
Bubba talks about his day job at Jax State. Bubba talks about his hobby "Ham Radio". Betty sits in the Mellow Yellow Studio to cover several topics including her new porch lights.
Loading summary
Bubba
This podcast is brought to you by Coke AM First, Buffalo Wild Wings, Southern Immediate Care, Anne's Quilts, Guaranteed Labels, Central State bank and Sunrise Docks. Now back to Bubba on the Lake. Hey, it's Bubba. Hey, Bubba. Bubba on the lake. Bubba, Bubba. Bubba on the lake. Yay's got it going on. Gotta come people talking places from Bubba's perspective. Hey, Bubba, just wanted to say thanks for that catchy theme song. After I listen to a podcast, I have that song in my head for several hours. So keep up the good work. Great podcast.
Dennis Littleton
Bubba.
Bubba
I'm loving the new your podcast.
Dennis Littleton
I listen to every one of them. I wish you'd do one where you.
Bubba
Talk more about your job at Jack.
Dennis Littleton
State and maybe interview some of the.
Bubba
Coaches of the different teams. Thanks a lot.
Dennis Littleton
This is Robert in North Carolina.
Bubba
Hey Bubba, it's James from Abilene, Texas again. You got that game set just right. Keep it where you got it. Keep it. Keep the podcast going. Thank you very much.
Dennis Littleton
Bye bye.
Bubba
Hey, Bubba. Bill from Mississippi. My wife Pam and I are really enjoying your podcast and I wanted you to know that I hold you personally responsible for me binge watching season three of Secrets of Skinwalker Ranch. Thoroughly enjoyed it and just want to let you know that if you get an invite to go out there, hey, I want to go along.
Dennis Littleton
Thanks, Bubba. Longtime fan here, thrilled with the podcast, listening every time you drop one from.
Betty Lou
The Lee County, Alabama area.
Bubba
Just one question. Wondering if you are still working at Jack State.
Dennis Littleton
Haven't heard you talk about it much, so just wondering how that's going and if that is still a part of your repertoire. And thank you so much for creating this podcast.
Bubba
This is exactly what I, as one.
Dennis Littleton
Of your huge longtime fans wanted and.
Bubba
I'm doing everything I can to spread.
Dennis Littleton
The word and get you as many followers as possible.
Bubba
Thank you. Hey Bubba, this is Jimmy Cotts in Western Kentucky. Me and my sons Kyle and David love your show. We used to listen to Rick and Bubba but you were always my favorite and we just enjoy you and miss Betty Lou and keep up the good work. Well, there you have it folks from the Melayella studio. More messages from 308 Big Lake. Welcome to Bubba on the Lake. I am your semi retired, mostly washed up host formerly of the Rick and Bubba show and I want to welcome you. I really enjoy those little pearls of entertainment that are coming from the message line and we have many, many more. Please feel free to dial that up. Leave your message. May make it to air, it may not. You know, one of the things I have noticed in the messages and I will say in email too, there seems to be a running theme each week. I don't know if it's from message boards or chat rooms or whatever, but it seems like everybody gets on a topic and then that's what I hear and that's what I get in the email and then it will change to another topic. Like everybody wanted to hear from Helms and now it kind of shifted. And as you heard from some of those callers, I'm getting a lot of questions about Jacksonville State University, where I work, Jack State, and we're going to clue you in on some of that today. I think it's very interesting. I've really, really enjoyed being there and I'll kind of tell you the story behind all of that and that's probably a good place to start, by the way. Lot to cover today, a lot to cover. You don't want to miss a minute of it. But let me start with Jack State for just a minute. I grew up in Jacksonville and I literally could see the lots of the football stadium from my house and I could hear the band playing when they were practicing. So we've been Jack State fans for a long time. I can remember going to see Ralph Brock play, who later was better known as Dieter Brock in the Canadian Football League and then eventually the quarterback of the LA Rams and probably would have gone and won a Super bowl if they had not run into the 85 Bears in Chicago on a cold and windy day. But that's for the NFL historians. But I remember, I remember that, I remember the 1970 undefeated team that went to play down in Florida after the season. So we, we've been Jack State fans a long time as a kid. They had tearaway jerseys back then and that will really define how old you are if you've ever seen a football team with tearaway jerseys. Now what they were, for those of you that don't know, they were cloth jerseys that were washed and they were about as thick as toilet paper. So when a defender would grab a running back or a wide receiver, a quarterback, whoever had it on and he would just be left with a handful of jersey and the running back is trucking down the field in nothing but his shoulder pads. So that was kind of a big thing back in the 70s. Everybody did it. They only had tear aways on the key ball players that would be carrying or catching the ball. Most of the time it was running backs and the players used to have to go out of the game to get a new Jersey on when they would come back, when their jersey got tore off. Right. So there was some very pioneering thoughts about this. It's just a little history of college football here. Bear Bryant was one of the first people I saw that he had his guard and tackles had extra jerseys in their pants. And they literally were hanging out like you would hang a dish towel. So when a running back, say Johnny Musso or somebody, had their jersey torn off, they go back to the huddle and the lineman would pull out a jersey for them, put it over their head, get it on, and. And they never had to come out of the game. I thought that was genius. It. It was an era gone by. Now they've gone to jerseys and we just make them so skin tight you can't get a hold of them anyway. So, you know, it all, it all rotates around. But for us kids who were watching these games, this was outstanding. Because when somebody had a jersey tore off, if they come to the sideline to get a new one, they would throw the threads of what was left, you know, down under the bench or whatever. Well, the trainers began throwing them into the crowd because they would be a herd of kids down there wanting that tearaway, what was left of it. And then what we would do, we would carry it home and get our mom to sew it together, and then we would wear it to school. It was like a trophy. So, you know, and you tried to collect as many as you could. And then if you were, look, if you were really into it and really special and you went on a road game and you got a road tearaway. No, I'm going to tell you, when you got to trading tearaways with people, a road tearaway was worth two homes. I'll just tell you straight up. So we kind of have that history. I remember being a Cub Scout there and selling programs, selling Cokes when I was little. And the stadium has just grown so much since then. Back when I was a kid, they were concession stands where the end zones are now, and there wasn't stands and they had kudzu behind them. And as a kid, one of our big things and what we love to see was if they kicked about a 30 yard field goal, the ball would go right into the line of people waiting for concessions. And that was great, especially if they were not looking at it and it hit them in the head. As a kid, we thought that was the greatest thing ever, you know, because, I mean, sure, somebody could have been hurt. I know, I know. But as a kid, you don't Weigh that. I mean, you've been watching Tom and Jerry. So somebody getting bonked on the head is kind of funny. I'm not saying that. I'm laughing at it now. I'm trying not to laugh at it now. But the all time favorite was if you had a guy that had been in line and he come through the line, he'd had his food, he had him, you know, a handful of popcorn and, you know, a little tray of Cokes and all that stuff, and then the ball hits him and he doesn't see it coming. Folks, you talking about. I think I watched that more than I watched the ball game as a little kid. That was. We were so excited to see that. So excited. So we've been involved with Jack State over the years in many ways. Probably not proud of that one, but. Y' all stop, stop. I can't keep going with y' all making me laugh. So the peanut gallery's in full bloom in here today. So we fast forward. I did go to school there for technically 12 years. Off and on, off and on. Let me be clear. Off and on. In our department of communications, the radio kids, the guys and girls on the radio were in such demand, most of them got job offers before they ever finished. And a lot of us worked and went to school, you know, all