NETNEWS

by WB6IXN

01/02/2008 10m Phone Net - W6ZE/W6HHC checked in N8WP, CF, PFA, and AF6C (via SKYPE near Cape Cod). It was good to hear the new Prez for OCARC, Willie-N8WP check in...and with a booming signal. Willie had just gotten back from visiting his new grand daughter up in the state of Washington. Bob-AF6C checked in from his sister's house in Plimptom, MA...via SKYPE....and showed off his video camera to give a tour of his sister's house to the control operator. Net Control, was having troubles again with his 20-year old Yaesu FT-757 rig...it was "spectrum hopping" all over 10M.  Ken-W6HHC vowed that the FT-757 was "spectrum hopping for the last time"....and went out the following week-end to buy a brand new Icom 756Pro3 rig!!

 

01/02/2008 2m Phone Net - W6ZE/W6HHC checked in KQ6JD, CF, MD, AF6C (via SKYPE near Cape Cod), and KØBWH (via SKYPE from N. Dakota). The normal NC operator, Bob-WB6IXN, was on vacation up near Mt. San Jacinto for the holidays. Lowel-KQ6JD had just celebrated his 29th birthday (again). Bob-KØBWH reported via SKYPE that the temperature in Sheldon, ND was 15 F.   Bob-AF6C reported the temperature near Boston was 10 F.   Ken then played the ARNewsline podcast.

 

01/09/2008 10m Phone Net - W6ZE/AF6C checked in HHC, IXN, CCD, CF, GEN, MD, and HC.  HHC eliminated his spectrum-hopping problem by retiring his YAESU 757, replacing it wid an ICOM 756 PRO-3.  MD was able to pronounce ‘Peabody’ in the proper New England style, and IXN said that he & Lee spent four beautiful days wid niece, husband, and horses in the San Jacinto Mts.  HHC reported CF’s sigs at S7, and GEN is installing a new rig in the auto between colds!…And Chet gave HHC’s new rig sigs an S9.  And CCD, glad that the holidays are over, will take down decorations this weekend…CCD said HHC’s audio is great, and CF’s ant. is working well.  CF will have a nephew going to MIT soon, and Nicolas will do some counter top repairs & get sum new kitchen appliances come the weekend.  AF6C recommends OPs checfk out Jet Blue if they plan to fly to the East Coast.   HC remembered to check into Net tonite…Arnie, enjoying retirement, congrats HHC on the new rig, and HC has downloaded Digipan program in preparation for operating PSK-31 mode. 

 

01/09/2008 2m Phone Net - W6ZE/IXN checked in JD, EVX, CF, FKX, and HHC.  AF6C made it back in one piece frm his sister’s home in Plimpton, Mass., where he had an ecxellent vacation wid family, and JD, staying indoors and dry frm the rain, enjoyed a New Year’s BD!  EVX has a 10m problem wid the rig…Robert was unable to hear HHC’s transmissions on 28.375 MHz, nor was EVX able to transmit!…OPs suspect a transmission line problem.  Doug-FKX’s Diamond X-200 5/8 wave 2m/440 ant is doing FB wid the HT.   AF6C told OPs abt the emergency generator installed at his sister’s home back East…Bob enjoyed the cold and said that fuel oil is vy expensive back East.  AF6C then aired ARNewsline # 1586…Solar cycle 24 has started…Dec 11 a high latitude sunsport reversed polarity…Sunspots shud peak arnd 2011 or 2012!…The American Red Cross would not accept OPs for emergency operations during the CA. fire storms that had not gone thru extensive background check!…There are approximately 655,768 licensed hams at present…AR Newsline concluded at 21:43 hours local time…Tnx, Bob!

 

01/16/2008 10m Phone Net - W6ZE/HHC checked in AF6C after AF6C turned over NC duties to HHC.   AF6C experienced weak audio reception, and Bob began the search for the problem.  Additional check-ins to the net were: IXN, CF, WP, GEN, NOL, and HC.  CF copied all but NOL, and Nicolas is now enjoying the new kitchen and appliances!  WP, checking in by reminder, has just set up a new VHF/UHF rig, and Willie complimented HHC’s new rig sigs.  And HHC tnxed Willie for helping him get PSK-31 up & running on the new rig.  The howling Santa Ana Winds were not too bad at GEN’s QTH, and Chet gave HHC a gud sig rpt.  HHC, unable to hear GEN’s sigs, used IXN as a relay…And Ken was unable to find the SKYPE microphone tonite.  NOL was using a 20 watt software rig.  HC and all OPs were experiencing QRN from the Santa Ana Winds as he said HI to Willie & NOL. IXN reveals the source of cosmic rays with velocities near the speed of light.

