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WX4QZ  > ALL      08.08.23 21:00l 250 Lines 8183 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 53821_NS2B
Read: GUEST
Subj: PCL NET SCRIBE AUG 7 2023
Path: IW8PGT<LU4ECL<JE7YGF<JH4XSY<N3HYM<W0ARP<KE0GB<NS2B
Sent: 230808/1849Z 53821@NS2B.#WNY.NY.USA.NOAM BPQ6.0.23

 PCL NET SCRIBE AUG 7 2023

WX4QZ, Daryl, Arkansas (Net Control/Scribe)
K0WAV, Scott, Arkansas (Early Checkin)
NS2B, Bob, New York (Sysop)
KE4TP, Paul, Florida (HF)(Connection Issues)
KF5TVG, Bob, Oklahoma
KF5JRV, Scott, Arkansas

**

WX4QZ:

It's August, which means the Labor Day 
Holiday will be here on Sept. 4, so the
PCL Net will take that night off...then,
no more holidays until Thanksgiving,
Christmas, and New Years.

It has been an electronic battleground 
the last several days. Last Wednesday, 
I had to rebuild the registry on the 
Lenovo Windows 11 laptop (again!), and 
reinstall all of the programs, software, 
etc. I discovered that I had forgotten
to reconfigure Outpost...so there'll be
a delay in getting the scribe posted 
from the net tonight...and with more
storms forecast the next several days,
I really may be delayed!! But, trying
to win an argument with lightning is 
like trying to win argument with a YL;
you'll get zapped (hi hi).

On Sunday, my cellphone suddenly died,
with no warning. I thought I'd have to 
buy a new one, waiting several days for 
it, and have no means of communication. 
Somehow, the Android OS got corrupted, 
and I had to do a hard factory reset. It 
was a good thing I had the web browser 
logged on to my Gmail account, so I could 
get backup codes, since I had to use the 
home wi-fi (it and my internet were out
for a time Saturday), to rebuild things. 
Thankfully, I had chosen for the data to 
be backed up in the cloud. 

Next, there was either a loud vibration, 
or an alarm system malfunction while "I 
was fighting the cat in the litter box" 
on Thursday...as the ADT alarm breakin 
horn activated...literally catching me 
with my pants down!! At least I was here, 
and there was no break-in, so the police 
weren't needed. I didn't need the cost of 
a false alarm fine. I'm surprised that the
loud thunder crashes haven't set it off!!

I finally got to take Lyft to the Post Office 
after a 6 week hiatus...the box was FULL. I 
also renewed the P.O. Box for another year 
($226). It's worth it to have that instead of
having mail delivered here, where folks might 
steal it. I'm still getting stuff delivered to
my late parents...my Dad has been gone over 16
years, and Wednesday is 4 years since my Mom
died.

We finally got out from under the heat 
advisories and excessive heat warnings, but 
they'll be back soon enough, I'm sure. In the 
interim, we have a risk of severe storms Tuesday 
into Thursday. At least we haven't had a problem 
with drought or fire danger, and my lawn man got 
to cut the grass before the next area of storms 
returned late last week. Areas from the 
Appalachians into the Mid-Atlantic were hit hard 
today...lots of flights cancelled. I'm now using 
the RadarOmega app instead of the RadarScope app. 
I no longer have to pay $15 a month for data from 
Allison House. The app cost $9, but I had $5.25 
in Google Survey Points as a credit, so my final 
cost was $3.75 -- and I won't need to buy a data 
subscription, unless I want to have it also on my 
desktop.

The Shreveport, Louisiana hamfest is this weekend, 
with the Huntsville, Alabama hamfest next weekend,
and the Mena, Arkansas hamfest just after Labor Day
Weekend. I won't be going to any of them, due to
health, finances, and I'm running nets nightly.

Folks are having a fit with the $10 increase with
ARRL dues (the price of 2 connectors), and with
payment required to get the print edition of QST.
We talked about something like this on this net
awhile back...about how hams will spend money like
water for a rig, but you can't a thing out of them
when it comes to dues. I can understand if they have
medical issues to deal with, or if they're on a 
fixed income. But otherwise, they're acting like 
cheapskates.

**

NS2B:

GE All!

