Season of Giving
Posted at 5:40 AM on December 22, 2008
by Dale Connelly
(28 Comments)
It's the Monday of a major holiday week during one of the worst economic downturns ever, so there's a chance you're not reporting for duty today.
Maybe you have the day off because school is on break, or because you took some vacation time, or because your factory is idle, or shut down, or your company is bankrupt or your employer is in jail.
Some of these things are bad ways to get a day off, but you can't let the reason tarnish the beauty of some unscheduled time with your nearest and dearest.
Especially when Hanukkah started last night and it is the day before the day before the day before Christmas.
Before long, someone may surprise you with something nice.
Lisa, one of our Radio Heartland listeners, had such a surprise last Friday when her partner Gary revealed that he'd installed an HD radio in her car. It was unveiled using a little sleight-of-hand and a lot of style. The previous radio and the new HD radio were both the sort that has a removable face plate. Gary used Lisa's car on Thursday so he could have the work done, and on Thursday night convinced Lisa he had inadvertently left the radio's face plate at the office. On Friday morning when they got into the car, Gary unveiled the new face plate for a new radio with new technology - a technology he had researched. Thoroughly.
I'm a tech, so my natural tendency is to go into all of the possible ways to get HD radio in your car with a discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of each option. And I did that to my friends and coworkers. And I noticed that their eyes glazed over about 10 seconds. My sweetie made a valiant effort to understand, but I came to realize that she shouldn't have to. It should be simple to use and the HD tuner should be built into the deck (or at least act like it is).
So I choose the JVC KD-HDR30 because:
1. It gets good reviews from users.
2. The user reviews agree that it's easy to use.
3. It has the features we want now (built-in HD tuner, CD player, front aux audio jack for my ancient 2G iPod).
4. We can add features to it later (iPhone dock connection, bluetooth cellphone connection...).
5. It's relatively inexpensive ($160).
I purchased it at Best Buy because they had it in stock, I'm impatient and I like to buy locally. I had them install it (for about $50) because there's one close to where I work in Eden Prairie and it could be done on my lunch hour.
So you see, dear listeners, it is possible to get HD radio on the road. .
All you have to do is get Gary to fall in love with you, drop a few hints, let him use the car, and wait.
Comments (28)
Ahhhh, to awaken to Peter Mayer! Hooray! Here's a suggestdion: All-Peter-All-Day-Radio. Whaddaya think?
Well, Dale, actually I was surprised with something last night. I went to a monthly songwriters gathering here in Nashville where I hang with my writer friends and listen to their songs. The fellow who runs it has a website which had a contest this month with several prozes offered. Before I left, he presented me with a prize I didn't know I'd won...a guitar signed by Anastasia Brown. So, once I learn to play this thing, I may join the ranks of my songwriter friends.
Here's to surprises and Santa Claus. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you and all the listeners.
I don't want Gary's love...just his expertise in hooking up speakers from the PC so I can listen all over the house!
I, too have also changed my mind about getting satellite radio vs HD. I need my MPR Radio Heartland in the truck!!!
have a Happy..........
I doubt any high fluting HD radio is going to work in Moorhead, MN. Can you run Radio Heartland on KCCM Thanks for listening.
Elizabeth, I'm with you on the Peter Mayer fascination. I'm delighted every time I hear him on Radio Heartland, especially when I'm at home or driving around town.
Wendy, congratulations on winning that guitar. It's just that sort of surprise that can send a person off in a new direction. I hope you do better than I did the first time I picked up a guitar and thought it would be cool to play it - I completely flunked tuning.
And Linda B, good for you. I'd love RH to be in your truck, but first be sure you get reception in your area! Our HD signal comes off the Shoreview tower in the Twin Cities and roughly follows the pattern of KNOW, MPR's news station.
If you can get KNOW on your current radio, you'll probably be able to get us too!
Has anyone thought about starting a social network on a site like Ning.com to allow for more interaction for all things Radio Heartland/The Morning Show?
So great to hear the Sons of the Pioneers at 7 a.m. All's right with the world. Thanks, Dale! I, too, have hooked up speakers so I can listen all throughout the house. It's great to be reconnected.
Please play The Roches "The Hallelujah Chorus" Thanks
Please play The Roches singing "The Hallelijah Chorus"
Speakers all through the house? Great Idea. I am tagging along behind here, just increased monthly pledge now I will investigate speakers.
I listened to Radio Heartland all weekend when ever I was near a computer..(all weekend...)
Thanks Dale, and Merry Christmas to all.
Way to go, Gary! My husband Bill did a similar thing. We had Christmas a little early when he brought home an HD radio for our bedroom, so we can continue to wake up to Dale. He said he thought about wrapping it, but thought I would like it more getting through the time until Christmas break with the same routine each morning. He was right.
Here's one thing I'd like: Could you play news during the live portion of the show? I miss that little bit of news in the morning, just to know what's going on in the world.
Have a wonderful holiday season. Thanks.
$160 for a radio and another $50 for installation? "Relatively inexpensive"? Glorioski!
Do you have any rockin' versions of "Mary Had a Baby"? Any funny versions of "We Three Kings"?
Linda
Elizabeth-I agree, Peter all the way!