that kind of stuff. So I quit a couple of times, two, maybe three, and ended up going back. And then finally, under great pressure from my mother and Betty, I finished. And it was technically 12 years. Now, most people just don't believe that. Well, there's a reason. A little insight as a high school student. At Jacksonville High School, we could take college classes. So we did. I did. Starting in 10th grade. And so you could. You could end up with, you know, credits that started before you got out of high school. And that was the case with me. I started in 1980 and I didn't graduate high school till 82. So. Wow, those are some numbers. How about those? Long time ago now. And. But so I usually don't say 12 years because people don't believe it. I just tell them 10. I just round it down to the decade of learning. Okay, y' all got to quit. I can't talk with you talking in my ear. So it's the decade of learning. Okay. And not that that wasn't long enough. Okay. So we did that. And then we worked as a contract engineer when they built Self hall, which was the communications building where the radio TV studios were, and we worked at the college radio station. And I'm very anxious to introduce you to some of those people because it is the 50th anniversary of that station going on the air. And I'm going to have some of those people on the podcast because they're very funny and they tell some great stories. So I did the radio station. I actually helped set up the very first radio network that we had and got some stations on. And we were feeding it in a very archaic way through the phone lines and all that. But the point being, it's been a long history at Jack State. Well, then I leave and we do the radio thing and all, and here we are back at Jack State again. So it's really a dream come true for me to be back there. You talking about just giving your left arm to work there, you know, growing up. The only negative about being there now, I wish I'd have probably been there about 10 years ago because it's a great job, it's fun. There's some really great people personally and professionally I get to work with every day. And at my desk it's kind of business meets technology meets sports. So those are three fun topics to me. And if I'm doing my job well, then all of that seems to function pretty well. Okay, we're going to take a quick break here and come back and I'll tell you a little more about what I'm doing now exactly in that. And thank you for being a part of Bubba on the Lake. Don't you move. It's Bubba on the Lake. Bubba on the Lake. The perfect checking account does not exist, at least not at a bank. At AmFirst, you can get no minimum balance or monthly fees, an instant issue debit card and free checks with unlimited check writing. But who doesn't want more? Like a rewards program you'll actually use and convenient digital tools that make it easy to manage your account from anywhere. That's what you'll find at amfirst. Only available for qualifying members. Amfirst is federally insured by the NCUA way.
Betty Lou
This is Coke Zero sugar. Could I be the best Coke ever? Try and taste with your ears Hear those bubbles. Imagine them tingling on your top. Fizzy deliciousness. Listen to that cascading liquid. A mouthwatering waterfall. Irresistibly tasty. Zero sugar. Crisp, refreshing and ice cold. Is Coke Zero Sugar the best Coke ever? Try and decide.
Bubba
So I want to thank right out of the gate president Don Killingsworth athletic director Greg Sykes for giving me the opportunity to be there. And as I was telling you, in my position as an assistant athletic Director and director of broadcasting. My desk kind of collides business, technology and sports, which is three of my favorite topics. So very blessed to be there. And we have some incredible people who are doing some excellent work. And I tell you I'm impressed every day. I'm just glad to be part of the team. Now as for me, we have about 150 to 200 live sporting events. We produce some form or fashion every year. That is a lot of live events. Some are on TV with espn, espn, some are on streaming. And then we have our radio network. So all of that would fall in my area. And I have two guys that work in our TV control room, Koby Filippo and Kyle Lawton. And they both do a wonderful job. They, I tell you, they make magic happen. And it takes a lot of people to do these broadcasts. So my job is to help them and give them the things they need so they can do a great job. We also have about 20, 25 interns that work in the athletic department and that's shared between all the sports and everything going on. Some of them who are a little more technically inclined, we draft them over to broadcasting to help us run soundboards, kids run CA cameras, you know, they, they are very much involved in the process and, and it is a learning process and we try to bring them along in that. And even if you're not going to do that for a living, I think it's good to have that insight. Because with so many things being Internet based now, video and audio is never going away. Radio and TV may not be as popular as it used to, but video and audio is more important than ever. So to have those skills, to learn that, how to, how to mix audio, how to produce things, how to, to, to run a camera and do that correctly I think is very important. So. And part of my job is to try to keep all of that running, keep the technology updated. You know, when you break down and set up cameras and you are in extreme heat and extreme cold and you do that year after year after year, you know those things eventually will wear out and you have to replace it. So we do that. We try to coordinate with the sports information directors who by the way, that job has changed a lot. When I was in school, the sports information director used to just kind of put out PR things for media. Well now they really interact with each sport when they're assigned to it. I mean, they're almost like a general manager for that sport. They do all kind of things. So that job has changed a little bit over the years, but I'm having a great time doing that. And it's a lot of fun. It's, you know, getting my hands dirty again a little bit, so I'm enjoying that. And again, so fortunate to work with so many very talented and passionate people about what we do. It's just something going on all the time. I mean, when the sports overlap, it gets a little bit crazy. And it's kind of like being an air traffic controller and a travel agent all at the same time. But we have a lot of good people. And again, I'm not responsible directly for all of that, but it all kind of falls in my category. So we're learning and expanding and trying to take something that was good and make it even better for the future. And we're just excited. Jack State is growing Division 1 school now, and they're competing at the highest level in Conference USA on all the sports. So it's a. It's a fun time to be there. And. And also working with the on air talent, we get to work with a guy who I've known since I was in college, Mike Paris, who's been there, I think, 44 years. He's the voice of the Gamecocks. He does all of our radio, occasionally does tv, but most of the time radio. Then we have Eli Gold, the legend who started with us a few years ago. He's doing mostly tv, but sometimes he does radio. He does TV for us for football and basketball and baseball and volleyball, which is a sport I have not followed that much, but I've really enjoyed getting to watch some of that and learn more about that. So we have that. Patrick Williams works with us. He does TV for espn, for softball. He is a legend up on Sand Mountain. He's in all kind of hall of Fame. Matter of fact, everybody I work with is like in a Hall of fame. So I'm very lucky to be working with these folks and trying to learn from them still each and every day. I've always thought if you learn something every day, you never get behind. So that's important. Important. All right, enough of that. I just wanted to catch you up to date. I've had a lot of questions about it, and we're very excited. It's a great place to work, and we're just thrilled to be back. And hopefully we'll be able to make some changes and plant some seeds that will grow and will be a very positive influence and change in the future on our athletic program. And we're very, very proud of them. And at Jacksonville State, University. All right, so we will come back. We have some other things to cover. Thank you for being with us here on the podcast and we will be right back. Where's Bubba? I'll tell you where. He's on the lake. Attention business owners, print buyers and production managers. Guaranteed Labels is here to help you focus less on your printing labels and decals and more, more on growing your business. Guaranteed Labels, your dependable printer for all types of industries. Quality on time shipments and stock programs set us apart.
