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WX4QZ > ALL 12.12.23 03:11l 292 Lines 10893 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 59192_NS2B
Read: GUEST
Subj: PCL NET SCRIBE DEC 11 2023
Path: IW8PGT<I3XTY<I0OJJ<EA2RCF<LU9DCE<VA3TOK<VE3KPG<N9PMO<NS2B
Sent: 231212/0203Z 59192@NS2B.#WNY.NY.USA.NOAM BPQ6.0.24
PCL NET SCRIBE DEC 11 2023
WX4QZ, Daryl, Arkansas (Net Control/Scribe)
NT5R, Charley, Missouri
NS2B, Bob, New York (Sysop)
KX4AC, Carl, Florida
KF5TVG, Bob, Oklahoma
VA7RBP, Rick, Canada
**
WX4QZ:
The PCL Net will take the nights of Dec. 25 and
Jan. 1 OFF -- we wish everyone a safe and happy
holiday season. So, Dec. 18 (next week) will be
our last net for 2023, and we'll resume on Jan.
8, 2024. Then, we'll see how long it'll take to
write 2024 in the checkbook (hi hi). I have no
plans for Christmas or New Year's, but will do
my 2 nets both weekends for the Quarter Century
Wireless Association. Everyone and their brother
will be at the restaurants on Christmas (those
that are open), but I'm staying home. Even if I
hadn't given up driving, one can't drive for 2
months after hip surgery...although it isn't as
difficult getting in and out of vehicles anymore.
The pain with walking has gone from a 9 before
the surgery to a 1 most days now.
There was some severe weather in Arkansas late on
Friday night, but nothing like the huge tornadoes
that hit Kentucky, Tennessee, and other areas on
Saturday. Our thoughts and prayers go to all those
affected. We did get some good rain here, and it
looks like no White Christmas in Arkansas this
year; but we're just starting winter. The colder
weather has aggravated the arthritis, and I'm still
using the walker 4 weeks after left hip replacement
surgery. I see the surgeon on Jan. 4 for another
follow-up. I kidded a lady friend that "there'd be
no hip bumps or fanny pats for awhile" (hi hi).
Over the weekend, I did walk some without the walker
inside the house, but didn't want to go too far
without it, as I'm still a bit unsteady. The couple
from square dancing who let me stay with them for 3
nights after the 2 nights in the hospital, took me
to and from my club's square dance Saturday night...
and while I can't dance again just yet, I did help
myself to holiday treats at the snack table. I think
one was a pumpkin spice Bundt cake...very tasty.
I got an email from a library science teacher, who
thanked me for my page on amateur radio, as she was
using it for her class of 9-13 year old kids. They're
the future of the hobby, and "it's not your father's
ham radio", with the integration of internet based modes
now. This is especially useful for those with HOA's,
CC&R's, medical issues, etc., where they can still get
on the air, and enjoy the hobby...never mind it's much
cheaper. I sent her the link to the PDF file of the
PowerPoint Presentation, which is a far more detailed
overview of the hobby. I wish some of the stuff in that
was in the Question Pools, such as with net etiquette,
etc. I saw where the 2024 Extra Class Question Pool came
out, but I'm sure they'll make changes to it before its
final release by Hamvention in May. I still am hoping to
do that forum at the 2025 Square Dance Convention in
Shreveport. I might have my original callsign back by
our next net (Dec. 18), but it's hard to say...it's
usually an 18-21 day waiting period for a vanity callsign.
At least I've got the process outlined of what I need to
do, once it's granted. I hope once it's granted, and I
send off the request, it won't take too long to approve
it...I'll be off the air until the changes are done.
I'm still working on setting up the SharkRF OpenSpot 4
Pro, and have had several hams offer to Elmer me. So many
of these instructional videos and manuals are "far above
my pay grade" to understand. Screenshots with a template
guide would be far more helpful. Once I have a template
to work with, I can do the rest myself. That's why I did
a PDF "quick start file" for the Netlogger utility. One
ham said "he learned more about setting up D-Star from my
"Mode Overview PDF file" than from everything else he found
on the internet.
The dry corneas were real bad last night, so I went to
bed early. But, nature, nightmares, and the muscle pain
overnight made for a bad night (I don't know why I didn't
go take a pain pill). I need to get a shave and a haircut
real bad (I have a Santa like beard, but my hair is a mess),
but I need to see how the finances shake out. I'm still
waiting to see how much financial aid I'll get from the
hospital bill...hopefully, it'll cover the whole thing.
I got a deal from Slim Chickens today for their Mac And
Cheese Bowl meal with fried chicken nuggets, macaroni
and cheese in its own sauce, plus Texas Toast, and a
large sweet tea. I actually bought 2 meals, and 1 of
them I got for half price. It has become my go-to
favorite with Slim Chickens once a week, for under $30.
So, I had one for lunch, and one for dinner...it makes
it seem like a better deal when you get more than one
meal out of it. Plus, it made for a nice change of pace,
food wise. I could've gone after their Oreo or Reese's
cheesecake desserts, but I decided to skip them, as they
are rich!! I've been eating tuna salad sandwiches and
"3 minute pizzas"; cheese, pepperoni, 3 meat (with ham),
plus sausage and pepperoni. The food portions aren't
heavy, but they are satisfying. Besides, I need to build
up insulation to keep warm during the cold winter ahead
of me (hi hi).
