NETNEWS

by WB6IXN

2/02/2005 10m Phone Net - W6ZE/AF6C checked in IXN, HHC, and CCE.  AF6C built a programmer, will build an interface for it, and assemble a P-list…Then Bob told OPs to look fer an interesting puzzle to appear in Feb. ‘RF’!   HHC welcomed two new OP Club members to the OCARC, and Ken announced the upcoming Club Bfast this Sat.  IXN talked abt Hubble Space Telescope repairs, and, a new telescope to be built in Chile which will be the largest telescope in the world…Then IXN 73d wid a high SWR problem!  CCE just got dwn frm the roof after checking guy lines on the antennas, making sure they were all tied dwn in the high SA winds!…And Kenan hiked up Mt. Sittin of Hwy 74 and didn'’ get bk to the car until after dark!...CCE cleaned a dirty switch in the TS-850, and now he can use his external electronic keyer.

 

2/02/2005 2m Phone Net - W6ZE/IXN checked in JD, CCE, AF6C, HHC, and KTS.  JD said the winds were howling over in Orange.  And CCE offered to help IXN wid high SWR problem if needed…Then Kenan said that Feb. ‘RF’ might turn out to be a 14-page issue!  AF6C said that his 10m rig didn’t load well into the ant. tonite…Then Bob suggested that the Club might meet fer an informal get-together fer lunch, some evening fer pizza, etc. .…OPs liked the idea!  Then AF6C talked abt putting together a Wonderlabs 30m QRP, CW only, small transceiver wid other ‘bells & whistles’ included.  HHC announced the Club Bfast next Sat. morning, and Ken told IXN abt his fading sigs on 10m.  KTS, vy busy at work, told OPs that his ant., up 25 Ft, was doing well in the howling SA winds outside the QTH!

 

2/6/2005 OCWN 40m CW Net - Wid QRM on 7.086 MHz and a faint voice QSOs in progress on 7085 & 7090 KHz, NCS/UEB QSYed to 7.060 MHz.  VDP was the only check-in.

Meanwhile, other Net OPs did not hear Rick’s call to QSY, and they checked in on 7.086 MHz wid WA6RND acting as NCS.  Acting NCS/RND checked in IB, IMW, GVG, OIO, NT, KFW, and IXN.  NCS/UEB asked that all Net OPs tune up and down from 7.086 MHz if they don’t hear NCS QNI on 7.086 MHz.

 

2/09/2005 10m Phone Net - W6ZE/AF6C checked in LDC, AJE, IXN, and HHC.  AF6C is in the process of bleaching a formica countertop…Anyone now of a gud bleach, powder or liquid?…And Bob recommended that LDC use freeze spray to cool various parts of his TV chassis tofind a heat intermittent problem…AF6C is cleaning up a bit before his sister arrives for a visit frm Boston.  LDC & OPs enjoyed the Superbowl game, and Larry & XYL bleached the carpet too well wid 3M Bleach (3M will replace carpet), and Larry’s dog has a weed alergy problem.  AJE’s remote works beautifully, wid John checking in 5/9 both mobile and sitting in the driveway of the QTH.  IXN gave location of Sittin Peak at roughly 10 miles SW of Elsinore and the Elsinore Fault, and Bob recommended RIT bleach to remove stubborn stains.  HHC said that XYL Diane is bk frm Tucson, AZ, gem stone show where she bought a jade statue…(It wasn’t a Maltese Falcon was it, Ken!)…And Ken made a CW contact on 17m last Sun.  HHC said that K6PEQ, Christin, has put together a 18-page ‘RF’!…OPs can’t wait to see it!…And ZH was at the OCARC Club Bfast last Sat…Chris may join us fer FD!

 

2/09/2005 2m Phone Net - W6ZE/IXN checked in JD, AJE, KFW, WTQ & MPW, AF6C, HHC, and BWH.  JD attended a BD celebration fer his son and his 17 yr old grandharmonic, wid the 2-month old twins also present…Lowell also attended the Club Bfast last Sat. and mentioned ZH’s visit at the Bfast.  IXN told KFW that there wasn’t any notable ice on the Allegheny River at Oil City, PA, and Bob just mailed in his taxes!  AJE told IXN and OPs that Channel 7.3 HDTV has the TV Doppler images!  KFW is working on his taxes, and Chris sent HHC 2 label files for club roster, telling Ken how to open them in WORD.  BWH, at home, aired Newsline #1434…And Bob needs a new recruit to take over airing of Newsline files when he moves!

