet and Darts visited Russell Erratt. Violet were enjoyed by all, after Bishop, Jennie Bark, Joan which a delicious picnic Bettridge visited Irene supper was partaken... Al Kalbfl'eisch. Hoggarth expressed ap- Bill, Alma and Doris preciation, to Olga and Ernie Swartz visited Mrs, Lou for an enjoyable afternoon: Wourth. Leslie ,Mitchell visited his mother Louise Mitchell. Ruth Skinner visited Ruby Miners, Mrs. Hunter, and Louise Mitchell. ()ueensway News - "Birthday • Greetings" to Almeeda Parsons who will celebrate her birthday July 25 and to Hiram French who will celebrate his birthday July 21; . The Thames Road U.C.W1 entertained the resiQdentts on Wednesday afternoon • with "films on Rome, Florida and local scenery. They played games, enjoyed guitar 'and KAWASAKI Sales Service Parts Accessories Factory Trained Mechanics at . ULLY GULL svoars & RECREATION LIMITED VARNA ;62-5809 away with a minimum building fee. Mr. Van Wieren estimated he would have to visit a simple renovation within an existing structure at least twice throughout the building procedure while any building requiring a foundation could 0 require four or more visits. Under the new by-laws, building permit requests will no longer haveto be approved by council but will become valid as soon as ' they are signed by the inspector. Demolition permits, however, will still have to be • approved by council before they are issued. Hensall has had about -50 to 55 building permits per year in the past few years, but this number may increase now that a building inspector is active and permits must be obtained before building. DR. -M. M. CAUCHI Wishes to announce the opening of his Medical Practice on Tuesday, July 19th at 59 Newgate St. Goderich, Ontario. Office Hours: Monday thru Friday 9a.m.-bp:m. For,Appointrnents call: 524-4113 before July 19th. 524-412! after Julyl9th. 4 e -new Mercedes-Benz 300D. r' Truly,..the: nost.so ted Diesel passenger car in the world. For years, you've heard about exotic' and deliver performance comparable to that' of promising alternatives .to the conventional , gasoline engines. Drive a 300D and you drive automobile engine. 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