What's New

01-26-2009 Monday

Wow! Long time update is way overdue here. So here it is! Hmm, didn't operate much (ok at all!) for the Jan VHF contest. Got to get ready and on teh air for the next VHF/UHF contest. Want to Rove again. Have been quite active as Pedestrian mobile and portable operations now with my FT-817ND wth the bhi DSP mod. Which by the way I HIGHLY recommend!! It's one of the best if not THE best mod for the 817. I have been entertaining the idea of trading it for an Icom IC-703+ but don't know. The 817 with the HFPacker amp is a very nice package. I DO need to get a SSB filter... maybe the W4RT combo filter... hmmm... want to get back into APRS as well with an Opentracker2 kit and either a 2m HT or a decent 2m mobile rig. Check back for more updates. I am thinking of starting a blog.. but with Facebook, and twitter taking so much time who has time!!?

08-01-2008 Friday

Well, no updates for about two months now. This past Monday I had a major crash on my desktop system. Hmm, hey I knew it had been trying to tell me it was slowly going away for sometime now but I was too dumb to do anything about it. Hmm, sooo out of about 2400+ pictures I only had about 1600 or so backed up. Sooo my own fault... but all my email was gone... no wait... I got it back... took sometime to get it on my new machine but I did. Many other programs and stuff are gone... but all can be reinstalled. Just time consuming. Ok, now for the crazy part.... I am finished with Microsoft!!! YEAH it's true... I now am running a Macbook.... heck OS X is the best OS out there... well ok, I do love Ubuntu and many other flavors of Linux. However I have been keeping up with OS X for sometime. I think that Apple has it right on... and is only getting bigger and BETTER!!! That's the key. Ok, I'll give an update later as I go and oh yeah I now am the proud owner of a HFPacker AMP!!!! I love it... was able to make a few contacts on 20m SSB today. SOoo I'll report back more as I go with the amp for portable use!!! Until later.... take care.

06-06-2008 Friday

Ok, I think that today I am going to get an antenna outside temporary/permanent for 6m again. The band has been open quite a bit here lately. I have worked a lot of stations on 10m while mobile all over the US. So be nice to be on 6m again. I miss operating there. It is the magic band after all. Ok, I'll go for putting the PAR electronics loop up about 20 feet or so and see how it does. Man it is HOT again here in East TN so if you are outside stay hydrated and get in the shade and/or A/C as much as possible. I also hope to get the buddipole out and on the air this evening/tomorrow.

06-05-2008 Thursday

Ok, I just got a knock at the door and BAAM it is UPS with my new Buddipole deluxe antenna system!!! I can't wait to get on the air with it! I'll be QRP for filed day here in East TN!! So hopefully the weather will cooperate and not be as HOT as it has been lately. Oh yeah the Knoxville Amateur Radio Club (RACK) is having their hamfest here I think it is next Saturday June 14th 2008. Check out http://www.w4bbb.org for more info.