NETNEWS

by WB6IXN

3/03/2004 10m Phone Net – W6ZE/AF6C checked in KB1GZ, VKZ, HHC, IXN, and CCD.  GZ told AF6C that he hasn’t heard frm VPP abt next month’s ‘RF’, and Steve has had a problem wid the Internet shutting off indiscriminately on the computer.  AF6C and HHC briefly discussed the books ‘DeVince Code’, and, ‘Angels & Demons’.  OPs told VKZ that his ant. is working well…Frank doesn’t tire so easily when walking nw, and VKZ will try to attend the Club Bfast this weekend.   HHC announced that Joe Clement, W6MR, a former active member of COAR, was killed in an auto accident.  HHC just returned frm an enjoyable skiing trip to Mammoth wid family, and Ken read a Br. Cadfael mystery while there…HHC was reminded of ‘old times’ when he got stuck in a snowbank!…18 deg. when HHC left Mammoth this morning, arnd 80 deg. when he arrived here!  IXN mentioned dead Idyllwild pines killed by the pine beetle, and CCD brings the XYL home frm the hospital tomorrow to recover frm reconstructive surgery…Tom said that after 4 sinks, the bathroom is finally done!  OPs discussed a former Club member, Richard J. Nelson, WA6OBM…WE CAN’T FIND HIM!!…Can you help?…Send info. to Club Historian, WB6IXN, at: bobev@netzero.net.

 

3/03/2004 2m Phone Net – W6ZE/IXN checked in CCE/m, KFW, AF6C, and JD.  HHC has the 2m rig out of the car but not on the air yet.   CCE gave AF6C his E-mail adr., and Ken was saddened to hear abt Joe Clement’s demise in an auto accident.  JD announced the Club Bfast this Sat., and Lowell filled in details on Joe’s accident…Seems that W6MR fell asleep at the wheel while returning frm Phoenix!  AF6C & IXN are still investigating the where-abouts of Rick Nelson…Is WA6OBM still his call, or, has he received a new call?  KFW and OPs discussed the pine beetle and destruction of mountain pine forests in CA…And Chris & XYL are off on a grand tour of the Hawaiian Islands come next week.

 

3/07/2004 40m OCWN CW Net – NCS/UEB opened the Net on 7084 KHz, wid QRM on the regular frequency of 7114KHz.  Rick checked in KS6CW, KA6G, IB, GVG/m, RND, OIO, VDP, and NT.  And UEB might have been getting mixed sig rpts wid his free ant. top winding and unwinding arnd the rest of the ant!  UEB had to go back to the Sacramento area later in the day.  CW gave NCS a RST 339, and Kathy saw the movie “Frequency” on TV last nite.  KA6G had a wee bit of QSB on NCS’ sigs, and Jim transitioned frm the heater to the fan in his metal shed shack.  IB’s XYL will test fer Technician Class this week, and Casey starts a new job in Rancho tomorrow morning.  GVG/m gave NCS a 229 sig rpt, and Roy was nearing LAX on his way to San Luis Obispo.  RND read a gud book, "The Last Juror”, by John Grisham, last week, and OIO is enjoying her new desk that she put together in two afternoons.  UEB guessed correctly that VDP likes warm, calm WX, and Larry confirmed QSL cards fer VUCC fer a ham who had worked 191 grids on 2m EME!  NT went in fer a 15 min. checkup and got home 4 days later!…To NCS’ inquiry, Ray said he just had a ’lil spell, but he’s OK now!

 

3/10/2004 10m Phone Net – W6ZE/AF6C checked in LDC, VKZ, IXN, and HHC.  LDC will install a $17 battery in his Tripolett meter, had his dignity marred by a sigmoidoscopy yesterday, and is not looking forward to an appointment wid his tax man tomorrow.  VKZ had a spell last nite, etermined to have been caused by bad medicine, and OPs cud not hear Frank’s weak sigs too well.  IXN will relay AF6C’s diagnosis & treatment for KTS’s errant microphone by eyeball contact.  And HHC marveled over last week’s winter and this week’s summer!…And Ken told OPs abt a ham contact looking fer a bargain on Kei’s towers and ants.  And AF6C said that COSTCO had DVD discs, 700MB 85min, 100 fer $25.