Dale-Even though HAL was famously used previously, it does work for this application "Heartland Audio Log, H. A. L." (Tom came up with that)
Your Loyal Listener,
Kathy
make that Library, not Log
Dale,
Thanks for your wishes for me to have today off. I DO have today off, having saved enough vacation to take the rest of the year away from a job that I still have and I really like.
I was up before 7:00 and I got to hear the traditional Sons of the Pioneers as I was making coffee, instead of during my commute. It still seems wrong somehow, without Jim Ed, but I'll get used to that. My only concern is that I won't ever be able to hear it in my car because I don't think my HD FM car adapter (that I still need to install -- when it's warmer ;^) will be able to pick up Twin Cities signals down here in Rochester.
Oh well; I can still listen when I get to work and listening to the news on the way there is probably better for me anyway . . . .
Re: inexpensive. How about a Dual XHD6420 for $99? I don't know how to do this w/o sounding inappropriately endorsing something. I ended up getting a "scratch and dent" XHD6425 for the same price from Crutchfield. The 6425 is cool because it also has a USB port for a thumb drive and a bluetooth accessory is available. This is my third radio from Crutchfield. The cool thing about them is that they have specific instructions for your year and model car and tech support ... but I've never needed it. They also have factory plugs that you wire into the radio harness and then it just plug right into the existing car wire harness.
Some dashes can be quite a puzzle w/o knowing the specific tricks.
And for an in-home tuner the Coby HDR-650 has a decent price for $70. It's just a tuner so you need headphones or an amp.
I feel sorry for those listeners outside of the cities that have been cut off from the radio band (no HD). Keep pestring MPR. :-)
Thanks to Dale and Mike for the extra live hour and the foray into international with the Mongolian throat singers. Keep up with the geographic variety -- wouldn't want to be ethnocentric!
Does anyone listen to HD in Northfield? Does the signal travel that far?
RE: naming HAL. HAL is fine name ... as long as it doesn't turn on us! :-)
Well Dave, HAL just came back to give us a little kick. At 8:45 I decided, on a whim, to play "When She Kisses Me" by John Gorka.
I turned it over to HAL at 9 am and wouldn't you know it ... he's playing "When She Kisses Me" by John Gorka. Didn't he hear what I was doing?
Or am I supposed to pay attention to HIM instead?
It's a struggle for control, I'm afraid.
Dave, I also ordered one of the Dual in-car radios from Crutchfield and I agree with you, their customer support is top-notch. I was able to put the wiring harness on the new radio slowly but successfully, and the actual installation was uneventful. It helped that I found a shop manual for my car at the Ramsey County Library. That gave me a clue as to the location of all the connection points for my dashboard facing. Once I got that part right, the rest of it was pretty simple.
And Kris, I was able to listen to Heartland all the way to Northfield on my HD car radio. But I don't know if the reception would be as good inside a building, with a different receiver.
Thanks for continuing the programming I've been waking up to for more than ten years! I'm now in the market for a radio alarm clock that will accomodate the new format.
Re: HAL ... I take that back ... if HAL fights back then it IS appropriately named.
"I'm sorry Dave (Dale), I can't do that." :-)
Re: great, whimsically arranged Christmas tunes by local artists...
Are the Mouldy Figs, a local Twin Cities dixieland-style band, in the RH mix yet? Their CD titled Have Yourself a Mouldy Little Christmas has a great rendition of We Need A Little Christmas as well as I'll Be Home for Christmas that has a very down-home feel to it. Oh! Also, Santa Baby!
This album has been a favorite in our house for many years.
I just checked their website, and you can order it directly from them. It took a little searching to find it--you click on News and scroll down.
Hi Dale....
Loving the show...
And can I ask... "lisa, can I rent Gary???" I don't want him permanently... Kind of like a "rent-a-tech"...?
And I think that HAL has gotten a bad rap...
After all... we are well past 2001.... and our fearful-leader is not named Dave... We should be ok... right???
Hmm, it sounds most of the time HAL is doing a fine job, but he still has personality issues. We could call him/her HALEY. (Sort of HAL 2001 like, but not as evil).
Other ideas
Poolivac, Jimedivac
Just remembered a couple of songs I haven't heard since they were popular in the early 60s but I'd sure love to hear them again. They are "Sally Go 'Round the Roses" and "Walkin' My Cat Named Dog". It was so long ago that I don't remember who sang them but if anyone can track them down, I know you can.
I listen to Radio Heartland faithfully while I'm at work from 8-4 weekdays. Thanks again Dale for this great new gift.
I am so glad there is again a place where I can hear "When the Prairie Sun Comes out of the Hay" , Peter and Lou Berryman and John Gorka without changing the station and without listening to commercials (as if any commercial radio station would play an eclectic format!)
Thanks for continuting!
Our company is one of those that are shut down for Xmas and New Year but I had to come in today for monitoring Customer Service. Since I was the only one in the office, I turned on the Heartland radio program and played it all day - even listening twice to the morning show. I've never had so much fun at work. Thank you and Merry Christmas - HAPPY NEW YEAR - HAPPY HANUKKAH AND ALL THE REST OF THE HOLIDAYS.
- Become a Member
- Member Connect Accounts
- Leadership Circle
- Sustaining Members
- Member Discounts
- Become a Sponsor
- Tax Information
- Planned Giving
- Vehicle Donation
- Donate Stock