Dennis Littleton
If you're needing to focus less on.
Bubba
Your printing and more on your business, Trust guaranteed labels. 800-741-7055 or guaranteedlabels.com guaranteed labels still sticking since 1988 at Central State bank, we believe community banking is more than just transactions. It's about relationships. For over 100 years, we've been helping neighbors grow, businesses thrive and dreams become reality. Because when you bank local, you invest in your community. Central State bank. Large enough to serve you, small enough to know you. Visit us today or learn more@centralstatebank.com Member FDIC. Well, I get a lot of questions about my hobby of ham radio, and we have one of my ham buddies on the line right now, Dennis Littleton. Dennis has been a good friend for many, many years, and he's also president of several ham radio organizations. Dennis, welcome to Bubba on the Lake.
Dennis Littleton
Well, it is exciting to be down on the lake with Bubba, and I appreciate the opportunity to share with you and hopefully somebody, you know, two or three folks will hear this. It'll get interested in ham radio.
Bubba
Well, Dennis, let's start out about what is amateur radio or ham radio? I get that question all the time now. I give them usually a simple, quick answer. It's CB on crack. Now, I know that's probably not the, the exact answer that certain organizations would like for us to put forward, but, you know, sometimes at the gas pump, that's all I've got. But so how would you describe to people what ham radio is that has no idea.
Dennis Littleton
Well, that's a very good, very good analogy. Being a fan of Breaking Bad, I could go all over the place with that one. You know, I would have said methamphetamine. But anyway, and for the common man, that's true. However, it's so much more. And the problem with trying to define it, there's so many aspects that fall under that umbrella that people get into. I refer to it as a hobby. Some people fuss at me for that, but, you know, it's, it's a broad spectrum. My Big thing which is much like CB when, when the skips rolling, as they call it, is on hf, talking to people, making contacts all around the world. We have people who really enjoy getting on these local 2 meter repeaters, similar to what like the police use and the fire department use. But they sit around and talk about important things about like radio. And we've got folks who enjoy satellite work. We have amateur radio satellites that orbit the globe and as they come over, they can work them. We even have people who bounce signals off the moon, of all things. And you know what they call that? Moon bounce of all things.
Bubba
Yeah. Very high tech name for it.
Dennis Littleton
Yeah, right. Very. It's a very diverse hobby with modern technology. We have a lot of repeaters that are linked through the Internet to each other. And so even at the lower class of license, and I shouldn't say lower, but the beginning class of license, these guys can work people all over the world, talk to people all over the world. When I say work, that's what I mean when it comes to ham radio.
Bubba
You know, Dennis too, I've, I've just. From day one, and I got my ham license when I was in High School, 1982. So I've been around it a while. It's the diversity of the people you meet. And I have to tell you, some of my best friends I've met through ham radio. And you got guys that like to just sit around and talk and, and talk politics or the weather or what's happening in the community. And then you run into people who launch satellites and who work on rockets and you've got everything in between. And I've always thought that was the most amazing thing. I mean, some people are very technical, some are not. But there's parts of the hobby, as you said, for wherever you fall on that scale.
Dennis Littleton
You're right. I mean, you may hear conversations on HF or even on these local repeaters from, from, from Bible studies to building ballistic missiles. I mean, it's, it's that. That diverse. You're right. And I'm like you, I've made a lot of friends in this hobby. You know, a lot of folks think you and I knew each other because of the broadcast days back when we both wanted to be famous disc jockeys. We melted a handset in Birmingham.
Bubba
Oh, yeah, yeah.
Dennis Littleton
And anyway, it was. You know, I have a background too. I don't know if I've ever shared that with you. My goal in life was to become a morning DJ on the top 40am station and, and be the chief engineer. But, you know, they don't allow those two people to be in the same position, so. Oh, wait a minute. You did that?
Bubba
Yeah, yeah, yeah. There was one that got through.
Dennis Littleton
You broke the boat.
Bubba
And I don't think I was really. I probably was not good enough at either one. So they didn't care.
Dennis Littleton
I kind of hit that mold myself. But, you know, radio that broadcasts, guys, is one of those things that very few people do well. And I'm glad to know someone who did. So, Bubba, thank you for being my friend.
Bubba
Well, you're too kind. You're too kind. Well, Dennis, you know, one of the aspects of it, and I think I've done just about everything in ham at some point is the way that signals propagate due to their frequency and the antenna relationships to that. Again, I don't want to get too technical in that, but we have bands that you can only really communicate on at night that are very much like the AM broadcast bands. And then we have bands that never skip or never open up except on very rare occasions. And, you know, they're more reliable for point to point things and repeaters and FM communications. But, you know, it's just a little bit of everything. And you can, you can put a tower up with all kind of antennas on it, or you can throw a wire out in the backyard. I mean, it's really all over the road, isn't it?
Dennis Littleton
That's right. I've got the wire in the backyard myself for some of the lower frequencies down closer to that AM broadcast band. You know, that's a wire gets pretty long at those frequencies. So a lot of times that's what guys are. There one of the things you hear said a lot in this hobby, you know, 100 watts and a wire. I work the world and it's true. Yep, I was able to work. I made over a hundred contacts around the world, confirmed contacts with 100 watts and a wire antenna. And you know, to be able to go out and build that thing yourself, and it's not that complicated. I mean, most anybody can do this if you know the formula and how to cut the wire. But it's, you know, it's just. To me, it's a lot of fun and it kind of climaxes and something we're going to be talking about here in a minute, field day, because we get to really test ourselves.
Bubba
Well, and that kind of brings up the point that it is a hobby, but it also has a real world application that it provides emergency communications when things go down for first Responders and people like that. And I think we fill a very important gap with that.