 

2/13/2005 OCWN 40m CW Net - NCS/UEB checked in IMW, IB, KFW, KS6CW, OIO, HKT, IXN, RND, IC, NT, and VDP.   UEB, wid cloudy WX in Irvine, is getting ready to go bk to Sacramento tomorrow…Rick, wid a job search underway, plans to leave EDS at the end of March.  IMW, preparing fer the CX Classic event, tried using a Elmac A54H, but Ian thinks he’ll be OK using a crystal.  IB, wid a temp. arnd 50 deg. F., has rain coming to Granite Bay soon, and KFW reminded OPs that the OCARC Meeting is Friday at the Red Cross Bldg. in Santa Ana.  CW celebrates her 49th BD today…Happy BD, Kathy!  OIO had to negotiate a 3-foot boulder in the road going up to the mountains Fri. morning…Not a gud idea to drive up here after dark!  Last week, at Net time, HKT was leaving Rt 66 on a dirt road into the Music Mountains east of Kingman, AZ, fer a nice day of touring.  Last week, IXN got all of the weeding done arnd the QTH, and, finished his income taxes…No refund!   RND, wishing KS6CW a happy BD, told Kathy she’s still a young kid!…HI.  IC & XYL just got bk frm Tallahassee, FL, where they had a great 3-wk visit wid new grandharmonic, Indira,…All Fred can say is ‘WOW’!  NT, wid overcast WX on the Hill, worked a guy in Anarctica on 40 & 30m using the temporary ant.  VDP had over 2” of rain frm the last storm in the rain guage, and Larry said that NT will be moving near him.

 

2/16/2005 10m Phone Net - W6ZE/AF6C checked in MIH, HHC, CCD, IXN, LDC, BWH, and KFW/m.  MIH, a close neighbor of AF6C, had the flu…But Kevin plans a trip to Malibu to upgrade in two weeks!  HHC, reminding OPs abt Fri. Club meeting, plans to be off skiing at Mammoth in abt 1 ½ weeks…Ken then tantalized OPs wid plans fer a 14 ft vertical dipole ant. fer 30m!  CCD’s XYL is keeping Tom busy wid plans fer a new driveway, new sprinklers, etc., at the QTH, and CCD might see MIH at the CLARA pizza party come Saturday.  IXN told MIH that his audio improved after Kevin moved slightly away frm the mike…And IXN received his ‘snail mail’ copy of the excellent Feb. issue of ‘RF’ fer the Club History.  AF6C announced that today was HHC’s BD!…(Happy Birthday, Ken!)  LDC topped the avocado tree once more, to get it out of the beam ant., told HHC that the broken shoulder is doing FB, and told OPs that the conked-out 50” Mitsubishi TV repairs cost $440!  BWH was dwn in the QRN at IXN’s QTH, and KFW and XYL were shopping down in Huntington Beach.

 

2/16/2005 2m Phone Net - W6ZE/IXN checked in MIH, JD, KTS, CCE, BWH, HHC, AF6C, WTQ, and MPW.  MIH will be off to Handi-Hams in Malibu to upgrade to EXTRA… “Congrats, Kevin”, says JD!…And JD siad COAR is busy planning fer Baker-to-Vegas, next meeting: Mar 1, at OPD.  AF6C told OPs that Leonard Victor’s call was W6RNA.  KTS reminded OPs abt the upcoming test session for the Tech License…See the Club website at www.w6ze.org for more info.   CCE commented on the excellent issue of Feb ‘RF’ edited by Kristin, K6PEQ…The PEQs, Kristin and Dan received kudos frm OPs fer the FB 18 page edition…CONGRATS!…And Kenan told OPs that he and BWH moved Club tower sections into storage units.  BWH has no firm moving date as yet, and Bob aired Newsline #1435, where we learned that So. Africa now has a code-free amateur radio license!

HHC will be off on a ski trip to Mammoth come the last Sun. of Feb…Ken announced that we will man the Orange County Amateur Radio Booth at the Orange County Fair, morning, afternoon, and evening, on Wed., July 13!…See Kristin, K6PEQ, our OCARO Rep., to get your free parking passes, etc…Then HHC refreshed our memories concerning Leonard Victor, W6RNA, and Al Watts, W6IBR, who handled the handicapped amateur licensing program at the Long Beach Naval hospital in the ’80s…Then Ken told OPs that Fri. nite Club meeting will feature a report on the Clipperton Island DXpedition.

 

2/20/2005 OCWN 40m CW Net - NCS/UEB checked in IMW, NU6T, IB, KFW, VDP, HKT, RND, KS6CW, IC, KA6G, NT, IXN, and OIO.  UEB, wid earlier rain in Irvine, has the sun out now…And work & job hunting are keeping Rick vy busy!  IMW, wid ABØSI visiting, too much Ebay & work, can’t find time fer much radio, and NU6T ‘flew in and flew out’!  IB, wid vy heavy rain in Granite Bay last nite, will be moving to the Sierra foothills in abt a month.   KFW said that he saw a gud video of a DXpedition to Clipperton Island at the OCARC meeting, provided by Willie, N8WP.  VDP has never seen rain like he had over the QTH the other nite, and HKT just got bk frm two days of dirt roads and hiking in the Black Mountains near Bullhead City.  RND has been keeping the ant. grounded wid all this lightning, and the rain has allowed John to catch up on his reading…He just read a book by Terry Kay.  CW got another downpour this morning, and Kathy loves the full park lakes, the ducks and the clean air!  IC ‘flew in & flew out’, and KA6G went frm sun to rain during Net, including a tornado in Huntington Beach!  Nt will be packing fer the Big Move this coming week…The City is beginning to breath dwn Ray’s back!…HI!  IXN warned all OPs to dump standing water arnd the QTH to prevent the spread of West Nile Virus.  OIO walked thru part of the mountain forest being restored last week…The Forest Service has removed thousands of trees & tons of brush…It looks great!   