 

01/16/2008 2m Phone Net - W6ZE/IXN checked in JD, GW, WP, CF, GEN, FKX, CJZ, CV, HHC, HC, KØBWH (via SKYPE), AF6C, and K6RMR(Stan) in HB.  JD has no worries abt the Santa Ana Winds…His antennas are all anchored down in the attic…HI!  Cory-GW said that she and Jim, UC, both had the control heads to their rigs stolen when both autos were robbed at the music store, and, Winn’s Music has lost its lease.  The store will close within the week, and Cori & Jim will be employed as service techs at another music business…UC also lost his checkbook in the robbery!  WP mentioned home & auto insurance as possible vehicles for Jim & Cori recoop their radio losses.   CF mentioned kitchen improvements and new appliances as trash can blew around in high Santa Ana Winds outside the QTH!  GEN ‘flew in & flew out’, joined by CV(Don), who was mobile in Costa Mesa, and CJZ, Robbie.  BWH checked in on SKYPE wid HHC…Bob had sub-zero WX, along wid a sore throat, in Sheldon, ND!   K6RMR(Stan) checked in frm Huntington Beach, and AF6C & RMR discussed a low drive voltage problem wid Stan’s old Heathkit rig.   AF6C was happy to find no more shake shingles lying on the ground in the high winds!  AF6C then aired the ARRL Audio News for 1/11/08 at 21:39 hrs local time  Solar cycle 24 has begun!…NOAA says peak sunspots shud be during 2011-12.  New prefixes for Bosnia-Herzegovena will be E7A thru E7Z…The new question pool for Xtra Class will be used July 1st, 2008 thru 2012, and, the question pool can now be downloaded!…ARRL Audio News concluded at 21:58 hrs. local time…Tnx, Bob!

 

01/23/2008 10m Phone Net - W6ZE/AF6C checked in HHC, CF, NOL, IXN, and HC.  HHC had an email problem wid NOL…NOL explained he had switched domains!  IXN has muffled treble audio on HHC’s sigs with new ICOM Pro3…A few HHC rig adjustments later, all is well!  AF6C will air ARRL Audio News on the 2m Net tonite, and Bob is looking fer a 9-pin female connector…Now, if AF6C can just get that auto, in for service the past week, out of the repair shop!   CF says HHC’s audio sigs much better, as Nicolas tells OPs that sandwiches are on the menu while awaiting kitchen remodeling.  NOL, operating on the Flex 5000A software radio, tells OPs that JAY graduated wid an engineering degree and is employed by Raytheon as a programmer…Congrats, JAY!  IXN tells OPs that here is no snow from the big storm in the San Jacinto Mts. at this time, and HHC told OPs that he has a mold problem in one wall at the QTH!   IXN told OPs that UC is working wid his home insurance to replace his stolen rig, and that GW has purchased a new 2m/440 rig which will replace her stolen mobile rig.  Wid no leaks on the inside, the rain on the outside, HC’s has a ’lil antenna problem wid the rain…And HC proposed that the Club offer sum type of honorarium (like a OCARC coffee mug) to Club speakers, a point well taken by OPs!

 

01/23/2008 2m Phone Net - W6ZE/IXN checked in EVX, AF6C, HHC, CF, KFW, and KØBWH(via SKYPE).  Aren’t you glad you are in CA?…BWH had a -12 deg.F. temp today in Sheldon, ND, and a -28 deg. F. temp tonite!  EVX says the Jr. Tennis Tournament needs 30 OPS fer communications, and Robert still has an antenna problem on 10 meters…If you can help wid Tournament communications, call KB6CNO at (714)680-4258.   AF6C’s new roof is pretty quiet in the rain, and Bob tells KFW that the Club roster has been updated wid dues info…If it rains tomorrow, Bob will work on a jig-saw puzzle.  HHC is wishing fer a Heil mike to replace the handheld mike on the new rig, and Ken told OPs abt the neat pix taken frm bouncing amateur sigs off the moon!