Dennis Littleton
Oh, we do. I mean, I refer to James Spann quite a bit because he's a ham, he's a weather guy. And when he takes his coat off and you see those suspenders, it's serious. But out in the field when these bad storms are coming through, there are people, storm chasers or just, you know, these weather geeks. And a lot of them are hams. And they depend on amateur radio to get messages back to the National Weather Service. We have an amateur radio station at the National Weather Service. And during storms and events, a lot of guys activate and get out and work. We have a lot of EMAs, have amateur stations there, hospitals in my county. Here we are, we're in Bibb County. Both our EMA office and our hospital, we have an amateur radio station on site to help assist if need arises. And they need to communicate. So. And that's right, you know, after we always tell people when all else fails, it's amateur radio. Well, one of the things that we can do just because of the nature of our hobby of what we learn, if everything else gets knocked down, we can go over there where your cell tower used to be, we can string up a wire and we can start communicating on your behalf, get messages in and out. And that's really, that's kind of what the idea of a field day is, just to go out in the field, set up somewhere you don't normally set up. And some people set up in the bit. Usually the, the young guys like to go out, rough it, camp out and set up antennas in the trees. The older guys, we go sit in a climate controlled building that we don't normally operate from and we spring up wires and operate with batteries, but we stay off the grid as much as we can to see what we can do when the need arises. And it's just a good, a good test for us and we get to tell those same old stories. The old guys do you guys have to get new ones because they got memories.
Bubba
That's right. But the old ones don't remember telling the story, so it's new to them anyway. So, you know, that's how it'll be with me, I'm sure, or a lot of my friends. Now, they've probably heard the same story eight times. But, you know, you make a great point. I think one of the greatest aspects and the way the ham community helps out is with storm spotting. And shortly after I got my license back in the 80s I went to a storm spotters class and I think it was James Spann that taught ours best. I remember. And you know, it's just great information because these, you know, I felt like a junior meteorologist when I went out because, you know, these cloud formations are very predictable, you know, with a rain free base and then you have where the rain shaft is and you have where the hail falls, you have a shelf cloud, then a wall cloud that comes out of it. And then out of a wall cloud is where tornadoes come. So, you know, that's not exactly that way 100% of the time, but the large majority it is. And once you learn what those look like and how they act and you have a ham radio and you know how to stay out of the way of that, you never want to put anybody in danger. But you can tell by the way it's tracking, you know where you can get to observe that. And as you said, they call that into the National Weather Service. And I don't know the exact procedure today, but I know for many, many years if the National Weather Service got a radar image where they thought a tornado was active, they would try to get a storm spotter to confirm it before they would issue the warning. Now, I don't know if they do all that now, but with the radar, it's so much better than it used to be.
Dennis Littleton
But they'll issue a warning based on radar and they usually state it that way. But they're looking for, they call it ground truth. They want somebody to see that and tell them what they see.
Bubba
And then when you get those two together, you know, you got good data then.
Dennis Littleton
Right?
Bubba
And you can go with it. So, you know, there's just so many aspects of it. Again, people like to get involved and there's, there's different organizations and even in ham radio dealing with emergency communications. But Dennis, tell us a little bit. You're also our section manager or gosh, I'm going to say something here and I don't want you to cringe, but in the ham radio world, being the section manager for our state is kind of like being the ham radio governor. Is that a good comparison for. People don't know what I'm talking about.
Dennis Littleton
Except it doesn't come with all the.
Bubba
You don't get the cars and the guards and all that. Right.
Dennis Littleton
They don't get the mansion. I don't get anything. But very few people are excited to see me. So that's part.
Bubba
I don't think so. Dennis, you're always in a good mood.
Dennis Littleton
Basically, what we do is we help put the right people in the right spots by making appointments to the various positions throughout what we call the field organization. A lot of those are involved in emergency communication, and it's not so much, you know, it was one of those things where we don't have to know a lot. We just need to get to know people who do and get them in and help them do their job. So it's, you know, it's more about making us in the state of Alabama be able to function and operate together and have the right people in the right place and.
Bubba
Yeah. Oh, yeah, absolutely. And if you're interested in ham radio, most areas have a club. They get together, they do their own thing, they do programs, they do exercises. And they usually have people who like to bring newcomers into the hobby. So they actually have a term, they call them an elmer. I don't know where that got started, Dennis. You may know where that originated, but there's a lot of.
Dennis Littleton
I'm a little older than you, but I'm not that old.
Bubba
I don't know. That may have started with old Percy. You know what I mean? I don't know. But. But they will take you under their wing, help you out, get you started and kind of get you into the. To the fellowship of it. And again, Dennis, I think it's just. It's a great hobby. I have enjoyed it thoroughly and, you know, I've met a lot of great.
Dennis Littleton
People like you and, you know, well, I am. I'm a great person in my own mind. One of the things with field day coming up, that's coming up In June, the 28th, 29th, this Saturday will be seven weeks away. A lot of these clubs will be set up in a public place and they'll have radios for those interested in getting on the air. And oddly enough, they call those get on the air events.
Bubba
A lot of research went into that.
Dennis Littleton
We work hard on those acronyms. And ARRL, American Radio Relay League, has a website. It's arrl.org and if you go to slash field day or it'll be on the front on the first page, you can go over and find a map that shows where these field days will be and see if the club near you is going to be there. You might can make contact with them. You can look up clubs on that website, too. So it's a great resource.
Bubba
Yeah.
Dennis Littleton
Interested in learning more about amateur radio? We have a section, or I should say for Alabama, we have a website. It's not quite as fancy. It's A L a r r l.org the webmaster is not very talented anyway. Well, he doesn't get paid well either. But so, you know, the resources are out there. A lot of people just not aware of it. And I don't think we always do a good job of getting that information out to the public, but we try to do better. And things like this does help, Bubba, with your large listening audience. Hopefully we'll have some folks interested. And you can always, you know, look me up on either of those websites and my phone numbers on there, you can call me and I'll usually answer unless I'm taking my nap.
Bubba
Right. And that's important. We all need those.
Dennis Littleton
Normally, this is nap time, Bubba, but it's okay. You're important.
Bubba
So, yeah, I'll cut it off here. So, you know, if you. If you are interested, check out your local ham club. I promise you, they will be very accommodating. If you want to go to field day and see some of these hams in action, go by. They'll give you a tour, show you some of the equipment, meet the people, and there's even a map on there where you can, you know, see if it were the closest one is to you. And always enjoy going out to find field day. When I was younger, I was one of those guys. Stayed up all night, you know, tried to make two or 300 contacts. And now I just kind of like to ride around during the day and tell everybody what a good job they're doing, right?
Dennis Littleton
And eat with them.
Bubba
Yeah. Oh, yeah. Now, hey, they got some food now. I mean, it. It's almost like chefs got together to play radio.