 

3/10/2004 2m Phone Net – W6ZE/IXN checked in CCE, AF6C, HHC, and BSV.  IXN enjoyed the chance meeting of CCE, N6PEQ and K6PEQ, Christin, in the Tustin Weinerschnitzel.  AF6C, IXN, and HHC continued a brief discussion on volt-amperes/watt-hours, effects of phase shift angle vs amt of current used, etc., and, the use of a ‘come-along’ to lower Kei’s towers and ants.  Since there were two ‘Kens’ & two ‘Bobs’ checked in, OPs tried to persuade BSV to change his middle name to Ken or Bob to break the tie!…HI!  All OPs received Ian’s message on low pressure switches, and BSV mentioned World Magnetic Products as a source…Carl said buying two at a time would give no discount…Buying 10 or more would give buyers a discount.

 

3/14/2004 40m OCWN CW Net – NCS/UEB checked in IMW, IB, IOA/mm, VDP, KS6CW, KA6G, NT, and OIO.   The Net met on 7088 KHz due to QRM on 7114 KHz.  UEB hooked the loose end of his ant. to a tree…Nw he has a ‘truly loaded fishing pole’!…HI!   But Rick plans to order sum 553 ladder line & reposition the ant. in the backyard.  CW & Jim are running the Morse Telegraph Club CW Net Sat. mornings at 8:30 am on 7084 KHz…(ed. note:  Join the fun!)   IMW wasn’t running ‘Henry’ this week…It has a software problem…HI!…Ian fixed a Rockmite fer an Oregon OP, and IMW is the authorized Rockmite repairman fer the western U.S.  Wid the new job, dinner wid UEB, & Leslie passing the Tech exam, IB had a vy busy week!  IOA/mm ‘flew in & flew out’ frm his anchored position in Pelican Bay, Santa Cruz Is., and VDP, hving a quiet Sun., hopes to sell at Cal Poly nxt Sat…See you at Club meeting Fri.  KA6G, wid all well at the QTH, gives NCS a steady 579 sig rpt.  The ‘Goat Hill’ saga has come to an end!…The City Council has condemned Goat Hill to oblivion!…Stay tuned fer NT’s new QTH location!   IB relayed OIO’s QSO to UEB…Ann was hving a fun day in Barton Flats…OIO was starting the spring cleaning!…NCS hoped Ann cud take time out frm the cleaning to smell the roses!…HI!  UEB told KA6G that QNG meant ‘Take over as net control’.

 

3/17/2004 10m Phone Net – W6ZE/AF6C checked in KB1GZ, LDC, IXN, HHC, XO, and VKZ.   AF6C was preparing to tape an old Charlie Chaplain movie arnd 8:00pm, and Bob asked if all OPs were wearing something green tonite…(St. Patty’s Day)  GZ’s company is shipping jobs out to other locations, and Steve wondered if there might be life on the newly discovered solar system planetoid…IXN said no…Planetoid is not in the water window.  LDC said that ‘bacon & cabbage’is original fer St. Patty’s Day in Ireland, but ‘corn beef & cabbage’ is original wid U.S. celebrations…Seems that conr beef was cheaper than bacon in the U.S.!  And LDC’s icemaker is working agn after ‘cashing in its cubes’ 3 days ago…Now to replace the errant microwave!  IXN told OPs that brother Lee has Charlie Chaplain tapes, and Bob said that the Maytag washer bounces all over the laundry if the load unbalances…We hve renamed it ‘Bouncing Betty’!  A $10 resistor mounted on the firewall caused all the problem wid XO’s motorhome, and Bob hopes to see OPs at the next Club Bfast.  HHC said that FD plans for Portola Park are moving forward, and XO told HHC that the errant resistor was possibly part of the ignition system.  VKZ was lost in the QRN…Frank evidently has an antenna problem!…OPs will visit Frank’s trailer to investigate the problem! 