**
NT5R:
ge everyone
good week and weekend, busy time of year for everyone
worked bit of 10 meter contest saturday, end fed antenna
with 49 to 1 unun works well on 10 meters, also 40, 20,
and 15
10 hopping during contest, after contest not much activity
seen
chilly mornings here mid 20s but warm enough last couple
days for foot mobile hike mid 50s f
Daryl happy for you surgery sounds like went well
OK Rick, sounds like your chances for white Christmas are
good. Possible here southern Missouri but very unlikely
FB on you copper pipe j-pole. Our packet node Kimberling
City operating from copper pipe j-pole mounted just above
roof of club equipment building. Works well about 20 mile
radius, sometimes it hears Scott node Huntsville AR but
borderline for reliable connection. Does connect easily
with node at Forsythe northeast of Branson
Also over weekend worked fellow 15 meters doing POTA about
four miles away
On my bucket list to do POTA and SOTA, will get around to
it eventually.
**
NS2B:
GE All!
It was a busy week. Finally got my tree up!
And I was babbling about replace the Raspberry Pi Zero
in my hotspots with one of the new 2W models - got that
done in the D*Star hotspot. Didn't make different to
the audio or decoding, but the admin functions of PiStar
are way faster now! So I'll get another one and do my
DMR hotspot.
Weather has been wonky lately - it was near 60 on Saturday -
barely made 35 today. I like the 60 better, hihi!
**
KX4AC:
GE All,
Well, not much ham radio last weekend, because I went to
Disney with a friend from work. It was his first time at
the parks and my umpteenth. We had a good, but very very
tiring time. We got to Magic Kingdom early, and around
six, headed to EPCOT and stayed until the fireworks.
Disney does put on a good show.
We also stopped at the Grand Floridian hotel to see their
tree and life-sized gingerbread house. They sell gingerbread
out of a gingerbread house :-)
So, I am all walked out for now and back to work. I tried
to be careful, so hopefully I won't get sick this time.
So far I feel OK, so I am keeping my fingers crossed.
Ya, connection dropped, but I got it back. I just need
to figure out my next HAMWORD guess and then off to bed.
**
KF5TVG:
GE All!
Daryl, glad your health is improving. Got a laugh with
"build up insulation for winter" comment. I've been beyond
successful on that very issue for way too long!
Probably have one more trip to Tulsa to get the last of my
junk from a storage unit there, then will have officially
completed the move to Norman. Whew! It's been a struggle,
but glad we are here with daughter, son-in-law, and their
4 kids.
Just DE remains for my worked all states on 60m ft8. Have
made contact with 2 hams there, but neither had confirmed yet.
Ha, I usually do my HAMWORD on Wednesday, along with WInlink
Wednesday activity.
Nothing else to add. Hope all have a great week! Thanks to
Daryl and Bob for the net.
**
VA7RBP:
Good evening Daryl and all on the NET...and apologies...
I nodded off...
It was a pretty good week, I worked on projects. I built and
tested the copper pipe J-pole antenna..(might have been the
week before)..I've been working on the radio interfaces for
ALLSTARLINK. I made up COS detectors for three radios, which
didn't work, and had to redesign them. Just got those done
today shortly before the NET.
We had four inches of snow on Sunday morning, my exercise
for the day was clearing the driveway. No more snow forecast
until Thursday.
I got the drawings for the copper pipe J-Pole from a HAM
buddy, no documentation, just followed the dimensions and
it worked great. The call sign on the drawing is K6MHE,
haven't located a web site yet. If anyone wants a copy of
the PDF I can email it.
**
Replies from WX4QZ:
Charley, the recovery has gone better than expected. As for
10m, I heard that it'd close as fast as it would open up.
With a contest every weekend, HF is busy, but when solar
storms come in, it messes things up. Highs in the 50s and
lows in the 30s here...not too bad. I saw a meme that noted
"Christmas in Arkansas". The perception was a winter
wonderland, but the reality was a summertime picnic cookout
(hi hi). FB on the Kimberling City node and on POTA.
Bob (NY), FB on the tree and the RPi Hotspot. Weather has
been crazy, but as noted, it looks like no White Christmas
here.
Carl, FB on the Disney trip...the cost is enough to make
your bank account ill (hi hi). That sounds interesting
about the gingerbread and the house. I saw a meme with a
jar of ginger between 2 slices of bread...a ginger bread
house (hi hi). Glad you made it back...I forgot about
HAMWORD.
Bob (OK), glad you enjoyed the comment. At least I won't
be like the late Red Skelton, thinking he was putting on
a girdle his wife threatened him with, if he didn't lose
weight...it turned out to be her hot water bottle (hi hi).
FB on getting the move done...nearly a ton of garbage,
trash, and stuff I didn't want, use, or need, was hauled
off just over a week ago. I have more room to move around
now. They updated RMS Express earlier tonight...seems every
time I check it, there are updates...just like Microsoft
Windows (hi hi), and that's tomorrow night (ugh!).
Rick, no problem about nodding off. As noted, I had a bad
night last night myself...not sure if I'll check into some
other nets tonight or not. FB on the copper wire J-pole
and other projects. No snow forecast here for the foreseeable
future. Glad you were able to build those antennas from just
the drawings and the dimensions.
**
Daryl, WX4QZ
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