Appreciation post: My old rig's radio taught me more about listening than I expected
I've been running the same old Link-Belt for about eight years now, and the cab radio has always been a bit of a joke, just static and a couple of clear stations. Last month, I got tired of it and finally bought a decent little Bluetooth speaker to hook up to my phone for music. The first day I used it, I was so focused on my new playlist that I almost missed a hand signal from my oiler. He had to wave three times before I saw him. That was a real wake-up call. I realized that the constant low hum of the old radio static was like a blank space that let me hear everything else, the engine, the wind, and most importantly, the crew on the ground. The clear music from the speaker filled that space and cut me off. I went back to the static the next day. It's not about the noise, it's about leaving a channel open. Anyone else find that a little bit of quiet in the cab makes you a better operator?