 

3/17/2004 2m Phone Net – W6ZE/IXN checked in JD, HHC, CCE, BWH, AJE, and AF6C.   JD will be sending his son off to Colorado Fri. eve. to study new software, so Lowell will miss Club meeting.  HHC is looking for a morse code straight key, and OPs discussed od types of telegraph keys frm J-38s thru old Navy keys.  AF6C told OPs abt the J.H. Bonnell & Co. Key, and the CTE(Telephonics Corp, NY) 2600-3A anti-spark keys used aboard military aircraft.  And AF6C reminded IXN that the ‘Bobs’ were winners on both Nets tonite!  AJE told OPs that his new hybrid Toyota gets 48 mi./gal in town!…And John has the tower bk up nw that the winds hve died down.  CCE, formerly KA6DUE, might hve been in the Club arnd 1978, and Ken, studying electrical engineering, plans to attend Cal Poly soon…Ken also mentioned that he FDs wid OPs in the Onyx Summit area, near Big Bear, up Hwy 38, and that there was room fer more OPs at the site on FD.  BWH passed his 5 WPM code test and promptly retired his key!…He believes it may hve wound up wid Jim or Cory!

 

3/21/2004 40m OCWN CW Net – NCS/UEB checked in IMW, KS6CW, KA6G, IB, OIO, RND, VDP, NT, and HQK.  NCS asked all OPs to zero-beat before transmitting to eliminate stations off freq.  WA5TCZ, contacting UEB frm Louisiana last nite, needed Rick’s call for his NANFA award.  IMW picked up sum books, crystals and parts at the Cal Poly swapmeet yesterday, and CW tnxed UEB fer checking into the W6MTC Net yesterday…Then Kathy ‘flew off’ to church after sending her 73s to all OPs.  KA6G said that Kathy ‘stole his thunder’, and Jim commented on NCS’ FB 579 sigs.  IB was expecting 80 deg. temps. in Loomis today, welcomed Bart, WB6HQK, to the Net, told OPs that Leslie is now KG6UEI (congrats, Leslie!), and told NCS he won’t be on Net nxt week, he’ll be in Nevada.  OIO went to Shambala near Acton…Tippi Hedren gives 200% of her life to saving big cats and more power to her!  RND, taxes done fer another year, was surprised to hear HQK on this Net.  VDP was on the vertical, the loop has bad connections…And Larry did fair at the Cal Poly swapmeet.  On a suggestion frm NCS, NT will check wid the XYL abt a picnic on ‘The Hill’ before Ray has to move…Seems the place is ‘going to the dogs’ fast!  Bart, HQK, heard abt the Net frm an Internet mailing list, and NCS told Bart that the Net was for conversation only, no traffic handling…HQK will join us agn.

 

3/24/2004 10m Phone Net – W6ZE/AF6C checked in LDC, CCD, VKZ, IXN, and HHC.  OPs all approved of VKZ’s strong sigs…Seems that Frank found a defective connector cable on the rig.   LDC & XYL treated themselves to a new motorhome…The ashtray in the old motorhome got full…HI…HI!  When Larry takes delivery, it will hve all the improvements they ordered.  CCD & OPs enjoyed seeing VKZ at Club meeting, and Tom said the XYL is improving after her surgery while CCD enjoys relaxing in his new lounge chair at the QTH.  VKZ and OPs briefly discussed late findings of water on Mars, and Frank said that K6KAA, Mike, is undergoing prostate radiation treatments.  IXN was much interested in a five ft. dandelion plant that AF6C found growing in his rose bushes, and Bob told HHC that he was busy loading new PANTHER software into the computer all day.

 

3/24/2004 2m Phone Net – W6ZE/IXN checked in LDC, CCE, KFW, HHC, AF6C, and AJE.  LDC ‘flew in & flew out’.  CCE told us abt his interview for a position wid Rohde & Schwarz.  The interview went well, but Ken was not interested after learning more abt the type of work involved.  KFW & XYL returned frm their cruise to the Hawaiian Isles…Even though they hit sum rough seas and a few cloudy days, they had a great time!  HHC mentioned that CCE had a bit of white noise on his 5W sigs, but 5/9 sigs otherwise…And Ken and Diane are planning a trip on sum European drivers this summer.  AF6C checked in, thus tying the ‘Kens & Bobs’ on the Net!…Bob told OPs that he has been cleaning up an old Bonnell Key (code, that is) that he found out in the garage…The key has silver contacts! Fer AJE, it’s been ‘all work & no play’!…John has been rotatilling the backyard to kill weeds, and, like AF6C, AJE has been updating his PANTHER 10.3.etc.etc., the Apple/MacIntosh operating system software on the computer.