Dennis Littleton
Right? You know, last year, I had. I came home with a big banana pudding somebody made for me, and we ain't had a pudding for days.
Bubba
Well, you know, it's another great aspect of the hobby, Dennis. No doubt.
Dennis Littleton
And I said this job didn't have personal.
Bubba
There you go. There you go. So this is Dennis Littleton. He is our section manager for arrl, the American Radio and Relay League, which is the kind of the lobbying body organization for ham radio. And we would love to have more people in the hobby, for sure. Dennis, thank you for taking time to talk to us. And we'll get some more information out as field day gets a little bit closer.
Dennis Littleton
All right, thank you, Buffy. Enjoyed it.
Bubba
Thank you, brother. 1, 2, 3. We'll be right back. I am so happy to announce that Our family dentist, Dr. Thomas Dudney, has joined my podcast as a sponsor. My entire family have been patients of Dr. Dudney and his team for over 20 years. Now, I'm going to be telling you a lot more about all of his services and what he does, But I have to tell you, the veneers that he gave me changed my life. I had no idea how big an impact that would have. You can call him today at 205-663-6545, or visit him at thomasdudney.com and find out more. You know one thing I love about Buffalo Wild Wings? You can get wings with any of their 26 sauces and dry rubs for takeout and delivery. That's like bringing an entire B dubs home with you, which you can't do. I tried. I've knocked down so many walls only to then be told to halt construction because I'm not zoned to be a sports bar. Kind of just looks like a big pergola or something. Because of the lack of walls, at least these 26 sauces and dry rubs are available to go. Buffalo Wild Wings. Let's go. Sports bar. Where's Bubba? I'll tell you where. He's on the lake. Well, she is back by popular demand. She's on the back porch. She's barefooted. It's the lovely Betty Lou. Betty, how are you doing?
Betty Lou
Doing great. How are y' all?
Bubba
Well, we're doing good. Of course, you're not on the back porch today. We're in the Meliella studio because it's a little wet out there.
Betty Lou
Yeah, it's been a little rainy the last few days. I'm sure it's been rainy everywhere.
Bubba
Yeah, I don't know what the weather pattern is that we're gonna have so much rain, but everything ought to get watered real good, that's for sure. So, Betty, we've had a busy week, and when we last talked to everybody, we were having truck problems. And we are glad to announce that we now have the truck back. But I haven't drove it enough to feel confident with it yet.
Betty Lou
Yeah, I don't think you've driven it enough for me to feel confident either. I didn't even like dropping you off and coming on home. I was just gonna wait and follow you home. But again, we had other plans, so we had to go our separate ways. But you made it back, so all is well.
Bubba
Yeah, it. You know, after you've been stranded, you're kind of a little bit gun shy, so to speak, and. And I know you. You have been made gun shy that whole process, too. But. So we'll Find out. And you remember the old commercial. It used to be. Was it John Cameron Swayze that took the Timex watch and he strapped it to the bumper of, like, this dune buggy and he said, we tested this road on the back. We tested this watch on the back roads of Morocco. You remember that?
Betty Lou
Kind of. I remember. I thought he ran over.
Bubba
Well, you're a lot younger than.
Betty Lou
Maybe that's Napoleon Dynamite running over the plastic.
Bubba
Yeah. Yeah. That's different. So I kind of feel like we have to test the truck on the roads to Morocco. And for me, that will be making the track to Jack State. And so we'll. We'll.
Betty Lou
That ought to test it.
Bubba
Yeah, we'll. We'll break it in then. That's for sure.
Betty Lou
Who's going to come get you if you get on that road?
Bubba
Well, it depends how far I am before, you know, at some point, I don't care call you anymore because I'm over my relatives. Yeah. I'm over the limit. Some family in Jacksonville, that's for sure. So we got that back. I thought you might want to. To tell everybody in kind of a essence of Betty. Say, what about your new lights you got on the porch? Huh?
Betty Lou
Oh, I love my new lights. It's kind of a. It was an early Cinco de Mayo, I guess, porch thing or whatever. It's just those cafe lights that's kind of.
Bubba
No, everybody has to have them.
Betty Lou
Everybody party lots, I guess. They're very. I love them, though. You don't even have to turn on the porch lights. You know what I mean? The real porch lights, because they're real bright and the bugs come to them worse. So we have some bugs over here at the lake.
Bubba
Sure, sure. You don't have that.
Betty Lou
Yeah.
Bubba
You're going to have that with giant body of water.
Betty Lou
Yes.
Bubba
So. But you. You didn't like the way they were hung to begin with. You said they look like Christmas light.
Betty Lou
Yeah. I went to play pickleball and left you and your friend Mike in charge of hanging the lights. And I was very thankful that. That he was here and that y' all took that on. So. And I had sent a picture to him or to you, one of you, or showed you the picture of exactly how I want them hung.
Bubba
Right.
Betty Lou
So I thought we had that, you know, understanding. But anyway, I come back and they're just in a straight line across like you do Christmas lights. Like you outline your house or whatever.
Bubba
And you said they look like Christmas lights. And so you didn't like it. You did not Approve.
Betty Lou
You did not say, oh, that looks horrible. It looks like Christmas lights. I just shook my head, you know, kind of nodded and said, looks like Christmas lights.
Bubba
Yeah. Yeah. Well, you made us redo them.
Betty Lou
I didn't make anybody do anything. Your friend Mike volunteered. He didn't have to do it. I didn't hold, you know, his feet to the fire or anything like that.
Bubba
Well, he's your friend, too.
Betty Lou
I know. Our friend Mike hung the lights for me, and I'm very thankful.
Bubba
So he took a few screws out, and now it doesn't look like Christmas lights. It looks like festive.
Betty Lou
Yeah.
Bubba
Cinco de Mayo, top light, right?
Betty Lou
Yeah. If we could get us a basket of nachos and run out there and play a little mariachi band, we'd have it.
Bubba
Yeah, well, you know, we're always short mariachi players when we really, really, really need it.
Betty Lou
Yeah.
Bubba
But I think they look good.
Betty Lou
I do, too. Yeah. I'm very thankful. Thank you again. Our friend Mike.
Bubba
Yeah, he did a great job with that. So, a little earlier in the. In the podcast, I was talking to one of my ham radio friends, Dennis Littleton, and we were talking about that. Do you have any insight to ham radio you would like to share with everybody?
Betty Lou
I know not much about ham radio other than 70 threes. Means we're signing off and we're all good. 73, that's right. But I will say a funny on the ham radio, when we first started dating, I really didn't know anything about ham radio. And so you announced we couldn't go out on a date or something one weekend because you were going to a ham fest and your love of eating, you know, I just assumed you was going to the Honey Baked Ham festival or something. I didn't know. And then you announced, no, it's the radio, the ham fest. So anyway, yeah, that was a good one. I'm learning. I mean, we've been married long enough now. I kind of. Kind of. I mean, not really. I kind of know it's a lot of static in the car, you know, Lot of, hey, you know, I got my toenail took off last week or what? You know what I mean?
