Friday Craig and I went to Branford, CT, to one of First's bus yards, to install and repair some radio equipment. He's gotten a partnership with TransVu for his business, so as long as they get all the parts business, he gets all the work to install said parts. We put radios into a truck and an SUV that already had antennas and power; those were super easy jobs, pretty much just screw in the radio and go. We then did a full install in a van, including antenna/coax and power, for which I had to climb onto the roof in the rain to drill a hole and install the antenna. After some diagnostic work on a few buses, which turned out to all be chalked up to "damn ancient radios, get new ones!", we were done.
Saturday I had a job for Elm Farm Bakery's catering service. I'd thought I was bartending, since that's what I did the last time I took a job for them, but when I arrived at Warfield House they said they didn't need bartenders, so I was kitchen staff instead. When they found out I could carry trays, I was made a runner instead of a server. I actually preferred that, because it was an outdoor wedding and it was COLD in the dining room (ceiling, but no walls), and going in and out of the kitchen and putting in so much physical effort kept me warm. After several hours of countless fully-loaded trays, my carrying arm started to give out. All in all, though, it was a pretty good time. Mike is awesome to work for.
Sunday we went to a gun show in West Springfield, and then went to Larry and April's new apartment to install a base station antenna for Larry. We beat him there, and while we were standing outside waiting for him, April poked her nose out the door - with a kitten. She was an orange tabby, no more than eight weeks old, with bulging eyes that took over her face and an adorably pathetic squeak. When Larry eventually showed up, I didn't want to go back outside.
Just as we were about to piece together the antenna, their landlord showed up to do paperwork, so we hung out for another half an hour. We almost left, since we were losing daylight to do the project, but finally Larry emerged from the house, the landlord left, and we got going. It took over two hours just to get the antenna up and the coax run as far as the lightning rod, and by halfway through it was completely dark. All we had up on the balcony was a crappy flashlight that entertained itself by spontaneously turning off when it was needed most, but somehow we got everything tied and clamped and soldered and clipped and otherwise attached. Unfortunately, one minuscule but essential brass pin did break, and the project can't be finished until Craig orders another one.
I felt rather unfortunately useless as an assistant. Since I couldn't lift my left arm more than a few inches, all I could really do was carry tools and hold things in place, which was frustrating since I do know how to clamp and solder and generally get an antenna project together. My arm is feeling a bit better today, though, and I'm hoping I will be fully functional by the end of the week, since I'm working Friday and Saturday with Craig and Ed in another bus yard, this time installing camera systems.
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