An eventful week.  Put up a VHF/UHF J-Pole antenna as 
I plan to get back on those bands eventually. Still 
pondering what I'm doing for a radio.

Got the oil changed in my pickup today. While there, I
"window shopped" the lot. They have a really nice 
Sierra HD with Allison Diesel calling my name! Do I 
need it? No, but that's NEVER stopped me before...

My tomatoes are growing like gangbusters - the plants 
are over 5ft tall now. And lots o' tomatoes!

BTW, Paul is on HF and his queue is WAY behind...

Yeah, if they've been here or i've gotten a white pages 
update with their info you should be able to just use 
their callsign and that should work. Assuming the node 
can figure out the routing to where they are!

Paul was having a rough time - it was taking 5-10 retries 
just get each line of text accross - not too good...

Congrats Bob! Happy Anniversary and many more!

**

KF5TVG: 

GE All!

My wife had major surgery 2 weeks ago, to repair torn
tendons in her hip. So... I've been nurse maid, and its
running me ragged. I'm grateful she is getting better,
but they are saying it will be an additional 4 weeks 
before she can start physical therapy, and that will 
be an additional 6 weeks. 

We also celebrated our 49th anniversary this last week. 
Only seems like 100! Hi Hi. I've truly been blessed to 
have her in my life! 

Not much time for radio, but I did put together a 
little project I've been wanting to do for a long 
time.

When we built this house I wanted to do a "magic Mirror"
in the bathroom. MM puts a screen behind a 2-way mirror
and projects thiings like time, weather, etc thru the 
glass. Well mine is a MM without a mirror!

I had an old RPi3 and a 7" touch screen in a SmartiPi
case. Loaded the MM software and customized it to show 
time and weather.

It is now sitting next to my sink (and to the side
of the mirror, proudly showing stuff. 

Even the XYL likes it.

I'm glad Scott and Bob can grow tomatoes, because that 
is a gift I don't have!

Daryl, I'm going to look into the RadarOmega app. 
Do you like it?

Thanks to Bob for providing the BBS and Daryl for
running the net tonight!

**

KF5JRV: 

GE everyone

We had a x1.5 solar flare this afternoon. That may be 
Paul's trouble.

It cooled off Saturday. It was a welcome change. We got 
about a .25 inch of rain.

The tomatoes have started producing again.

Happy Anniversary to Bob and his XYL.

**

Replies from WX4QZ:

Bob (NY) fine business on the antenna, and the
tomatoes. I know about things "calling my name",
but it was chocolate iced donuts last Friday (there
is a donut shop next to the Post Office).

Thanks for the comment on entering a message to an
individual on here, without worrying about routing.
I did send Paul and email on The PCL Net, and how
to set up connections via Outpost. He might have
better luck with telnet. On the El Paso D-Star Net
afterwards, they were noting how bad HF was.

In reinstalling the Outpost programs, I got the iptelnet
to work, but I'm having trouble with the main program,
and I'm following the documentation file that I prepped.
My internet also seemed flaky tonight...guess weather
is to blame.

You and Scott have me craving a BLT (hi hi).

Bob (OK), happy 49th anniversary to you and the XYL.
It'll be golden next year at 50. We wish your XYL a
speedy recovery.

And, fine business on the "magic mirror".

As for the RadarOmega app, it's $9, but they have it
for Android and iOS from radaromega.com or from the
respective "phone stores". There are 3 subscription
packages (Alpha at the top, Beta in the middle, and
Gamma at the bottom...same on price structure, and
items available). With the extra subscription, you
can get the data on your desktop or laptop; otherwise,
it's via your phone only. But, you don't have to pay a
$15 monthly subscription to Allison House for data. I
wish I had known about this sooner. Ryan Hall, who has
the Ryan Hall Ya'll YouTube channel (a weather geek's
paradise) uses and highly recommends it. Yet, you have
more than enough data without a subscription, and if
you don't want or need the desktop module, the one
time purchase fee will be all you pay for it.

Scott, I forgot about that solar flare...I saw an
article on it...I had other things here to contend
with over the last several days, as noted earlier.

Not sure where Rick, VA7RBP, was tonight...hope all 
is OK with him.

**



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