 

2/23/2005 10m Phone Net - W6ZE/AF6C checked in CCE, CCD, HHC, LDC, IXN, and N1AB.  AF6C drove his sister to the Long Beach airport last nite to catch her flight bk to Boston…He returned in a cloudburst, safely, to the QTH!…And Bob said that friend Mark has returned frm Iraq!  CCE told OPs abt John Clure, his friend who works for Kenwood servicing, and Kenan also told OPs to check out www.contesting.com for amateur radio contests news.  CCD, lunching late, will skip din-din tonite, and Tom said that he finished mounting the Comet antenna on the auto…Now, CCD must eliminate the mold growing in the shed!  HHC discovered missing Wouff Hong pix for the WEB site on another computer, and Ken has once again placed them on the Club webpage, to be viewed only by members of the Royal Order of the Wouff Hong, of course!   HHC said that his mom is out of the hospital after suffering a breathing problem this morning!  LDC enjoyed a nite of gambling at the Lodge, lost avocados from the tree when high winds struck, and will be off wid the RV group to North San diego County tomorrow.  IXN read a short article on Comet Wild 2 recent discoveries which will be changing comet descriptions in new science textbooks!  AB ‘flew in and flew out’.

 

2/23/2005 2m Phone Net - W6ZE/IXN checked in JD, KTS, WP, KTT, CCE, HHC, AF6C, BWH/m, WTQ &    .  JD & XYL stayed dry during recent rains, going out only to get groceries…And Lowell told OPs the next Baker-to-Vegas meeting will be at the OPD on Mar. 1.  KTS will be looking fer communications help wid the MS-150 Bike Tour in Oct…Starting in Huntington Beach Park, the Tour overnights in Mission Bay and then continues to San Diego.  Strong winds & rain destroyed the awning on WP’s RV, but the VHF ant. was not hurt…And Willie didn’t check into the 10m Net, he had a loud scream frm the speakers…Then WP suggested that we use ICE filters to keep FD RFI at a minimum.  KTT checked in wid weak audio sigs at NCS, but Sheryl’s audio improved when she moved a bit closer to the mike.  CCE & IXN agreed on rain depression…We’re both tired of the rain!…And Kenan, busy studying,   will be off to the TRW Swapmeet this weekend.   HHC’s grandharmonic says, “Rain, rain, go away!”…Ken told OPs that repair of cracked stucco will eliminate window leaks at the QTH…Then HHC reminded OPs to renew their ARRL membership thru the Club.  Ken told OPs abt ‘false positives’, ie., innocent E-mails that may be rejected by internet servers because their code looks like it might contain viruses, bits of harmful code, etc.  AF6C ‘flew in and flew out’.  BWH checked in mobile, and Bob asked OPs abt suggestions fer mounting a VHF ant. to the truck…When BWH arrived at the QTH, he aired Newsline file #1436, where we learned that SAN DIEGO GAS & ELECTRIC ARE BEGINNING PILOT EXPERIMENTS WITH BPL!…(Tnx, Bob!…We appreciate your dedicated service airing Newsline for us!)

2/27/2005 OCWN 40m Phone Net - NCS/UEB checked in IMW, HKT, KFW, RND, KS6CW, KA6G, OIO, VDP, IXN, IC, and NT.  UEB has been working on his WorldCom fraud claim, although most of his holdings were acquired before the claim period!  IMW, not operating much, has been doing sum glowbug stuff.  HKT survived the big storms widout damage, just a ’lil flodding around the QTH.  KFW ‘flew in and flew out’, and RND welcomed the nice, sunny WX, and John said that he is reading books by Robert Fulghum.  CW, wid a briefly stuck paddle, went to Barnes & Noble wid her gift certificate yesterday, picking up a couple of astronomy books.  KA6G, getting better, said that the OCWN has been gud fer him, getting the working after many long years.  OIO had a ‘gud morning’ fer the Net wid nothing to tell this time.  VDP, enjoying the sun, told UEB that he didn’t sell Saturday at TRW.  IXN was cleaning windows inside the QTH last, leaving the outsides ’til after the rains.  IC had QSB on all sigs wid fading, and NT, hitting a snag on the move, was enjoying a nice, sunny Hill today…Maybe Ray will move to Corona del Mar instead of Costa Mesa!

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