 

3/28/2004 40m OCWN CW Net – NCS/UEB checked in IMW/6, KFW, VDP, KA6G, NT, OIO, RND, and HKT.   UEB announced a Net run by KA6G & CW on 7084 KHz at 0830 hrs on Saturday morning, and Rick hopes to use his Rock Mite in Sacramento to set up a sched wid IB.  IMW/6 filled up the junk box wid a 10 lb. Box of parts frm the TRW Swapmeet, and KFW, logging 5060 nautical miles at sea, had a great cruise to Hawaii.  VDP had a big tree trimmed yesterday…Now Larry will load a dumpster wid the trimmings come Monday.  KA6G tnxed NCS fer announcing the Sat. morning CW Net.  NT appeared to be using a different keying device, and NCS had difficulty copying Ray…But NT is still on ‘The Hill’!  OIO said that 10m was open a bit on Friday…Ann had a QSO wid a VK station in Sydney!  RND, sick since Thursday, is nw feeling much better after a big breakfast.  HKT said the United Radio Amateur Club will hve a Dxpedition to far-off Catalina Is…If Homer goes, he will schedule a contact with interested Net members…Let him know!

 

3/31/2004 10m Phone Net -  W6ZE/AF6C checked in VKZ, LDC, KB1GZ, HHC, IXN, and FMX.  AF6C is busy restoring an old spark-gap telegraph key.  LDC & IXN both fell asleep before Net.  IXN checked in late, and LDC, experiencing high QRN, was unable to hear OPs so Larry 73’d.  GZ was impressed wid the 5000 mi/hr speed of Boeing’s new Scramjet, and, Steve’s code speed is nw up to 10 wpm!…And GZ entertained visitors frm Florida over the weekend wid a visit to see desert flowers in Joshua Tree Nat. Monument.  VKZ told HHC that his sigs strength was up becuz he’s talking louder!…HI!   HHC didn’t pick up a CW key at the TRW Swapmeet, but he oredered one frm HRO instead…And Ken will install an old Navy spark-gap knob on his new key.  HHC said that his meeting wid Santa Ana officials went well fer acquisition of Portola Park fer FD!  OPs discussed the threat of BPL to amateur radio, and AF6C ‘coined a new one’…Let’s try Brass Pounding over Power Lines, or, BPPL!  FMX pulled an IXN…He left the dummy load in line, suppressing OP sigs!  Paul was eating din-din at Net’s beginning, told OPs to remember time change this weekend, and he’ll soon be an ATVer!

 

3/31/2004 2m Phone Net – W6ZE/IXN checked in TRA, KTS, BSV, HHC, KFW, AF6C, and JD.  TRA & XYL just had the QTH texture-coated, and nw Gene is hving truble wid re-installed antennas!…And TRA saw a couple of polar bears on their 21 day trailer trip to Churchill, Manitoba.   KTS enjoyed Club meeting, and David put the repaired mike on line…There is still a ’lil hum, but no static or cutting out.   AF6C found an old Bunnell high voltage key in the garage which he is refurbishing…Bob and HHC plan to check into the OCWN CW Net at a later date.  And HHC said that Pres. Bush wants Broadband Internet fer everyone by 2007…(which probably means by BPL!!)…And Ken said that the editor of Wall Street Journal downplays the importance of amateur radio vs BPL!  KFW has regained his ‘landlubber’ legs after his enjoyable cruise to Hawaii.  JD reported the passing of his sister last Mon., and Lowell has been spending lots of time in transportation centers, the reason that he checked into Net later this evening.

Back to OCARC Home Page