Bubba
You've been on 40 meters.
Betty Lou
Yeah, yeah. There's a lot of, you know, I got.
Bubba
Only the hams. Just got.
Betty Lou
By the way, it's this. I don't know, it's so funny, which. We had lunch, by the way, talking about as we're getting older. We had lunch with a couple that we're friends with in Birmingham yesterday. The whole Conversation, at least the whole. About half of the time anyway, was all of us and our l meds.
Bubba
And what doctor we're going to and what medicine you're taking for that.
Betty Lou
Yes. Oh, my gosh. But anyway. And if we didn't have glasses on, we took out the reading glasses to look at the menu.
Bubba
Oh, yeah, you got to do that. I couldn't see that menu if. If it. If it was the path to gold bricks without her glasses. Now, isn't that sad? How sad is that? It is sad.
Betty Lou
I tell you. The vision went about late 40s, early 50s for me, and it hadn't come back. I don't guess it will until.
Bubba
Well, I'm just glad your. Your nearsighted vision's not very good. I figured that's how I'm getting to hang around. Speaking of hanging around, somebody has a birthday coming up.
Betty Lou
Oh, Lordy. Speaking of getting old. Yeah, they just keep coming around every year. I don't know. Here we go again.
Bubba
You know, I'm not just saying this, but I really. I feel like you're getting better with age.
Betty Lou
Well, I appreciate it. Now we need to look at your. Your vision and also your thought processes. We need a scan. Sure enough. Oh, me?
Bubba
Well, I. I've had a week now. I've had. You know. But no, you. You're just more lovely than you ever have been.
Betty Lou
Well, I appreciate it.
Bubba
Sweeter than ever.
Betty Lou
Well, now that. More patience than ever. I'll say that, because Lord knows it's been tested these last about three years. Oh, Lordy. But anyway, yeah, I'm very thankful to be here another year.
Bubba
Oh, it's a gift.
Betty Lou
It is a gift. Life is a gift. Great friends, you know, I appreciate. It's a great area to live.
Bubba
I appreciate friends, good friends, more now than ever.
Betty Lou
Yeah.
Bubba
Getting to visit with them, even if they are going to talk about all their ailments and how many doctors.
Betty Lou
Now, that's pretty funny, you know, it is funny.
Bubba
Now you. You're dressed, you're headed somewhere. What is this all about?
Betty Lou
I'm going to play pickleball.
Bubba
So how do you. How do you like pickleball? You're. You're a tennis person that transitioned over a little bit.
Betty Lou
Yeah, I'm missing.
Bubba
You got to watch how you say transitioning now. People take that all kind of crazy way.
Betty Lou
There's tennis courts in the neighborhood, too, and I may take that back up just on the side. I don't know, but I think I like pickleball a little bit better than the tennis.
Bubba
Now. Betty, you have spoken.
Betty Lou
I'm sorry, I don't know. You're. I know.
Bubba
No, you're a tennis purist. To a degree. To a degree.
Betty Lou
Tennis and ice cream. You got your purist.
Bubba
Yeah, you got to have vanilla. If I have vanilla and tennis, I'm in good shape.
Betty Lou
Yeah.
Bubba
So we've joked about the purest thing, but what, what do you like about pickleball better than tennis, I guess, because.
Betty Lou
I've played it more here lately. But to me, it's not quite as hard on your body either. You know how you don't have to run as far. Well, that and.
Bubba
But you do play on a hard court, which to me is more punishing. I can tell a big difference. I play on clay versus hardcore.
Betty Lou
Well, the serve you're serving underhand and I had that trouble with tennis elbow. Had to have surgery, you know, back when I was playing tennis. So my arm is not as strained, you know, playing pickleball.
Bubba
Well, it can't hurt. Dr. Kane said your. I know now my elbow cannot hurt.
Betty Lou
I've done something to my other arm now. Speaking of ailments, I don't know. I said, well, I guess I just have weak elbows. I don't know because now my left one's hurting. I mean, it's been years, you know.
Bubba
Everything'S a trade off. You got weak elbows, but you got strong other things.
Betty Lou
I've got, well, I've got strong abs or somewhat kind of, because that's how I've hurt my elbows, the planks and the. Trying to do push ups and that kind of thing. Trying to. Trying to do better, you know, push up.
Bubba
What's that now? When you had to disable and you had it really bad and a lot of people that start out have that. I remember the old timers telling me, because I had a lighter case of it than you did, and I mean, I remember not being able to eat right handed. You had to eat left handed. And the old timers that had been playing would say, well, if you learn how to hit a tennis ball right, you wouldn't have that problem. And they're actually correct. But it's a habit you have to learn. And you had it real bad to the point you had to have surgery. And Dr. Lyle Kane, who's a team doctor at Alabama, did the surgery. And when you. He actually let us go in and watch that being done, which is very, very interesting. And isn't it funny, I can go in and watch surgery, I can go in and watch babies be born. But if I Say anybody throw up. I'm like, I can't take throw up.
Betty Lou
I think it's just you don't want to help clean up is what I think that is. You have some.
Bubba
I don't even want to see a dog on the side of the road throwing.
Betty Lou
Yeah, well, I don't guess they're going to make you clean that one up.
Bubba
No.
Betty Lou
If somebody around here and I'm sick or whatever, sometimes you got to help out, you know, and I think you're just living fear. Oh my God, somebody's throwing up.
Bubba
Put her in the yard. Put her in the yard.
Betty Lou
Where's the dead down wind?
Bubba
That's a game. Listen, the medical community needs to look into dead down wind. It's a game changer. That's a game changer. That's called poof.
Betty Lou
Works pretty good too or whatever it is. That guy on TV spraying it in his mouth.
Bubba
I don't, I don't know about that. I don't know about anything. Spray in my mouth.
Betty Lou
Well, I'm not spraying it in my mouth. I'm not sprayed in one of these dogs mouths.
Bubba
I'll tell you the ultimate, you know, if you, if you give me an experiment and you show me how it works, I'm sold and dead down. When I'll never forget Mark Whitlock of Mark's Outdoors who's gone on to glory. He came to the studio one day and he had the awful smelling tennis shoe, pair of tennis shoes I'd ever smell. I mean I thought something had died in it. There were, it was a combination of death and Cheetos, you know what I mean? It was. And I couldn't even. When he opened the bag they were in, I thought I was going to pass out. And he, he said, here, take a sniff through this sneaker. And I'm like, well Mark, I can't, I can't even get close to it.