AF6C then aired the ARRL Audio News fer 1/18/08…Motorola & YAESU(Vertex Standard) seal their pact wid 78% of Vertex Standard stock going to Motorola, and 20% retained by Vertex Standard…If you have worked all 80 ARRL Sections, it’ll take $12 to get your mug, but hurry!…Time is running out!…ARRL Audio News concluded at 21:37 hrs. local time…Tnx, Bob!

 

01/30/2008 10m Phone Net – W6ZE/AF6C checked in HHC, CF, IXN, CCD, GEN, CCE, and HC.  HHC, getting over a 1 wk old cold, will build a direction finder to find a QRN source on 20m.  And Ken has found his SKYPE microphone fer the 2m Net…OPs then talked abt UC & GW’s new work location near John Wayne Airport.  AF6C & OPs briefly talked abt the skiers killed in an avalanche at Mt. High near Wrightwood, and Bob reminded Board members to sign new signature cards fer the bank come Sat. morning…AF6C got his auto bk frm repairs last Sunday.  CF cudn’t hear CCE tonite, and Nicolas got HHC’s e-mail but hasn’t had time to answer it yet.  And CCD told HHC that he won’t be skiing this year…The XYL has a bad shoulder!  GEN forgot Net last week…Chet had been busy working out in the garden.  All OPs congratulated CCE on the upgrade to Extra, and Kenan’s new rig is not on line yet…CCE was QRP tonite…Kenan has moved to ant-restricted Irvine.  And HC told AF6C that his audio problem might be a loose wire on the mike.

 

01/30/2008 2m Phone Net - W6ZE/IXn checked in JD, HHC, GW, FKX, VDP, AF6C, CCE, RMR, KØBWH(via SKYPE), ACT, KFW, WP, WTQ, and BVU…Great check-in, OPs!!  Cory-GW checked in mobile wid the new rig now installed in the auto...Cori's 50W was S7 at NC’s QTH…And Cori said that she and UC will be working at the music repair shop in Suite 119, 3100 Airway near the junction of Baker and Red Hill.   JD picked up a cold, and Lowell said that GW had in & out gud sigs depending on her location.  AF6C reminded Board members to come to the Sat. Bfast and sign new bank cards…Bob has an ARRL Audio News to air later in the Net.  KØBWH is no longer in SWL mode…HHC found his SKYPE mike!  And HHC said that we have had 7” of rain so far!…We will also be interested in the solutionof the 20m QRN problem at HHC’s QTH!  BWH/Æ, via HHC SKYPE, read a -8 deg. F. on the outside thermometer in Sheldon, ND!…The WX has been vy dry, but Bob has the snow plow ready to go if needed.   IXN asked BWH what shirt sleeve WX is in Sheldon, to which BWH replied,     “Oh, 32 to 40 deg. F!”    FKX is busy preparing to take his geology students on a trip to Grand Canyon, while practicing code on the side, and, planning to take his Xtra ticket exam in the near future.  VDP told OPs that he used to work at 3000 Airway, not far frm where GW & UC are working now…And Larry will be off to the new QTH in AZ in 3 weeks…VDP traded his old truck fer a pool table!  ACT enjoyed talking wid friend BWH/Æ, and greg, wid 30+ yrs. working fer Orange County, will join us old-timers in retirement!  After IXN talked wid brother Lee, also retired frm OC, IXN will hve further questions fer ACT.  CCE hasn’t got the 756-Pro3 on the air…Kenan has been too busy moving to his new QTH at Bryan and the Market Place, but he’s an Extra Class now!   Dan & Kristin & Kenan all met last weekend fer a ’lil celebration!…CCE told OPs that Mike, WK6O, has gone to the hitching post and now has a knew XYL!…Congrats, Mike!…Mike has now returned to his job in Guatemala.   RMR tnxed Net OPs who gave him helpful suggestions abt power supplys that helped him get his vintage Collins KWM-2 on the air!  And KFW, while mowing the lawn found a bolt & nut which he thinks fell off the beam ant. during recent high winds & rain!    El Presidente Willie-N8WP, shunning the cold in ND, has been buy working a ’lil PSK in Roswell, NM, and cleaning up the e-mail.  At 21:42 hrs local time, AF6C aired ARRL Audio News for 1/25/08…AO-16 satellite has been restarted…FD will be June 28-29…FD Packets will soon be ready…75 repeaters in No. CA. will be busy remedying RF interference to Air Force radar!   ARRL Audio News concluded at 22:00 hrs local time…Tnx, Bob!

WTQ & BVU ‘flew in & flew out’.

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