Betty Lou
Like I don't know you that well, right.
Bubba
And then he sprayed dead down wind in the sneaker and then put it over his face and just, just kept breathing through it. And I said, well, I got to try that. So he sprayed a little more and I did and it was fine. And I really could not believe it. So I really think this is a, you know, a non paid endorsement, but I really think the medical community ought to look into dead down wing for medical purposes.
Betty Lou
Yeah, I don't even know who makes dead down when. It can't be.
Bubba
That's the dead down wind makers. Oh yeah. So now I don't Know who makes it either. Yeah, but. Well, you sure look cute in your outfit.
Betty Lou
Well, thank you. I've got the mean green outfit on.
Bubba
And I hope you have a great pickleball game and going to be celebrating birthday here in a few days, so.
Betty Lou
Yeah.
Bubba
Congratulations.
Betty Lou
Birthday and Mother's Day all in one weekend. Happy Mother's Day, everybody, by the way.
Bubba
That's right, all of your moms, all of you moms out there, congratulations. You did well. You did well.
Betty Lou
That's right.
Bubba
Well, Bets, thanks for stopping by for a few minutes and we have a lot more things coming up. One of the things I'm excited about is we're actually having an old friend of ours that's going to come visit and we're going to interview her. She is the one that introduced us.
Betty Lou
She did. She sure did. And she'll be a great interview too. She laughs a lot.
Bubba
Pretty high energy, best I remember. But I have not talked to her really. I was trying to think 30 some odd years.
Betty Lou
We talked to her on the phone a couple of times, but that's about it.
Bubba
But I haven't seen her.
Betty Lou
I haven't seen her since our 10 year reunion, I guess. And we graduated in 1985.
Bubba
We've been good friends to stay in touch.
Betty Lou
That's right.
Bubba
And. But we will, we'll have a lot of fun with that. And I've also had people ask me and it is going to come up in an episode very soon. Some of you have heard this already in a, in a one on one or in a group setting. But we're going to talk about telling the kids about the birds and the bees.
Betty Lou
Oh my. We're going to have to wait till they're with us though.
Bubba
I'm not. I think we probably need to tell it without them and then we'll let them rebut the story because I'm sure they have their own version of it. But it won't be, you know, it won't be any bad language in it, but it will be an adult topic. But we'll handle it.
Betty Lou
Pretty funny. I live through it.
Bubba
It's real funny. It is real funny. And we're going to share that on the upcoming episode. So, Betty, be good. Have a good. Is there anything you say for pickleball? Like, you know, tear them up or stay out of the kitchen or what do you say when you're telling somebody to have a good pickleball game?
Betty Lou
Don't break anything.
Bubba
Yeah. Back to our age again.
Betty Lou
Yeah.
Bubba
Yes, Betty, don't break anything. You know My worst injury ever was playing pickleball. When I pulled a growing muscle, my whole leg turned black.
Betty Lou
Oh, yeah. I had to drive you to work at 3:30am yeah.
Bubba
Yeah. That was fun. That's, you know, that'll. That'll.
Betty Lou
I remember.
Dennis Littleton
Right.
Betty Lou
I got on the show that day.
Bubba
And stress the old marriage out there. Yeah, yeah.
Betty Lou
That was the message that I left him.
Bubba
That was exciting.
Betty Lou
That was funny.
Bubba
Well, have a good game.
Betty Lou
Well, I'm gonna try to love you.
Bubba
And thank you for stopping by here in the mellow yellow studio.
Betty Lou
Thank you very much. Happy Mother's Day weekend.
Bubba
You're listening to Bubba on the Lake. Hit me bad. A production of intergalactic pants and tees.
Dennis Littleton
All rights reserved.
Betty Lou
When you need urgent care, Southern Immediate.
Bubba
Care is here for you.
Betty Lou
Illness doesn't follow a 9 to 5.
Bubba
Schedule, so we offer support seven days a week at convenient locations throughout Birmingham and northeast Alabama.
Betty Lou
Dedicated to serving all ages, from children to adults, Southern Immediate Care offers occupational medicine services including dot physicals and testing. At Southern Immediate Care, your health is our top priority. Visit southern immediatecare.com or call 205-409-2794. This is Coke Zero Sugar. Could I be the best coke ever? Try and taste with your ears. Hear those bubbles. Imagine them tingling on your tongue. Fizzy deliciousness. Listen to that cascading liquid. A mouth watering waterfall. Irresistibly tasty. Zero sugar. Crisp, refreshing and ice cold. Is Coke Zero Sugar the best coke ever? Try and decide.
Bubba
Well, that is about going to do it. For this edition of Bub on the Lake, I want to thank all my guests, the lovely Betty Lou and Dennis Littleton. And I hope you enjoyed it. Remember to go by our website, bubonthelake.com and all the information you need to know about the show is there. By the way. Oh, hold the phone. We have some new merchandise available. Hit the merchandise button. Check that out. We also have another wave that will be coming shortly after this. So we're trying to get you prepared for the summer and we don't want you to go anywhere without your Bubba on the Lake apparel. So that will be something I want you to check out. Also, don't forget to subscribe, turn on notifications, you don't want to miss anything from the show. And also follow us on social media and especially there on Instagram, Bubba on the Lake. And remember, we need you to subscribe to all of those and that helps us out with the algorithms of getting the podcast out there to more and more people. So thank you all very, very much. And until we sail into port again, take care. We love you. It's Bubba on the lake. Bubba on the lake. This podcast is brought to you by Coke Am First, Buffalo Wild Wings, Southern Immediate Care, Ann's Quilts, Guaranteed Labels, Central State bank and Sunrise Docks. Hey, it's Bubba. Hey, Bubba, Bubba, bub Lake Bubba, Bubba, Bubba on the lake? Y got it going on. Got to come and check this. Talking people, talking places From Bubba's perspective. This is Bubba, Bubba, Bubba, Bubba, Bubba on the lake? Hey, Bubba, Bubba, Bubba, bubba on. Are y' all still here? That was it. You didn't think I'd do it again, two podcasts in a row, did you? I did. Thank you for listening. We appreciate it. Got some great shows coming up. Take care.
Bubba On the Lake: Episode Summary – "Jax State, Ham Radio, and Betty's Got New Lights!"
Release Date: May 8, 2025
Introduction
In this lively episode of "Bubba On the Lake," host Bill "Bubba" Bussey delves into his multifaceted life, balancing his role at Jacksonville State University, his passion for ham radio, and shares delightful updates from his personal life with his wife, Betty Lou. The episode seamlessly weaves through professional insights, technical discussions, and heartwarming anecdotes, offering listeners a comprehensive glimpse into Bubba's world.
1. Jacksonville State University: A Deep-Rooted Connection
Bubba begins by reminiscing about his longstanding relationship with Jacksonville State University (Jax State). Growing up in Jacksonville, he developed a profound connection with the university's football program, attending games and experiencing memorable moments firsthand.
Historical Anecdotes: Bubba shares nostalgic tales, such as witnessing the legendary 1970 undefeated football team and the innovative use of tearaway jerseys during that era. He vividly describes how these jerseys, made of thin cloth, often tore during intense gameplay, leading to spontaneous and humorous moments on the field.
"When a running back's jersey tore off, he'd be left sprinting down the field in nothing but his shoulder pads. It was a big thing back in the '70s, and we kids collected those torn jerseys as trophies."
— Bubba [05:30]
Academic Journey: Bubba elaborates on his academic path, highlighting his 12-year tenure at Jax State's Department of Communications. Despite multiple hiatuses, he emphasizes the importance of perseverance, influenced by encouragement from his mother and Betty Lou.
"Most people just don't believe I spent 12 years there, but it was a decade of learning and growing, both personally and professionally."
— Bubba [09:15]
Professional Role: Transitioning to his current role, Bubba discusses his responsibilities as an Assistant Athletic Director and Director of Broadcasting. He manages the production of 150-200 live sporting events annually, coordinating with talented professionals like Koby Filippo and Kyle Lawton to ensure top-notch broadcasts.
"My desk kind of collides business, technology, and sports—three of my favorite topics. It's a great job with some really fantastic people."
— Bubba [15:45]
2. Exploring Ham Radio with Dennis Littleton
Shifting gears, Bubba introduces Dennis Littleton, a seasoned ham radio enthusiast and president of several ham radio organizations. Together, they engage in an informative discussion about the intricacies and significance of amateur radio.
Defining Ham Radio: Dennis provides a comprehensive explanation of ham radio, comparing it humorously to “CB on crack” to convey its complexity and breadth.
"It's so much more than just a hobby. From global HF communications to local 2-meter repeaters, and even satellite work—ham radio encompasses it all."
— Dennis Littleton [24:03]
Community and Friendship: Bubba and Dennis reflect on how ham radio fosters diverse friendships and communities, sharing personal stories of camaraderie built through radio interactions.
"Some of my best friends I've met through ham radio. It's amazing how technical and non-technical people come together in this hobby."
— Bubba [25:26]
Emergency Communications: A significant portion of their conversation centers around the role of ham radio in emergency situations. Dennis emphasizes its vital function in providing reliable communication when traditional systems fail, assisting first responders and organizations like the National Weather Service.
"When everything else fails, amateur radio steps in. It's a lifeline for emergency communications, ensuring messages get through when they're needed the most."
— Dennis Littleton [30:05]
Field Day and Community Events: They discuss the annual Ham Radio Field Day, an event that tests the community's ability to set up and operate radios in various conditions. Dennis encourages listeners to participate or support local clubs to experience the camaraderie and technical challenges firsthand.
"Field Day is a great way to see hams in action—setting up in public places, making contacts, and enjoying the community spirit."
— Dennis Littleton [36:20]
3. Personal Updates and Lighthearted Moments with Betty Lou
The episode transitions to a more personal tone as Bubba interacts with his wife, Betty Lou, sharing updates and playful banter.
New Porch Lights: Betty Lou excitedly talks about the new cafe-style lights installed on their porch. Initially displeased with the straight-line arrangement resembling Christmas lights, the couple enlists the help of their friend Mike to adjust them, resulting in a festive and pleasing setup.
"I love my new lights. They add such a festive touch, and it's all thanks to Mike who volunteered to redo them after they looked like Christmas lights."
— Betty Lou [43:31]
Pickleball Adventures: Betty Lou discusses her growing interest in pickleball, highlighting its lower physical strain compared to tennis. Bubba shares his own experiences and minor injuries from the sport, leading to humorous exchanges about their athletic endeavors.
"Pickleball is a bit easier on the body, and I actually enjoy it more than tennis now. Plus, it didn’t hurt my elbow like tennis did!"
— Betty Lou [49:43]
Aging Gracefully: The couple humorously touches upon the realities of aging, including weak elbows and the need for reading glasses, blending laughter with genuine reflections on their long-term marriage.
"We've been married long enough to know it's a lot of static in the car—lots of talks about ailments and doctor visits."
— Betty Lou [46:03]
Upcoming Plans: Bubba hints at future episodes, including an interview with a longtime friend and discussions on navigating sensitive topics like "the birds and the bees" with children, promising entertaining and insightful content.
"We're going to share how we tell the kids about the birds and the bees—without any bad language, of course."
— Bubba [55:43]
4. Community and Listener Engagement
Throughout the episode, Bubba engages with his listeners through shared messages and stories, fostering a sense of community. He expresses gratitude for his audience's support and encourages further interaction via his website and social media platforms.
"Thank you for being a part of Bubba on the Lake. Feel free to leave your messages—they might make it to air!"
— Bubba [10:15]
Conclusion
This episode of "Bubba On the Lake" masterfully blends professional insights with personal stories, offering listeners a well-rounded experience. From the depths of Jacksonville State University's athletic broadcasting to the technical marvels and community spirit of ham radio, culminating in heartfelt exchanges with Betty Lou, Bubba creates an engaging narrative that resonates with a diverse audience. Whether you're a sports enthusiast, a ham radio aficionado, or simply enjoy personal anecdotes, this episode promises both entertainment and enlightenment.
Notable Quotes with Timestamps:
Bubba: "When a running back's jersey tore off, he'd be left sprinting down the field in nothing but his shoulder pads. It was a big thing back in the '70s, and we kids collected those torn jerseys as trophies."
[05:30]
Dennis Littleton: "It's so much more than just a hobby. From global HF communications to local 2-meter repeaters, and even satellite work—ham radio encompasses it all."
[24:03]
Dennis Littleton: "When everything else fails, amateur radio steps in. It's a lifeline for emergency communications, ensuring messages get through when they're needed the most."
[30:05]
Betty Lou: "I love my new lights. They add such a festive touch, and it's all thanks to Mike who volunteered to redo them after they looked like Christmas lights."
[43:31]
Bubba: "We're going to share how we tell the kids about the birds and the bees—without any bad language, of course."
[55:43]
Stay Connected
For more insights and to stay updated with future episodes, visit bubonthelake.com, follow Bubba on the Lake on Instagram, and subscribe to the podcast on your preferred platform. Don’t forget to check out the new merchandise to showcase your support!
This summary captures the essence of the episode, highlighting key discussions and personal interactions while excluding advertisements and non-content segments.